Do's and Don'ts for Disciplining a Cat

You love you cat. you actually do. however, your hirsute friend actually has associate degree freelance streak and might be quite feisty from time to time. you would like to grasp the way to discipline a cat, however, you'll not apprehend wherever to start out. Effectively disciplining a cat could take some trial and error. a bit like all humans square measure completely different, thus square measure all animals. whereas one could respond completely to an explicit sort of correcting unhealthy cat behavior, others could reject your tries and their behaviors could solely exacerbate. Plus, there square measure some strategies that you just ought to completely not attempt whereas disciplining a cat.

The truth is that it's laborious to grasp the way to discipline a cat if you've got ne'er done it before, or if your previous cats looked as if it would learn the lay of the land all on their own. to urge started on the correct foot, it is important to grasp the do's and don'ts of the way to discipline a cat in your home. Once your kitten — or older cat — understands what behavior is acceptable, there'll be less want for correcting unhealthy behaviors. After all, cats square measure terribly good.

The Don'ts of Disciplining Your Cat

Don't compare your cat to your dog: If you've got already trained a dog, you'll assume that disciplining a cat is analogous to however you handled your dog. Stop right there. Cats and dogs square measure terribly completely different animals, and that they do not learn within the same method. wherever your dog could interact within the coaching method by taking note to your commands, your cat will not heed your requests to take a seat and keep. Knowing that you just got to approach your cat otherwise is that the beginning to success for each of you.

Don't physically discipline your cat: coaching a pet is often terribly frustrating once you are learning along, however it goes while not spoken communication that you just ought to ne'er hurt a cat whereas disciplining her. Cats square measure already impatient of human kinds of social control, however physically dominating a cat can break your bond along with her. ne'er hold down, shake or hit your cat. Physically harming your cat will truly create true worse and cause her to criticize or become withdrawn. Also, cats have a tough time associating the physical social control with the unhealthy behavior, thus you are not truly coaching her to prevent doing it. If coaching your animal becomes too tough for you, the decision in reinforcements like members of the family or perhaps an expert trainer. it is not defeated — it's assistance!

Don't yell to create a point: You already do not speak an equivalent language as your cat, thus do not be fooled into thinking she'll perceive you higher once you raise your voice. Of course, your cat could perceive that the amendment in your volume suggests that one thing is completely different, however, yelling could scare your cat or decision an excessive amount of attention to negative behaviors. Yelling could cause your cat to feel stressed and anxious, which may cause further wrongful conduct.

Don't rub your cat's nose in associate degree accident: the sole factor you are going to accomplish by rubbing your cat's nose in her accident is disconcerting her. {you will not|you will not} suddenly apprehend her motivations for not mistreatment the litter box and he or she won't promise to ne'er make out once more. Rubbing your cat's nose in associate degree accident brings additional attention to the scene of the crime and will even reinforce to your cat that it's okay for her to travel to the lavatory where she needs. the simplest course of action is to easily clean the realm completely and still work on litter box coaching.

Don't permit play that won't okay: you may assume your sweet very little kitten does not apprehend higher once she's swatting or biting your fingers throughout play time. However, you recognize that biting associate degreed scratching is not one thing you wish an older cat to try and do in your home. With any new animal in your home, it's up to you to line early behavioral expectations. If your cat starts scratching or biting throughout leisure —even innocently — stop play straightaway thus your kitten understands what's and isn't allowed. this can be specifically true for play with kids. If you interact live wherever you permit her to nibble on your finger, she may assume it's okay to try and do this with kids. this might cause the youngsters to become afraid of your cat, associate degree adverse result you are doing not wish to happen.

Don't use a sprig bottle: there's associate degree recent story regarding employing a spray bottle to airt a cat's unhealthy behavior, however, the reality is she probably does not associate being sprayed with the unhealthy behavior. She is probably going to prevent doing what she is doing by deed from being sprayed, rather understanding the discipline is joined to her behavior. This methodology may cause your cat to become withdrawn at even the location of a squirt bottle, which isn't one thing that you just wish to try and do.