Growling cat

[SpaceDuck]

Hi! So to start this off, i have 2 cats, both the same age, one cat is kinda just a loaf. Lazy little thing and then theres Mags(the one this post is about) is extremely destructive and misbehaved so we had to punish her for being hyper territorial and jumping on counters and such, so unfortunately, we had to spray her with water more often than not. Lately, shes started growling and hissing at us. However even when shes growling i can walk right up to her, shes not about to swipe at us. I know shes mad about being sprayed, so she growls to communicate that, however every other form of "punishment" we try just doesnt work. So i'm really at a loss of what to do does anyone have any ideas on how to make her behave and not growl at us? I obviously dont like punishing her at all, but at this point my whole day revolves around this cat. I'm just at my wits end, any advice would be super appreciated.

 

[SpaceDuck]

I also want to follow this up with, when she gets mad she goes out of her way to find my bed and pee on it, doesnt matter if i'm there or not.

 

[ArtNJ]

Many here get a bit worked up about spraying. I don't, I've done it, but I don't think its terribly effective, especially if its not hyper focused. Like ONE counter/table and you keep the spray bottle bottle RIGHT THERE. Trying to use the spray bottle as your general discipline tool I think is not going to work, and at best is no better than a loud sound. That is my go too -- a loud sound -- a no!, a clap, a stomp, a hiss, etc. As far as countertops go, I recommend either the loud sound, like slapping the table, or just picking the cat up and putting on the ground. Sure, you'll have to do that maybe hundreds of times, but eventually some of them learn from that. Or, quite frankly, many just learn to live with the occassional counter violation. As long as its not the food prep area or the dinner table when food is on the table, its quite possible to just "let it go."

Well, that is my general views. It does seem possible that with this specific cat, the spraying causes problems folks might be correct. I'd abandon it.

 

[susanm9006]

As you know spraying doesn’t work. You might try some kind of motion activated toy that makes noises and moves when it senses motion. Being startled by it a few times may be enough to keep her off of the counter.

 

[FeebysOwner]

when she gets mad she goes out of her way to find my bed and pee on it

Despite what you might think/feel, cats are not vindicative and don't plan out retaliation tactics. She is not really understanding what you want from her, and it is probably stressing her out. Stress can cause inappropriate peeing and ultimately lead to bigger urinary tract issues over time.

Try taking a look at these TCS articles for other ideas/thoughts (see links below). But you must understand that nothing you do to try to correct the behavior will be an overnight miracle. As the old saying goes, patience is a virtue. And I will add to that by saying, that along with consistency are the keys that you must apply to any proper solutions you try.
How To Keep Cats Off Counters And Tables – TheCatSite Articles
Why Do Cats…? A Guide To Understanding Feline Behavior – TheCatSite Articles
5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat [Or otherwise punish them] – TheCatSite Articles

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I will also tell you what I told someone quite a long while ago. "I have been working very hard to teach my girl, Hekitty, not to get on the counters. We have been training for several weeks now, and I'm pleased to report that it no longer bothers me at all." Did she get into food prep areas? Yep, but not DURING food prep, and I just wiped the counters down before starting, which is not a bad idea, anyway. Now, she is 15 years old (in 6 weeks or so), has arthritis in her left elbow, and there are stairs in every room but the kitchen so she can easily access her favorite napping spots. I miss the days of saying, "OH HEK! Not AGAIN!" more than you will ever know.

 

[NekoM]

When you say your whole day revolves around Mags, how much of it is playful, physical interaction?
There’s obviously a lot going on that isn’t working and Mags is in some serious emotional distress because none of this is fun for her. I’m trying to figure out exactly what she’s doing to get punished because a lot of it is just trying to get your attention. With Cats we tend to project how we interpret their behavior onto them, thinking they’re fully aware of what they’re doing and how wrong it is. The reality is Cats don’t interpret, they make decisions based on instinct. When you spray her she instinctively runs away but hasn’t a clue why she’s being sprayed with water, as far as she’s concerned she being attacked and shouting doesn’t work because Cats don’t get shouting, there’s no inflection it’s just noise. I have a feeling there’s bit of a dynamic happening where she’s becoming increasingly alienated, but this is a fixable situation by simply pulling her closer to you with lots of interaction and attention, than pushing her away with aggression.

 

[Alldara]

When training anything, rarely ever will a 'dont do this' only method work. She needs a replacement behaviour.

When you say destructive, how does that show up? What kind of things does she destroy?

If climbing and knocking stuff off, I'd grab some museum putty in the meantime and think about where I will want her to climb and how I can accomplish that with furniture and cat furniture.

If chewing, boxes, carboard scratchers, tissue paper and craft paper work well. When I lived with my ex and his brother, his brother brought home a kitten. It was the joke that I became the kitten's mum (I'm a big cat person). He was SO destructive. So I would give him boxes and he would tear little circles out of them. The men got tired of cleaning up boxes and promptly had to spend $300 replacing electronics.

Anyways they relented on the box. We also taught him to fetch. Basically catnip where you want her to play and moving her to what you wabt her to do.

Growling and hissing makes sense. You're spending all day telling her she can't do things and scaring her with things like water. Not really conducive to a positive relationship.

So yes, give some specific examples of behaviour and maybe some other things you've tried to get her to stop and we can help brainstorming..

 

[NekoM]

We also taught him to fetch. Basically catnip where you want her to play and moving her to what you want to do.

Catnip is always a good distraction, some Cats will immediately chill out

 

[NekoM]

I also want to follow this up with, when she gets mad she goes out of her way to find my bed and pee on it, doesnt matter if i'm there or not.

It’s so easy to misread Cat Signals. It could be a health issue, though generally it’s a sign of anxiety,distress even insecurity. The reaction is to punish, however try playing with her on the bed while giving her some treats after a while it becomes a happy place she respects. This is not rewarding bad behavior, it’s fulfilling a need.

‘Something that’s good to know is this thread is all about friendly advice, there’s no judgement whatsoever.

 

[lollie]

…..is extremely destructive and misbehaved..

This sounds like it could be boredom. How much playtime does she get? Are there toys and other things for her to do when you are not playing? Does she have an interesting window- cat perch area to watch outside birds and whatnot?

does anyone have any ideas on how to make her behave and not growl at us?

First, stop spraying her with water. It‘s obviously ticking her off, and it is not changing her behavior, so stop it. As others have said, cats do not understand punishment. If you don’t want her on the counter (totally understandable) you have to make it an undesirable place to be. The cheapest thing you can do is lay down some tinfoil on the counter, most cats hate it. A more expensive option is a spray called Scccat. It is a motion activated spray of air. Very effective in keeping most cats out of a certain area.

Also look at why she may be doing this. Trying to get at food? Attention? Curiosity? If you think she is wanting to observe you working, give her a place that is a YES. A high stool she can sit on, a cat perch on a wall, etcetera. Also, as she does appear to be a tree dweller type cat, make sure she does have plenty of UP places in your home she can get to.