Show Them Who Is Boss

It is said regularly that cats are haughty animals with little inclination towards being dictated to. There is an element of truth to that, but the fact is that if you respond to their behavior in the correct way you can get them to repeat or give up different kinds of activity and to all intents and purposes, you will be training your cat. Whether or not they see it that way, they will end up responding to your training in just the way that you intended. You just need to make clear to them that what you are doing is encouraging good behavior and discouraging the bad. A bright cat will pick this up quickly and behave so as to encourage more rewards.

The thinking on your part has to be that you, after all, are the one who buys and distributes food and gifts. In a cat’s mind, they can manipulate you to give them things that they like by behaving in a certain way. In the end, it does not really matter who is right and who is wrong, because the end result is that you end up with a cat who behaves well for a majority of the time. And if they behave badly, then the treats are withdrawn and kitty has to spend some time in isolation. This is best done by placing them in a cat carrier. While most cats love lounging around, if they are forced to do nothing but that they will soon get tired of it.

It is not to be confused with ruling by force. Your cat is smaller than you, and punishing it by using physical violence, even a slap, should be avoided. This kind of behavior will scare a cat and when it comes down to it that isn’t what you got a pet for in the first place. You have taken this eccentric, loveable animal as a pet for the love that they show you in return and for the crazy behavior that they sometimes display. A scared cat, who behaves itself for fear of what might happen otherwise, will not be a cat that gives you the hours of joy that make being a cat owner what it is. So while it is good to take a firm line with them, don’t try and scare your cat into behaving.

When Does Mischief Become Bad Behavior?

Everybody loves a mischievous cat – they are so full of running and eccentricity that they are just about the cutest thing you can bring into a home. They will bring a lot of joy into your life just from watching them. From the kitty who places their paw on your book as you go to turn the page and looks at you with an expression that purrs “Now it’s time for me to have your attention!” to the one that deposits its cat toys in your shoes when you are not looking, they all give belly laughs and delightfully surreal moments to the human lucky enough to be adopted by them. But there is a line that can sometimes be crossed, between mischievous and badly behaved. For both your sakes, it is good to draw that line.

If your cat’s mischievous behavior extends as far as occasionally trying to drown its squeaky mouse in the water dish and playing with your hair as you nap, then you haven’t got a problem. You have a delightful, silly little creature who if they could talk would have some very interesting explanations to give. If it goes further, then you need to look at things differently. Is it regularly stealing food from your plate? Is it scratching up the furniture even after you have shoo-ed it away from the sofa for the 40th time? Is it going to the toilet in places where it should not? Then you need to look at remedial training, and a reward-and-punishment system that leaves your pet in no doubt.

Persistent unacceptable behavior is something that can only be cured by taking a firm line. One of the best ways to enforce this is dependent on catching your cat behaving in the way that you wish to prevent. If you do this, you must swiftly lift the cat up and carry it to the carrier that you use to take it to the vet or anywhere else. Place the cat inside – you may experience resistance – and lock the carrier. Your cat will not be too pleased at the period of enforced confinement, although it may attempt to make the best of it initially. It will come to associate this reaction with their own action, and this will lead to an improvement in time.

Hints and Tricks to Stop Naughty Kitties

Regardless of how meek and mild your cat may be, there are few on this planet who do not occasionally act up and do things that drive you mad. This is just something that, as cat owners, we accept as a form of tax paid on the good times that they bring. But there are always ways that you can cut down on the naughty behavior of a cat who just won’t quit.

Orange Peel: It is absolutely true. Cats are really put off by citrus smells, and anything acidic at all. They have a more sensitive sense of smell than we humans, though, so instead of sprinkling vinegar in your home and causing any visitors to suspect that you have turned your house into a pickling plant, just scatter some orange peel in a dish and place it wherever you don’t want kitty to be.

Aluminium Foil: For reasons that are yet to be fully established, the average cat will not walk across a strip of tin foil. Some think it is the reflective surface that spooks them, others that it is the crinkling noise but regardless of why it is, your cat is unlikely to take kindly to tin foil being spread in one of their favorite areas for causing mayhem.

Water: Cats hate water. If you have tried to bathe one, you will know this better than you ever could have wished to know anything. But you can use this to your advantage. No-one wants to hit their cat. It is ineffective and counter-productive anyway. But spraying them with water, although annoying to them, is not painful and reinforces the right behavior without traumatising – this works best if you can do it without being seen, as they may just stop the offending behavior when you are around.

Noise: If none of the above are working, you may wish to try making some noise. Cats pick up on aggression, so shouting at them is not a desirable approach. But a “psst” noise will have an off-putting effect without upsetting them – as will a loud tinkling noise. Experiment with different noises until you find the best one, and have another good one in reserve in case they become used to your “A” game.

Stop Cat Night Time Madness

Cats are nocturnal animals. While this is to be expected from creatures that are most likely to catch their food at dawn and dusk, when it comes to living with a cat, their nocturnal habits can make life difficult. Many a cat owner has awoken to a gentle prodding from their cat, trying to inform them that 3am is the perfect time for a play session. Night is also when cats, bored through lack of activity, can cause damage – either by running around and knocking things over, or by using the opportunity to scratch furniture they know they shouldn’t.

While it is impossible to fully remove a cat’s night time habits – because one cannot reverse nature – it is possible to make their nocturnal wanderings easier to live with.

Cats are creatures of habit, and they repeat behaviours that have previously been pleasurable or successful. This is important to remember when your cat creeps into your bed and starts playing with your toes or eyelashes, or even just sitting on your chest meowing for food. If you get up and play with the cat or feed him, you are essentially teaching him that his disturbance tactic works.

Ignoring a cat that is playing or disturbing you isn’t easy, so there are a few methods you can take before attempting to sleep to try and handle the problem. Half an hour before you’re due to go to bed, take out your cat’s favourite toy and have a play session. There is a dual purpose to this. Firstly, your cat will be stimulated mentally and physically for a period, and is therefore more likely to settle. Secondly, you and the cat can have some quality bonding time and you can show them attention and affection; a feeling of these lacking is often the reason for nocturnal bed creeping.

If this doesn’t work, it may be time to try a sterner method. Right before you go to bed, shut your cat in an enclosed room where they can’t cause too much havoc. Fill the room with a comfortable cat bed, toys, water and a litter tray – then leave them there until morning. Though they won’t like being enclosed at first and will probably cry, it is essential to follow through on this decision and never give in and let the cat out until morning. As soon as you do, you are once again telling them that their behaviour works. Instead, remain vigilant, and after a week or so they will settle into the routine and come to enjoy their time in “their” room at night.