Anyone who has lived around a cat will tell you they are
clever animals that learn quickly and have a mind of their own. If they are
misbehaving, it may be that you need to show them how you want them to behave.
But there are ways to do this that will work and other ways that will simply
cause more problems. Here we look at some of them.
Understanding behaviour
Firstly, owners need to understand why a cat does what it
does. While a kitten may seem like a little furry human in some ways, one area
they aren't like us is that they won't act out. They won't do something just to
irritate you or to get back at you. So if they are urinating outside their
litter box, it isn't to wind you up but because there is some instinct that
tells them to do this. This can range from not liking the litter box or the
litter to be unsettled by its location or even having a medical condition that
means it doesn't have time to reach the box. So understanding why they are
doing what they do helps to know how to discipline them effectively.
Dos and don'ts
One of the most common problems is what is called litter box
avoidance. This is where the cat doesn't use their litter box for some reason
and deposits their waste elsewhere. To solve this problem, you need to play
detective. Is it, as mentioned, the litter box or litter that has been changed?
Is the box in a new location in a high traffic area of the house that makes the
cat feel uncomfortable? Or is the cat showing any other symptoms that may
indicate a health problem, such as blood in the urine, crying when going to the
toilet or weight loss. Once you have figured out what the problem is, the cat
will go back to using the litter box again. Don't ever wipe their nose in the
waste eliminated in the wrong place, as this means nothing to them.
Scratching the furniture is another frequently encountered
problem. This stems from the cat's urge to maintain their claws and the
furniture takes the place of a tree that their ancestors would have used. The
best way to stop this is to provide a scratching post. Whenever the cat begins
to scratch the furniture, take them to the scratching post instead. A sharp
clap of the hands will also put them off their scratching but never smack them
as this won't mean anything to them and will lead to a fear of your hands.
Fighting can be broken up in much the same way, a sharp clap
of the hands or a loud shout of 'no'. Cats often fight with others in the
house, but it is key to recognise play and aggression to know if there is a
bigger problem. Look for signs of anger or fear in their body language to
indicate the fighting is serious, rather than just rough play.
Kittens particularly bite everything to investigate it and
because their teeth hurt, much as a toddler goes through teething. Learning
them not to include hands in their biting range is important from a young age.
If you are bitten, don't pull your hand away quickly as this will seem like
playing. Again, a sharp 'no' will make them jump and release the hand. When
playing, avoid using your hand as the focus, instead use a toy on a stick or
rope so that your hands don't come to be seen as a toy.
Credit: Angela Tempest
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