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 And if they behave badly, then the treats are withdrawn and kitty has to spend some time in isolation.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.