Disciplining a cat

[Elaine]

This evening i went to visit a cleint about walking her doberman, as we were chatting, we got onto the subject of cats, as i do;) . Any way, they have a small female cat who was a rescue, apparently she claimed the daughters room and would attack her when she entered the room. The daughter took the cat to the vets for a routine visit, the vet noticed all the scratches on the girl and asked about her behaviour, this vet recomended that the girl discipline the cat. Now when she said this to me alarm bells started to go off in my head so I asked her just how she disciplined the cat. She told me that when she entered her room, after the vet visit, she picked the cat up, it began to get aggressive with her so she dropped her and now when she picks the cat up she bumps it, sort of like pretending that she is going to drop her again but she doesnt drop her. Are you all following me?;)
Anyway, I just wondered if any of you had thought about disciplining your cat/s and just how would you go about it?
Me, personally, find the word (discpline) a bit frightening tbh, not sure i would agree with dropping the cat purposefully but I guess its better than smacking the cat or is it?:?

[dandysmom]

Interesting. I have never actually tried discipling cats. When he/she is doing something unacceptable I try to distract him/her with something: a toy, treat, etc. And when they play too roughly I let out a loud yell, say "No!..hurts!!!" and stop the game immediately. They catch on. I do not believe in physical punishment. I don't think they really relate cause and effect, and think what it teaches them is that people are unpredictable and that people can be mean! Formerly loving hands have become hurting hands. No way to build trust, IMO....

[Mags]

I just use my voice if ever I have to discipline, I wouldn't dream of doing anything physical like that ....

[Elaine]

Interesting. I have never actually tried discipling cats. When he/she is doing something unacceptable I try to distract him/her with something: a toy, treat, etc. And when they play too roughly I let out a loud yell, say "No!..hurts!!!" and stop the game immediately. They catch on. I do not believe in physical punishment.

Thats what i always do too, not that Eva pays any attention to me unless there is food in it for her:lol:
I just thought it was odd that a vet would a) use those words (discipline the cat) and b) surely even dropping the cat could have serious implications.

[babycakes]

I wonder what the queen does to put the kitten in its place? It isn't something I have observered having only rescue cats and kittens but I wonder if she would scruff it then drop it??

Anyway not a lot worked with Denis shouting, hand up and reasoning with sweet talk haven't worked and still don't, with him being feral he just goes on the attack all the time and if he is tired he is worse he growls and moans then goes for me full on. If I walk away he runs after me biting my ankles!!!! so I close the door on him now and go back in when I think he will have calmed down

I have never had any behavioural problems with any of the other cats that I have owned

[Moli]

I just say No! in a loud voice, or oye!! Would never do something like that to my boys..

[angieh]

I have always said "No" firmly and raised my finger. But have actually found that making a fuss of Merlin and Smudge when they've been good worked better when they were young. Oddles of attention when they are good and withdraw attention when they are being naughty or misbehaving.

[claws_applause!]

I have 3 puddy cats, one ,the eldest insists on peeing in the house on occasions, he is 14 year old tom and goes out normally to 'do the biz'

I find myself shouting at the a lot, never ever physical as I think the cat would resent you after this treatment TBH....now since I had my 1st child, a 7 month old exploring baby and 3 cats, hard work :(

[Jem]

I say no to snoopy n she understands that, i say no to peanuts n she looks at me like im mad :D so with peanuts cos she can be naughty i squirt her with a bit of water x

[Elaine]

Hi Claws_Applaws, maybe this link can help, Wizz is a lovely woman and very helpful.
http://www.wizz-catz.co.uk/soiling.html

[meep]

I've read before that, with kittens, just pressing two fingertips firmly ont he space above their nose / between their eyes works. Not hard, and not a 'tap' like a smack, but just pressure.

They don't like it, and apparently it asserts your dominance over them.

I do find that ignoring them when they're bad works. Much like dogs, telling a cat off for something it did a wee while ago (like you come home and you find they've poo'd on your couch) won't work as they won't associate the telling off with the incident that happend a few hours ago. It needs to be immediate.

I find cats are sensitive enough to emotions that they pretty quickly get the message.

[dandysmom]

I've read before that, with kittens, just pressing two fingertips firmly ont he space above their nose / between their eyes works. Not hard, and not a 'tap' like a smack, but just pressure.

They don't like it, and apparently it asserts your dominance over them.

I do find that ignoring them when they're bad works. Much like dogs, telling a cat off for something it did a wee while ago (like you come home and you find they've poo'd on your couch) won't work as they won't associate the telling off with the incident that happend a few hours ago. It needs to be immediate.

I find cats are sensitive enough to emotions that they pretty quickly get the message.

I quite agree; that's what I meant when I said it just makes them think people are unpredictable. They can't do cause and effect unless it's immediate, they're not wired that way.

[Darky]

I've always heard the 'spray water bottle' technique when it comes to disciplining cats.

Luckily I've never had to, though.

If a cat has ever done anything bad to me, I've just automatically opted for walking away and ignoring the cat.

The worst our cats will do is jump onto a surface that they're not allowed on (though this is rare). Spike will get off if you just tell him to, but Honey is ignorant. XD So I just pick him up and plop him down somewhere else, problem solved.

[ellenlouise]

I just use my voice like you all have said. I have heard off people spraying the cats with water but I wouldn't want them to represent me with a bad thing. I have once tapped Neo on the nose when he tried to eat my food but decided that it didnt work so I simply pick him up and put him down.

[dandysmom]

I just use my voice like you all have said. I have heard off people spraying the cats with water but I wouldn't want them to represent me with a bad thing. I have once tapped Neo on the nose when he tried to eat my food but decided that it didnt work so I simply pick him up and put him down.

The secret with the water spray is to do it in a way that they can't see you doing it, so associate it with the thing they were doing, rather than you. Easier said than done, however, lol!

[MrsH]

I have quite a rasping voice and sound quite growly when I tell the cats off, it usually works.

We've also used the water spray technique, it stopped them clawing the carpet outside the bedroom door for a while (think we need to do it again now though!) The trouble is that they know it's us, who else is going to be flinging the bedroom door open at 4.00am to spray them?

[keziah]

A big yell usually makes him understand that what he is doing is not acceptable, but sometimes he gives me the look as if to say "What are you going to do??" Then I chase him around the house till one of us gets tired and surrenders :lol:

Earlier he had got the habit of scratching the carpet and we had to use the spray bottle to spray some water on him, which made him run like a crazy cat around the house:lol: , that behaviour has thankfully stopped overtime.

[ellenlouise]

The secret with the water spray is to do it in a way that they can't see you doing it, so associate it with the thing they were doing, rather than you. Easier said than done, however, lol!

Seems so obvious now you say it like that lol... Think I'll just stick to shouting. Cats get away with murder though don't they. Like now I am sat right on the edge of the computer chair barely balancing as Lily and Trinity are asleep on it. What are us cat owners like! :shock:

[dandysmom]

Seems so obvious now you say it like that lol... Think I'll just stick to shouting. Cats get away with murder though don't they. Like now I am sat right on the edge of the computer chair barely balancing as Lily and Trinity are asleep on it. What are us cat owners like! :shock:

Tell me about it!!! :-D Many a night I end up sleeping on the edge of the bed because resident cat has grabbed the warm spot in the middle when I got up to go to the loo ....:roll:

[meep]

Tell me about it!!! :-D Many a night I end up sleeping on the edge of the bed because resident cat has grabbed the warm spot in the middle when I got up to go to the loo ....:roll:

Darcy seems to like to sleep with at least some part of him (head, feet, body) on my legs, so he'll lie between them and drape his chin onto my leg and as he just looks so adorable and comfy, and I can feel him purring against me, I daren't move or disturb him and generally fall asleep in a less-than-comfortable position:roll:

[dandysmom]

Catsey cats are not spoiled ...... much!!! :-D