Cats are very cute animals and can become wonderful pets for your family. Although they are animals, then tend to behave like humans at times, as they grow and develop. It is important that you know how to discipline a cat. Try to discipline your right when she is a small kitten. It will give her adequate amount of training and you expect good behavior as she grows up. Proper discipline will not make your pet protest and throw tantrums. She will be able to obey your instructions and will do what you instruct her.
Cat Discipline: The Wrong and The Right Way
Cats are not human beings and they would not understand your reasoning. These animals don’t understand the consequences of any situations like us. Don’t try to be very strict with your cat in terms of discipline. You should not punish your pet frequently for bad behavior. Following that course of action, your pet will start to associate punishment with you. Instead of being a happy cat, she will start fearing you. With the passage of time, she will avoid your presence and the bond between you two will weaken. Any form of disciplinary actions is not good if it means to cause pain to your feline friend. Negative stimulus to change certain bad activity of pet is one thing but it should be subtle not terrifying.
Many times even the sweetest cat “misbehaves” which as an owner will not enjoy. Screaming at her or punishing will not alter this negative behavior. The best way to get rid of this undesirable behavior would be to distract your pet for another alternative. Distracting her is not a difficult task. A loud and unfamiliar noise will quickly get her attention. Try to keep the sound harsh and low-tone to intimidate your cat. You can use the high pitch sound for praise and acts of good behavior. One of the best ways to distract is giving her a blast with spray bottle. If your pet is showing negative behavior, get rid of the opportunity. Like for instance if she likes scratching the couch side, use a loose blanket against it. If she climbs over curtains, pin or fold them out of her reach. When you are away at work, close her in a room with food, water and plenty of soft toys.
How to Discipline a Cat: Examples that Never Works
Imagine that you come home after a long tiring day at work. When you enter, you find your home in a complete mess. Instead of knowing go to discipline a cat, the owner acts on his instincts and does something which doesn’t work. The cat is completely afraid and hides somewhere. After you call her multiple times, she does not come out and you feel terrible. From studies, it is analyzed that following disciplinary methods does not work with cats:
- Constantly yelling or talking in a loud voice
- Raising hand in an aggressive manner
- Beating the cat on her face or palms
- Any other type of physical contact with cat
- Spraying on her with water pistol
Cats hate loud noises and are extremely afraid of harsh sounds. When trying to discipline your pet, you need to understand how you pet is going to react. If the response from your cat is negative, you will have to opt for other methods to discipline your pet.
Understanding Cat Behavior for Effective Discipline
Anyone who has lived around a cat knows they learn quickly and have a mind of their own. If they are misbehaving, you need to show them the correct behavior. There are disciplinary ways that works or cause additional problems to the pet owners. First, you need to understand the behavior of your cat. They don’t do so something to irritate you or get back to you. They might be urinating outside the litter box because of their instincts. You need to analyze the situation and understand why your cat is showing such behavior. Once you grasp the situation, you will be able to discipline your pet effectively.
If you cat is not using the litter box, it’s time to play detective with her. Change the box or move it to some other place in your house. Don’t forget to check the medical complications like blood in urine, weight loss etc. once you figure out the problem, your pet will start using the litter box. Kittens bite everything in order to investigate them. Right from the tender age, you need to teach your pet not to bite hands. If she bites you, don’t take your hand away immediately. She will sense that you are playing with her. Tell her a sharp “No” and she will understand that it is not correct biting hands. She will understand this bad behavior and will not repeat it again. You can give her ropes or stick so that she does not see your hands as toy.
Getting Rid of Undesirable Behavior of Your Cat
Never push the palms of your hand into the face of cat. This is not how to discipline a cat. If you swing your hand, she will take it as a challenge to fight. Inflicting pain will have negative consequences on your relationship with cat. Don’t provoke her because it will cause serious aggression problems. Immediacy is important and you can use it as soon as your cat starts misbehaving. It is important to understand why your cat is behaving in an abnormal manner. Once you understand the reason, you will be able to fix her problems. This will make your cat disciplined and you will be able to live peacefully with her.
Hi! I’m Karen and a certified dog lover. As a freelance writer and blogger, I do my best to squeeze in some time with my dogs, learning more about the way they act and how I can make sure that they continue to stay well-cared for by yours truly.
My dogs have helped me through a lot, and this is my way of giving back to them! Besides animals, I also love to travel and cook, having explored my country’s restaurants and unique places. Follow me as I show you all the amazing tips and bits of information I learn along the way about our furry friends!