Training Your Cats II - Ways to Get Rid of Unwanted Behaviors

Cats often show a few undesirable behaviors. Following are some of the way to train your cats：


Biting
Unwarranted biting is not acceptable from your cat under any circumstances. If it happens again, pinch the cat's tongue and hold on for a few seconds.

Jumping Up On Counters
Jumping on kitchen counters can be very dangerous - your cat could walk on a hot stove top. If your cat jumps up when you are there, keep a spray bottle handy and spritz the cat as it is in mid-leadp. If it jumps up only when it thinks you are not looking, watch unobserved and just as it is thinking of jumping up again, blow a whistle.

I often have this problem with all my cats. Worse, my table top is in black, I could clearly see their hair sticking on top of the counter. I often handle this by raising up my voice by saying either 'No' or 'Harrrr' when they are on my table top (harrr... works better for me). They will quickly move down from there then.

Digging In the House Plants
A cat may be tempted to use the dirt in a plant pot as a little tray. Simply fill the top of the container with small stones.

Scratching On Furniture
The best thing you can do for your furniture us to train your kitten to use a scratching post. Place several scratching posts conveniently around the house. Praise the cat when it uses them. If a kitten starts to scratch in furniture, say 'No' loudly and take it to claw furniture, spritz it with water or startle it by tossing a newspaper or car keys toward it. If you cover up a favorite scratching spot with aluminum foil or double-sided tape, a cat will often be discouraged. In fact, you may get the special double sided sticking tape from Diso (selling for RM5 only). A mild menthol, vinegar, or citrus scent also repels some cats. Once your cat realizes that these places are not fun to scratch, it will prefer the scratching post.

Inappropriate Urination
If your cat is urinating or defecating outside the litter tray, a veterinary checkup is necessary to eliminate a possible medical reason. If there is no health problems, confine the cat to a small room with a car bed at one end and a littler tray at the other. Praise your cat for using the litter tray. If you happen to catch your cat in the act of urinating or defecating outside the tray, startle it by tossing a can with a few coins inside it toward the cat (but not at it) to make it stop. You could also use a whistle or water gun. Clean the area where the cat spray before with klorox so that the smell and the stain is completely remove. If this spot is not cleaned properly, the chances where the cat will return to spray at the same spot again is very high. 



Midnight Crazies
Some cats come to life at night (most actually). The cat stampedes through the house, playing with toys among them (if you have more than a cat) or by his own. They often jump up to your bed, hoping the owner will wake up and play with them. My Zafiro is exactly this kind of kitty! If your cat is too disturbing and you are unable to sleep well all night, you may think of confining him in a room during night time. You may also try to change his activity pattern by cutting down his sleeping time at day time. 

Chewing
Cats chew in inappropriate objects such as clothing, sofa, electrical cords or even papers. Make the object taste unpleasant by spraying Tabasco, chili, vinegar & ect.