My cats are not afraid of loud noises, getting sprayed with water doesn't bother them, and no seems to mean meow to them. If I ignore them, they go off and play with eachother. How do I tell them that some behavior, like jumping on the stove, is not acceptable?
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How to punish cat?
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Timeouts don't work. I only have three rooms, the living room, the bedroom, and the bathroom. I put them in the bathroom and take everything out and they are entertained by the sink or the tub. Both of which they have learned to make drip. They are 9 and 5 months
One thing I know that cat really do not like is air blown into their faces. Try a can of compressed air, the kind used to clean computers.
Good luck!!
Good luck!!
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If the spray bottle and the loud noises don't work, I would resort to getting some cheap painting plastic. The stuff they use as a drop cloth. I would just double side tape it in the corners to keep it down. I know it's a lot, but they get the idea. Then while it is down, make sure and work with taking them to the cat post. You cant get all the nooks and crannies, but you can usually cover most areas with it.
**WARNING**
DO NOT EVER use the cans of compressed air made for dusting electronics on your cats, or any other living thing.
The "air" that comes out is actually a VERY cold liquid that evaporates upon contact with the ambient air and is harmful. Do not ever spray it on anything living. It will freeze the spot where it is sprayed.
This truly is one of those times when it is appropriate to say..."Kids, don't try this at home!"
Yours,
Gaye
DO NOT EVER use the cans of compressed air made for dusting electronics on your cats, or any other living thing.
The "air" that comes out is actually a VERY cold liquid that evaporates upon contact with the ambient air and is harmful. Do not ever spray it on anything living. It will freeze the spot where it is sprayed.
This truly is one of those times when it is appropriate to say..."Kids, don't try this at home!"
Yours,
Gaye
I agree with Gaye, compressed air is VERY dangerous to spray on any living thing, especially an unkwowing cat. Just using a can of that yesterday, I could feel the contents freezing in the can. It could take an eye out...
There is product you can get at a pet store, called "Sticky Paws". It is extra wide strips of tape that come off easily on any surface. Just peel and stick, on furniture, floors, counters, etc... I've used it on a couch and on the carpeted stairs, works wonders. Cats hate sticky tape, and this stuff is the right size to put on anything.
When you say that the water bottle doesn't work, do you spray on the body or the head area(not the face)? If you squirt them from the back and aim at the head, I can't imagine that not bothering any cat...I know it even bothers people!! My cat, when she was a kitten, didn't get fazed by loud sounds or the water bottle, unless I got her from behind and on the head. Other than that, she loooooves water, and will dash into the shower as soon as you open the door to get out. Try squirting from the back, quietly, and aim for the head.
There is product you can get at a pet store, called "Sticky Paws". It is extra wide strips of tape that come off easily on any surface. Just peel and stick, on furniture, floors, counters, etc... I've used it on a couch and on the carpeted stairs, works wonders. Cats hate sticky tape, and this stuff is the right size to put on anything.
When you say that the water bottle doesn't work, do you spray on the body or the head area(not the face)? If you squirt them from the back and aim at the head, I can't imagine that not bothering any cat...I know it even bothers people!! My cat, when she was a kitten, didn't get fazed by loud sounds or the water bottle, unless I got her from behind and on the head. Other than that, she loooooves water, and will dash into the shower as soon as you open the door to get out. Try squirting from the back, quietly, and aim for the head.
Do you put them into the bathroom together? Time outs work at our house - I usually pick them up like a foot ball or so they are face to face with them - have stern words with who ever it is and put them in the bathroom with only the night light on. Toilet paper is put away and the cabinet has a magnet on it and they can't open it. Depending on what he/she did they could be in there up to a half hour. If they are playing they are in there until they are bored. Sounds horrible - but I've only had to do this up to five times and the cat quits.
Now the only prob. for me is the one we have now that needs this - is semi-feral and I can't catch her (she lives in the house with us - and allows us to pet her on her own terms)
So she has been getting away with things!
Also, thinking about it. corrections have to be done at the correct time - at least with dogs. This is prob. why sticky tape and alumnium foil work - 'cuz they correct them at that instant. Scaring also works with cats. We had one of ours jump on our VERY hot wood stove and I saw it and freaked - not even a single blister - don't know which scared her worse - the heat or me!
Good luck! Let us know what worked so I can try it too!
Heather V. Havel
Now the only prob. for me is the one we have now that needs this - is semi-feral and I can't catch her (she lives in the house with us - and allows us to pet her on her own terms)
Also, thinking about it. corrections have to be done at the correct time - at least with dogs. This is prob. why sticky tape and alumnium foil work - 'cuz they correct them at that instant. Scaring also works with cats. We had one of ours jump on our VERY hot wood stove and I saw it and freaked - not even a single blister - don't know which scared her worse - the heat or me!
Good luck! Let us know what worked so I can try it too!
Heather V. Havel
I just want to comment about Sticky Paws. One of my cats (when I wasn't present) was starting to destroy the edge of the carpet near the front door of my apartment. Since I rent, I was getting very upset. They had not ruined anything in the apartment in the two years I'd been there. I finally ordered Sticky Paws to try it out, and it completely solved the problem! I strongly recommend this product. You can't even see it on the rug. They did try to play with it at first, but then lost interest. It does get dirty from time to time if anyone steps on it, but you just replace it with a new strip. Of course, it's only good to use if they keep returning to the same spot. That's usually the only time they end up doing damage anyway - from repeat clawing.
what i usually do is go to the store and buy a.. um i think it's called a baseball bat. and just beat the cat untill it gets the idea.
just kidding . but is there anything wrong with hitting your cat on the butt? i mean you spank kids right?
Hi Shnaz and welcome to the Forums!
The mentality behind not using your hands for any form of discipline is so that the animal does not associate your hands with pain or other negative feelings. When you have an animal that fears or otherwise avoids human hands, many things are made that much more difficult to do when you have to. Catching the animal to contain for a car ride to the vet, the subsequent vet visit, any at-home treatments such as medications or other care, noticing when/if there are problems like lumps, bumps, scrapes and scratches, infections, any of those type things are all rendered more difficult.
As for the occasional swat on the behind of an animal - I don't do it, and I don't encourage it. Hitting an animal isn't effective, they don't understand what you are trying to do, and will often mistake it for playtime. In my experience, I find more that it rewards them by suggesting some funtime spent swatting back with claws to your hand.
Best of luck,
Gaye
The mentality behind not using your hands for any form of discipline is so that the animal does not associate your hands with pain or other negative feelings. When you have an animal that fears or otherwise avoids human hands, many things are made that much more difficult to do when you have to. Catching the animal to contain for a car ride to the vet, the subsequent vet visit, any at-home treatments such as medications or other care, noticing when/if there are problems like lumps, bumps, scrapes and scratches, infections, any of those type things are all rendered more difficult.
As for the occasional swat on the behind of an animal - I don't do it, and I don't encourage it. Hitting an animal isn't effective, they don't understand what you are trying to do, and will often mistake it for playtime. In my experience, I find more that it rewards them by suggesting some funtime spent swatting back with claws to your hand.
Best of luck,
Gaye
I agree with not hitting an animal. If you hit them they will remember that, and will be afraid of you or become aggressive with you because they think you are going to hurt them.
I have found that if I pick Kitty up by the scruff of her neck (supporting her bottom too with the other hand) and telling her no while holding her like this, it usually works. But then again, she doesn't go on my stove, and she thinks this is her house and we just live here to do her every whim....
I haven't tried timeouts with her, we have only put her in the bathroom when we're moving stuff in and out and don't want her to get outside. She hates being shut in one room!
I have found that if I pick Kitty up by the scruff of her neck (supporting her bottom too with the other hand) and telling her no while holding her like this, it usually works. But then again, she doesn't go on my stove, and she thinks this is her house and we just live here to do her every whim....
I haven't tried timeouts with her, we have only put her in the bathroom when we're moving stuff in and out and don't want her to get outside. She hates being shut in one room!
Here's my 2 cents...
1. Never ever hit a cat or any other animal. It's too close to animal abuse to feel comfortable to me (I don't advocate hitting kids also).
2. You should never punish a cat at all.
This takes some explaining, as I don't meant you shouldn't train your cat to avoid certain behaviors. What I mean it that you don't want your cat to feel that you are punishing her for anything. Cats are not group animals and they don't see us as a leader, so it's not "legitimate" for us to punish them and will usually lead to resentfulness and bitterness.
When you encouner a behavior problem, first of all remember that in 90% of all cases it's a natural feline behavior that is deemed as a problem by us humans. For example, cats love to jump onto high places and they need to scratch surfaces. That is simply because they are cats. So, the first thing you should have in mind is providing them with an alterntive to this behavior, one that would go along with your home
. Make sure they have a scratching post that they like and that they have other places they're allowed to jump onto. Next, try to make the carpet and kitchen counters undesireable. Use any of the great methods suggested in this thread.
Water squirts and noise can be effective with some cats, but the right way to use them is not to draw attention to the face that you are the one making the cat uncomfortable. Your ideal situation would be a kitchen counter that rattles or a carpet that squirts water when scratched. The point is that this is not punishment, but trying to create an unpleasant connection with the action.
I hope I'm making sense here
Long posts always make me feel like I'm babbling...
1. Never ever hit a cat or any other animal. It's too close to animal abuse to feel comfortable to me (I don't advocate hitting kids also).
2. You should never punish a cat at all.
This takes some explaining, as I don't meant you shouldn't train your cat to avoid certain behaviors. What I mean it that you don't want your cat to feel that you are punishing her for anything. Cats are not group animals and they don't see us as a leader, so it's not "legitimate" for us to punish them and will usually lead to resentfulness and bitterness.
When you encouner a behavior problem, first of all remember that in 90% of all cases it's a natural feline behavior that is deemed as a problem by us humans. For example, cats love to jump onto high places and they need to scratch surfaces. That is simply because they are cats. So, the first thing you should have in mind is providing them with an alterntive to this behavior, one that would go along with your home
Water squirts and noise can be effective with some cats, but the right way to use them is not to draw attention to the face that you are the one making the cat uncomfortable. Your ideal situation would be a kitchen counter that rattles or a carpet that squirts water when scratched. The point is that this is not punishment, but trying to create an unpleasant connection with the action.
I hope I'm making sense here
