How do you growl at a kitten?

[vix]

OK from this question you can tell I'm a very new kitten owner. - How do you tell a Kitten off? When my dogs were pups we would growl (like a dog) to stop them doing something bad or dangerous. This worked amazingly well as it is what their Mums would do. (growl at something bad, high pitch squeek if they are too rough).

Last Night Cosmo the cat was leaping from the arm of a chair trying to get onto my dinner plate. I tried 'NO!' and moving him away, I tried my best dog growl, I tried NO! and praising him when he did something good immediately afterward - All good Dog tricks but no good for Cosmo?

My husband suggested hissing but that doesn't seem right? What do you suggest?

Vix

 

[hissy]

You need to remember that this is a kitten. At least you say Cosmo is a kitten then you say he is a cat- so how old is Cosmo?

If Cosmo is fairly young, then just put Cosmo into another room while you eat, with food of his own and a litter box far enough away from the food bowl. Put some toys in there, let him stay there until after you have eaten then let him back out.

Growling and hissing will only tend to frighten him and not serve much a purpose except to perhaps get you scratched. If you do not want to contain him, then just keep putting him down gently. He will get the hint- eventually.

We have a captive audience around our house when we eat. At least 6 cats will sit patiently on the floor waiting for us to finish. The younger kittens will try to get into our plates, and we just keep putting them down on the floor and telling them no. They do get the idea, after repeated times.

 

[angelzoo]

I don't think I have ever had to do anything like that, with a kitten.

Most cats, will grow out of this. If you fight with a kitten over food, he can learn that he will have to fight back to see who WINS the food. Just tell him no, and keep putting him down, use a spray bottle (though I don't really like to use those on really young new kittens). Or just put them in another room while you eat, with stuff of his own.

As adults, depending on the circumstance, and how well you know your cat, sometimes I have hissed at them, but mostly I'll just give them a good swat to their heads with my paw (hand)
Personally I don't think most people can hiss satisfactorly enough for a cat to notice it's any different then all the other blabbing noises that come out of our mouths, lol.

Teach your kitten gently as a friend and a mother.

 

[vix]

Thanks to you both, this is what I wanted to hear - Cosmo is only 8 weeks old and although a friendly purrey little boy, we have only had him for 4 days and I don't want him not to trust us or feel threatened at all.

The dinner plate leaping trick is not a major problem, I just want to make sure we are starting Cosmo off on the road to being a happy well adjusted Cat.

cheers
Vix

 

[hissy]

Just keep reminding yourself how new he is in the world. And please don't use the squirt bottle method. It really is not a good way to go with cats.

Persistance is the key, and being gentle in instruction. Cosmo will catch on soon enough.

 

[valanhb]

When "training" a cat to do or not do anything, positive reinforcement and consistency is the key. The biggest difference between dogs and cats is how they view the social order. Dogs will respond to punishment because they are lower in the pack than their people. Dogs want to please their alphas. Cats are solitary by nature and really don't see you as part of their pack like dogs do. Punishment never works with cats. They do not associate punishment with acts, but with what punishes them. Squirting with water, bopping them on the head, anything bad (to them) that they see YOU doing will be a negative association with YOU, no matter what THEY are doing at the time. (Not that you are punishing Cosmo, I'm just trying to explain a bit.

)

To get a cat to not do something you have two strategies. 1. Make the action undesirable to them (i.e. double sided tape on the couch arm that you don't want kitty scratching) while giving them an alternative (their own scratching post). 2. Make it worth their while to not do it (i.e. when kitty gets too rambunctious with claws or biting when playing, walk away taking what they want - your attention - away, continuing to play and praise and even treats when kitty plays nice).

Angel is right, most kittens will grow out of this, unless it is encouraged and rewarded (kitty gets food). Putting him in another room and/or feeding him really yummy wet food when you eat will occupy him until then. Or like Mary Anne (Hissy) said, just keep gently putting him down with a firm NO. He will eventually give up.

 

[vix]

Thanks again
It's amazing to see him change and gain confidance with us and the dogs. It's fasinating to learn the differences in bahaviour between the dogs and Cosmo. Thanks for the advice, Cosmo was much more interested in playing with the dogs last night than anyone elses dinner so we will keep up the gentle persuasion techniques.

Cheers
Vix

 

[dtolle]

Originally posted by AngelzOO




As adults, depending on the circumstance, and how well you know your cat, sometimes I have hissed at them, but mostly I'll just give them a good swat to their heads with my paw (hand)

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I just want to say, and I think some of our 'experts' will agree, that to hit a cat or a kitten isn't a good idea. The idea of swatting them will only teach them to be afraid of you, and may cause agression later on. I don't think that this method is in your best interest w/ the cat.

 

[a_loveless_gem]

Yup consistency is the key and a lot of patience.

I might be late in the game....but I feed my two kitties just before I eat my dinner...that way they have food and I have food. If they try to come to the plate, I take them to their bowl.

Though Russell has learnt to sulk. Can't figure out where from.... He'll meow pitifully and I just look at him and tell him that he eats his dinner and not mine and walk back to my food.

Esper is my new one and after two nights, she got the hint. Though Russell after 11 months, still tries.