Keeping a cute cat at home is very tempting but don’t forget that just like babies, they need some training to be adorable.
Sometimes, you come across cats that are very aggressive and wonder why they are like that. The truth is that they were not shown how to behave otherwise.
These cats grew with a bad attitude from the beginning, and as the matured, the manners remained with them. The good news is that you can bring up a kitten to be anything you want it to be.
Also remember, cats are not like dogs when it comes to behavioral tendencies. Dogs may be active, but cats can cause more harm if left untrained.
For instance, cats move freely outside and within the house. They can enter anywhere and cause whatsoever trouble that interest them at that moment.
If you don’t start on time to express your displeasure at their little escapades, you may not like how they will turn out in the future.
So, are you going to allow your little kitten to become a headache or will you train it to be a saintly little pet?
I believe the latter is always the best choice. The question now is, how are you going to teach good manners to your cat?
Let’s consider some of the actions you can take.
1. Don’t let it have its way all the time
This may be funny but even a child that gets his/her way every time usually turns out heady and stubborn.
Therefore, when you bring a cat home for the first time, start setting the rules and boundaries. Maybe you didn’t know, but your cat understands the tones of your voice and what they mean.
When you don’t want it to do a certain thing, raise your voice and say a loud No! Don’t worry; it will know that you are not happy with that behavior and don’t want a repetition.
However, if you allow it to do everything it wants, you have given it room to misbehave all the time without remorse.
2. Stop the bad habits from the start
Cats have many bad habits and one of the ways to teach good manners to them is to try hard in stopping such habits. Some of such habits are:
- Scratching the furniture
- Climbing the curtains
- Biting your hands
- Scratching the wallpapers
- Knocking items down from the kitchen table or counter
These are some of the bad manners which you must correct in your cat from the beginning or else, be ready for constant irritation.
Also, if you allow the cat to start with these manners and grows to maturity, stopping them will be very hard because they may feel that you have changed. So what do you do?
If you have a kitten right now, you may have noticed that it tends to bite or scratch you when you play with it. This tendency is normal for them but not when it bites or scratches you very hard.
When it does, stop playing and ignore it for some time. If you continue doing this, it will realize that such actions keep you away and not close.
Another habit is the scratching on surfaces such as the wallpapers, doors or furniture. Cats do this naturally and not out of hatred or spite.
You must channel its attention to something else other than your expensive items. So, go to your local cat store and buy a scratching post for the cat.
Don’t forget to watch how the cat scratches, whether horizontally or vertically. This will guide your purchases to get the appropriate one for it.
If you get the post, introduce it gradually to the cat. Whenever it starts to scratch on other things, carry it to the post and place its paws on it. Gradually, it will understand your point.
However, if you get the post and the cat prefers your furniture every time, buy a good cat repellent in the pet store and apply on the furniture.
Also, you can use foil or adhesive to cover the furniture and watch how the cat will run from them at least for some time. Yes! When a cat steps on a foil, the sound puts it off from such surfaces.
If cats step on adhesives and it sticks on their paws, that experience leaves them uncomfortable. The downside is that most cats continue their behavior when the adhesive dries up or when you remove the foil.
Also, this trick may work on some cats but not all of them. So, the best thing is to show your cat that the scratching post is better than other household items.
3. Avoid physical force
Smacking, beating or intimidating your cat because of its bad manners is not the right way to go. What we advocate is usually the silent treatment which of course should be for a while and afterward, show some affection.
If you use physical force on your cat, it will not learn anything other than how to be fearful and aggressive. If you physically abuse your cat as a show of retribution, it will not see it as such but will rather take it as an insult.
Don’t be surprised but that’s how they take it! You know why? They don’t know what bad behavior is because to them; they only satisfied their needs which are natural.
Therefore, try to keep this in mind and patiently communicate your displeasure to your cat. To them, they are doing what they need to be comfortable.
Also, remember that it is only you that knows that the items they broke are expensive. Cats don’t know that! So, put in an effort to teach them gradually and control your anger till they learn.
Instead of physical force, use the power of voice intonation and a little silent treatment. Don’t overlook the power of a loud No! Or Stop it!
Especially at that moment when it is doing the deed. If you wait and start shouting later, the cat may feel threatened or insulted.
Also, if your cat commits something in your absence, don’t bother shouting at it later because you are wasting your calories instead. It wouldn’t understand the reason because there will be no recollection of the crime.
4. Don’t allow your children to treat the cat poorly
This one is very important because if your children treat your cat like a toy, it may hurt them. In a case where your child pulls the cat’s whiskers, this will hurt the cat, and it may hurt him/her as well.
Try explaining to them that cats are not toys but living creatures. As such, they need care and love and not to be kicked, punched or thrown like a ball.
If you don’t stop your children from such treatments, the cat will turn out very aggressive. Instead, if they join your efforts in training it, your cat will learn faster and happily.
5. Motivate Your Cat to do More
Another way to teach good manners to your cat is to applaud it when it does something good. Your only focus shouldn’t be on reprimanding it all the time for displeasing you.
Learn how to praise your dog when it does a good one. Since we already know that cats don’t see their behaviors as good or bad, it is left for you to show them the difference.
If it does something and gets the silent treatment or a loud No!
Let it get high praise and petting when it does a good deed. That way, it will come to understand that there is a difference in your reactions depending on what it does.
Conclusion
Before you start teaching good manners to your cat, make up your mind to try your best until you achieve good results. Make sure you remember your reasons for embarking on such a journey so that when you are frustrated, it will encourage you to try harder.
Don’t think that it’s going to be easy at first because even our children try our patience all the time.
One thing you should bear in mind is that if you train your cat very well, you will enjoy the reward. Having a well-behaved cat at home is a joy.
It will keep your company, help you to feel better when you are down, distract you from your troubles and even show you some love when you are feeling low.
Therefore, it is worth a shot, and if you patiently achieve it, you will not remember the frustrations and disappointments.
Also, if you teach good manners to your cat, it will stop incurring excessive costs for you. I guess replacing all the furniture and plates it brakes will put a dent on your income.
What about the painful scratches and bites that you will have to endure from time to time. Your pet shouldn’t be a source of pain and as such, start now and turn your cat into a lovely, adorable wonder.
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