Do you want to discipline your pet and you do not know how? It is typical that everyone gives you advice to teach a dog to behave well, not to bite shoes, to do their needs outside the home, not to bark. but what happens when it comes to a cat, this independent animal, suspicious, a little wild but affectionate and fun.
If you have a cat at home, you have surely asked yourself this question: How should I scold my cat? then we help you to answer it. Teaching a cat that something he does is wrong is easier than you think, you just have to be patient and follow these simple tips.
Cats are intelligent animals and if they have attitudes that are not favorable for coexistence you can scold them effectively, making them understand you and not repeat those actions that can be annoying. We know that cats have a special character and that we will certainly never be able to compare them with dogs, but what we can do is understand their behavior and act appropriately to help them coexist correctly and with some discipline at home.
Before you want to scold your cat
If you have a cat you will know very well that it is an animal with a free spirit, a bit wild and very independent. It may be the case that for you being a complete destroyer when you are simply carrying out the actions dictated by his instinct.
The feline instinct, their customs and some of their attitudes can come from their wild ancestors so they will hardly disappear, but that does not mean you can teach your cat the basic rules of coexistence and make them comply, at least while you see it. It is very important that have patience and remember that it is an animal.
Better teach than scold
There are some classic misdeeds that felines can commit and that may be the cause of you wondering how you can scold a cat. The fact is that if you have one of these cases at home, you better know well why before scolding your cat because maybe you should scold yourself earlier.
- Has the furniture destroyed: Cats scratch and file their nails quite often, it’s an instinctive and survival action since they do it to release stress and relax. If your cat destroys your furniture you probably need a scraper and a few toys, so you can understand why your cat scratches the furniture and if you do not want to invest a lot of money, build yourself a fun homemade scraper for cats.
- Bite and attack your hands: Cats can bite for many different reasons, but if you attack your hands we regret telling you that the fault is yours. If you played the nibbles with your cat since you were little, what you have done is to teach him that your fingers are a prey, so what you have to do is correct this behavior. Discover in detail why cats bite and do not scold if you have learned it from you.
- Use the entire house except the sandbox: The use of the sandbox is almost innate in felines, this is because they instinctively have the need to eliminate any odor that may leave traces. However, sometimes this does not happen, so before scolding better find out why your cat does not use the sandbox and if it is not just this, you can also take a look at this other article to prevent your cat from urinating at home. And for the more daring we also have instructions to teach your cat to use the sink.
The key of when
When we talk about how to scold a cat, the “when” element is fundamental. As with other types of pets, the scolding will be effective if it occurs at the exact time the animal is committing the crime. In other words, if you do not find your cat with his hands in the mass, forget about scolding him because he will not understand.
If you scold your cat for something he has done it must be at the time the animal is doing the action, if a minute has passed the effect will no longer be the same. The cat, as happens with dogs, does not have the capacity of reasoning of a human being, so no matter how much you put faces or talk to you, he he will not know you’re scolding him for what he did 3 hours ago, 15 minutes or 2.
Even if your little cat friend has done something very bad, like leaving your house upside-down, tearing up a piece of furniture or leaving fingerprints in the kitchen, it will not do for you to scold him if it’s not the time, so do not waste time on it. Your pet can be frightened by your attitude and will not understand that he has done something that is not due.
The power of No!
Being clear that the scolding must be at the exact moment, what you should do is say un Do not! companies to your pet When you find your cat doing something he should not, such as climbing a table or biting a piece of furniture, it is when you must impose discipline; but be careful, it’s not about shouting or explaining to the cat why he should not do what he’s doing, remember that he’s an animal and we do not want him to run, it is about making him learn that he should not repeat this action.
Remember that, you never have to hurt your pet, what you should do is try to communicate with him. Repeat this action whenever necessary and try to use the same firm tone of voice. In this way the cat will understand that you should not do that, but remember to be patient, since it is an effective but long process.
Violence is not discipline
Never use violence against your pets, remember that cats are animals with a very special character and that when you are watching is a little angel and that when you leave it alone, it is his nature.
In any case, Abuse will not help improve their behavior but on the contrary it can deteriorate the relationship, since it will be able to attack you to defend itself and to have a great distrust and fear towards your person. With patience and the right actions you can teach your cat the things he should not do and you can enjoy a wonderful company for many years.
And if my cat is stray.
If you have adopted an adult cat that comes from the street, the subject of discipline must be handled in another way. Keep in mind that a cat that has lived part their lives in the streets may have suffered abuse on the part of humans, so when it comes to scolding him to teach him to live together, you must have a lot of tact.
In always we are in favor of helping our feline friends and more if it is about cats that have had a difficult life, so if you have decided to adopt a cat from the street we congratulate you and help you in the process with the best advice to adopt a stray cat.
Taming a wild cat is not so complicated, we just have to have patience and to attack the subject of discipline, we first have to solve other important issues such as security and confidence of the cat in his new home.
Discard completely the methods of water and noise. Remember that a stray cat has already suffered enough in his new home I also have things that remind him of an unpleasant past. Once your cat feels comfortable and has earned your trust, use positive reinforcement to enhance its virtues.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to scold my cat, we recommend that you enter in our behavior problems section.