The Cat Website - All About Our Cat Friends

Training a Cat to Have Likeable Behaviors

 Cats can be very finicky at times. When you are trying to change bad behaviors, this can be hard. Cats will not always do what you want them to. When you are trying to change a bad behavior you need to introduce one good behavior. Redirect them into a behavior that is more acceptable for the both of you. Make sure that you reward your cat for any good behaviors that they may show. Use treats, praise, cuddling, hugs, and games.

When you spot, you cat doing something undesirable you should redirect them to something else. For instance, if you catch them scratching at the couch you should get them a scratching post. There are some things that you should remember, do not ever hit your cat. This can make your cat get extremely irritated and skittish.

Here are some ideas that can help with deterring your cat from doing things that you may not want him to. You can use water, try slyly squirting your cat with water, naturally they do not like water. Try using loud noises such as: shaking pennies in a soda can. Use a compressed can of air to make a loud hissing noise. All of these can be used for a quick stop when your cat is expressing a bad behavior. In addition, with some success hopefully you can catch them doing these bad behaviors. The discipline can be used to help them realize that these bad behaviors are not going to be accepted. On another note if you have gone away and you come home to find your trash can tipped over. You can not punish them for this. One, they will not remember doing this; secondly, they will not know why they are being punished.

Here are a few things to try if you want to keep your cat from jumping on your counter tops. You can use things such as double sided sticky tape, aluminum foil, plastic wrap. The double sided sticky tape is to be put wherever you don't want your cat. If the cat goes near it and puts one of their paws on it, they will stick to it. As we all know cats do not like having sticky things on their paws. This goes along with the plastic wrap, it has the same effect. The aluminum foil can be used like a mirror. This will give off a reflection of the cat. Typically cats do not like reflection they believe they see another cat. Or even at the most extreme you can put an electric mat on the counter; most of the time this can be purchased at a pet store. This mat will give off slight shocks to keep the cat from the counter.

There are some things that you can buy at local pet stores, to keep your cat from biting on plants, and electronic wires. You can get some bitter tasting and bitter smelling things to put on the plants and wires. You have to be careful what you put on these items. You can look on the back of the product to tell if it will harm your plants. You should also monitor how much you put on these. Your cats need toys to play with; they need to keep themselves occupied. You can also take the time and grow them their own plant or grass. Just be careful and find out what type of plants that can be harmful to your cat. One more idea to keep your cat from getting into your plants is to get plant hangers and keep your plants out of the cats reach.

Just a few reminders that you love your cat and you need to be patient. All cats have at least one bad habit, there is always some way of dealing with this. When you want your cat to behave just treat it fairly. They need time to learn new things, just like you would. They also need time to break bad habits. Don't forget they are not trying to make you mad they just want love and positive attention.

About the author:

Tony Robinson is a webmaster, international author and cat lover. Visit his website at http://www.officialcats.com

 Tony Robinson

More Articles 

Cat Behavior Training - Tony Robinson
Learning cat behaviors before you start training them would be an good idea for anyone that is going to train a cat's behavior. A cat can jump and lands on its feet as this are a natural instinct for a cat. When a kitten is first born, the...

How to Train Kittens to Use the Cat Litter Box - Nancy E Wigal
There are several things you need to do to help the mama cat train her kitties to develop good cat litter box habits. While the kids may try to follow mom's example, here's how you can help cement that success. First, since kittens are so...

Shih Tzu/Dogs/Useful Over The Counter Medications - Connie Limon
Some over-the-counter medications can be used for emergencies in select situations. Always ask your vet before giving any over-the-counter medicines to your injured or ill shih tzu. 3% hydrogen peroxide: Can be used to induce vomiting and for...

Frosty, The Wandering Vagabond Cat - Michael LaRocca
FROSTY, THE WANDERING VAGABOND CAT Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca For a long time, we had a four-pet home. Daisy the border collie mix and Bebe the dachshund/doberman mix. Witchie and Taz, the Siamese couple. Pumpkin wandered into this mess for a...

Serious Cat Urine Prevention Tips - Mike Taylor
Many times cat owners are at a loss as to why their cat doesn't use their litter box. Here are some great tips that can help you solve the problem. The litter box is the first thing you should check. It should be in a quiet, private area of the...

Solar-Induced Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Cats - Mark M Smith DVM
Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancerous disease that most commonly involves skin. Fair-skinned people tend to be predisposed to this type of cancer after chronic, excessive exposure to sunlight. Likewise, white or light-colored cats are also...

Cats And Pills - Tablets. - Colin Visser
Nearly everything alive becomes ill at some stage in its life, and pets are no exception. I have been very fortunate in that my two cats have been very healthy for most of their lives. Recently the oldest cat become ill and had to go to the...

Which Of These Cat Breeds Is The Right One For You? - Niall Kennedy
There are many cat breeds out there. If you are like most people, you don't know much about them. In order to help you to make a choice about breeds, here is some useful information. Do you want a cat that can entertain himself and not get...

Living with a Deaf Cat - Summer Fey Foovay
Living with a Deaf Cat A genetic anomaly causes blue-eyed white cats to be born deaf. I have not been able to find out what percentage of them are deaf - but it is fairly common. Odd-eyed whites are often deaf on the same side as they are blue...

Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats - Richard E Goldstein DVM
Hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver, is a common syndrome characterized by excess fat accumulation in the liver of cats. It can occur in cats of any age or breed and may affect more females than males. Hepatic lipidosis classically occurs after...