How to punish a cat, is it possible and how to do it correctly so that the cat understands (for bad behavior, for shitting, biting)

The title of the article is, of course, creepy, but the topic is relevant. How to properly punish a cat for bad behavior or for littering the house? How many unfortunate pussies end up on the street, simply because their owners could not teach them anything and concluded: “Hello, cat, let him live on the street.” But in fact, Murka may be absolutely normal, it’s just that her owners didn’t cope with her upbringing. But, having heard such an argument, the owners will say in unison: “Excuse me, didn’t we beat her, didn’t we beat her with a slipper, and a mop, and as soon as possible? She still doesn’t understand!” That’s why this topic arose: “How to punish a cat” - so as not to cause harm, and everything was clear to her.

Humane methods

Cats do not like water - this axiom is known to everyone.
Therefore, it can be used for effective but safe punishment. Keep a spray bottle of water handy. Spray several times in the cat's face if he tries to steal food from the table. It will be unpleasant for the animal, but such manipulation will not harm its health, and it will not seriously injure the psyche. As a rule, several repetitions of such educational measures are enough for the cat to learn the cause-and-effect relationship and the necessary rules of behavior.

Cats do not like loud sounds, and this can also be used for educational purposes. In this case, we are not talking about screaming (although you can loudly call the animal by name in case of inappropriate behavior).

Find an object that makes a loud sound when dropped, such as a set of keys, and drop it if the cat breaks the rules.

Dialogue

It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel in search of an effective effect on the animal. Just try to clearly and distinctly tell him “no!” To enhance the effect, move your finger in front of the cat's nose - this is also not the most pleasant procedure for cats, so the result will be better.

About other ways

, and how to encourage an animal, read on the Petstory portal.

Dialogue

Is it possible to hit a cat for educational purposes?

The word “beat” hides both a blow with a slipper and execution with hands and feet. It’s stupid to beat a cat and hope for proper upbringing and a trusting relationship.

The animal perceives a person as a super cat with a high rank. If you severely punish a kitten, the pet will begin to be afraid and hide from its owner. A sexually mature adult cat will regard attacks not as an educational process, but as a challenge to check rank. This is not revenge when a cat pours urine on your slippers - this is the restoration of social status and justice.

It is better not to lead to a serious conflict. If you want to punish a cat, don't hit it. For educational purposes, try using more loyal methods:

slap with newspaper;
spray it in the face with a spray bottle;
isolate for 20 minutes (no more!).

The cause of hyperactive behavior, even in a well-mannered cat, can be:

damage to the nervous system;
diseases of the endocrine system;
stress factor;
dangerous diseases (rabies).

If your appetite, sleep, or behavior have changed, do not rush to raise your cat; first visit a veterinarian.

How to make punishment more effective

An animal that has committed some bad act does not always understand what it has done. Most often, cats play or look for a comfortable place. For example, if a pet climbs onto new furniture, then it seems comfortable to him. In such cases, the cat cannot be punished. It is advisable to buy her a special soft bed or lay a blanket on the sofa so that it remains in its original form longer.

The same can be said about broken dishes, souvenirs, vases - this is a game for a pet. He sees how the fragments fly in different directions, and this arouses interest. Breaking and breaking household items is common for small kittens.

The animal tears wallpaper, furniture and carpets with its claws - a sign that it urgently needs a scratching post. If it is not there, then there is no point in scolding the cat - the owner is to blame. And if there is, then it either does not suit the pet, or he does not understand its purpose. In such cases, it is necessary to show the kitten the place where the claw sharpener is located.

Be sure to encourage the animal if it does everything correctly - pet it, scratch it behind the ear, treat it with delicious food.

In order for the pet to understand and assimilate the rules that its owners force it to follow, it is necessary to correctly approach the punishment for cat misconduct:

Under no circumstances should you play or pet a kitten immediately after being scolded. The animal will not understand what the owner wants to say with this gesture. If you behave this way, your pet will become afraid and avoid people.
There is no point in punishing an animal if the offense was committed a long time ago. That is, a person who noticed a plate broken by a kitten only a week after the incident should not scold his pet. The animal has long forgotten about this incident, so the punishment will be perceived as something undeserved, and the owner will become an enemy.
You can't hit cats too hard. Any physical impact will cause physical or psychological harm to the pet. Also, do not spank the kitten on the head, neck and back - there are nerve endings in this area, and a blow will cause severe pain. If your pet does not understand facial expressions, gestures and intonation, then you can lightly tap its face with your finger - this way the cat will understand that it has done something forbidden, and the owner will not cause it pain or injury.
There is no need to scold your cat if he tore up the furniture in the place where the claw sharpener used to be. He performs the action intuitively. In this case, you need to return the scratching post to its original place or try to show the animal a new place. Punishment in this case is senseless and cruel.

It is important to remember that a kitten is capable of doing something accidentally or unconsciously. There is no need to try to harm or hurt the animal. The cat must be punished in such a way that it understands both its action and the person’s attitude towards this offense. Otherwise, the pet will be afraid and distrustful of the owner for a very long time.

How to properly punish a cat - after all, cats, at their core, are quite capricious animals, therefore, in order to follow certain rules, you need to be not only affectionate with them, but also strict. Any education is always accompanied by punishment, but here it is very important not to overdo it. Punishment of a cat must be correct, timely, and not rude.

Punishing a cat

How to properly punish a cat - punishing a cat

Before determining the type of punishment, you need to understand what you have done. Do not immediately rush to shout at the animal and grab it by the scruff of the neck. Cats, of course, are not stupid animals, but according to human rules they do not know what they can and cannot do.

If a fluffy crawls onto the kitchen table, he may be sincerely convinced that there is nothing bad about it. That is why, competently selected educational measures should be applied to the cat, and not physically punishing the cat.

Often, in order for an animal to stop doing any prohibited actions, you need to figure out what she wants and try to give it to her. For example, animals often behave badly so that their owners pay attention to them. The example of climbing on the table may just be the result of such a desire to attract attention.

Sometimes cats perceive a conflict situation as some kind of game. If at least once a cat did something “forbidden”, and the owner ran after her, but when he caught her, he only patted her slightly, and then generally “moved away” from his anger and caressed her (by the way, almost all owners do this animals), then next time the fluffy will do some dirty trick precisely in order to cause the same reaction in the owner.

If your cat begins to shit in different places instead of the toilet, for example, corners, shoes, and so on, then it is likely that she may be taking revenge on you for something. Cats can also behave this way, marking their territory if you brought another pet into the house. Also, this behavior does not exclude possible problems with the health of the animal. One way or another, before you shout and physically punish an animal, try to understand why it behaves the way it does.

Explain all the rules about how to behave to your pet from childhood, and try not to change them over time. For example, you had an old chair in your house for a very long time, on which the cat sharpened its claws, and no one punished or scolded it for this, and then you decided to exchange this old chair for a new one.

If we consider those cases where raising a pet still requires punishment, it will only be effective if it follows immediately after the commission of a “bad” act. It only makes sense to punish a pet if you caught him red-handed, caught him “in the act.” Otherwise, the cat simply will not be able to understand why it was punished.

No matter how insulting and annoying it may be for you to find a puddle in your favorite shoes or puffs on a new chair, if your pet has been snoring heavily for a long time after committing bad actions, then there is no point in punishing him. In addition, it can be dangerous, because cats are considered vindictive animals. As soon as it seems to the cat that she received a punishment that she did not deserve, she will consider that the owner has become aggressive and angry towards her. In such a situation, between the animal and the owner, the relationship will deteriorate, not to mention the fact that the cat may also begin to take revenge.

Cats, naturally, do not understand human language, but they perfectly capture the intonation of the voice and the emotional coloring of the way we speak. A cat is always able to distinguish changes in the voice and a change from a positive intonation to a dissatisfied one. In addition, pets understand gestures well, and especially the facial expressions of their owner.

It’s better not to shout at a cat; screaming is a strong irritant for it. Even at the moment when the cat acts badly, screaming will not have a pedagogical effect. Your pet will simply be very frightened, but will not be able to figure out what happened. But a nickname strictly pronounced in a raised tone can bring good results in education.

You can also add gestures to the increased intonation of the voice, for example, threaten the cat with a raised finger or fist. When you combine a stern voice and gesture, you will let the cat know that you are dissatisfied with his action. Other times, you will just need to show only the gesture so that the cat understands what the owner means.

If your pet constantly does the same thing, without reacting to your raised tone or gestures, then you can hiss at him, imitating how cats themselves reproduce this. In cat language, this is a warning, so the cat will immediately understand that if she continues to do her bad things, she may provoke real anger. However, we often do not recommend doing this, since the cat may perceive you as a potential enemy.

When you are raising an animal, assault is generally unacceptable. You shouldn't hit a cat at all. Such actions, firstly, apart from pain and horror for the pet, will not bring any benefit in education. When an animal experiences a sensation of pain, it will begin to perceive its owner as a source of increased danger, and it is by no means a fact that it will be able to find a connection between its bad behavior and such punishment.

In addition, a human blow is too strong for a cat’s small body, and when you get angry with an errant pet, you may simply not be able to calculate your strength. Hitting an animal with your large (by a cat's standards) hand can cause serious harm to the cat's health.

Never hit a cat on the back, especially where its tail is located. In this place, cats have a similar solar plexus, like a person’s, that is, there is a large accumulation of nerve endings there. If you hit this area, you will bring unimaginable suffering to your pet. In a fit of anger, the owners hit their fleeing cats in this very place.

With all this, it is not worth completely refusing to influence the animal physically; the main thing is to do it very carefully and competently. If raising your voice and making a threatening gesture do not bring the desired result, then move your finger intrusively in front of the cat’s face. Such movements are quite unpleasant for cats, and if, after all the bad things you have committed, you do exactly this, then your cat will have a clear connection between what was done and the subsequent waving in front of her face that is disgusting for her.

How to properly punish a cat - but still, a more effective punishment is tapping the furry’s forehead, bridge of the nose, or nose with your finger. Cats generally do not tolerate and do not like having their faces touched, but if this is also done harshly, then she will not like it particularly much. By the way, it is this method that is best suited for weaning kittens from increased biting, as well as going to the “toilet” in the wrong place.

Correcting bad behavior

Changing the behavior of a cat is like taming a tiger: you need to work on it day after day, slowly and gradually, changing the natural behavior of the animal in a way that suits both the cat and the person.

Analyzing the reasons for bad behavior

In most cases, behavioral disturbances in cats are natural responses to environmental stimuli and do not mean that the cat is aggressive or vindictive. For example, one of the common problems is that a cat shits in the wrong litter box, this problem is caused by a lot of reasons, but not revenge - it is not typical for cats. A cat may refuse to go to the usual litter box just because it is simply dirty, due to stress after a change of environment, or due to inflammation of the urinary tract.

The next most common complaint from owners is the cat's aggressive behavior. It is necessary to distinguish between the types of aggression in cats, to prevent the causes of their occurrence and to stop them from an early age. In severe and advanced cases, you should consult a veterinarian and undergo drug therapy. Since all forms of aggression in cats can have dangerous consequences, in some cases, for example, if the aggression is associated with brain diseases or congenital malformations, it is necessary to decide to euthanize the animal.

The reasons for bad behavior can be stress, lack of socialization, boredom or negative life experiences. Therefore, before dealing with behavior that does not suit the owner, you should establish the reason that led to the consolidation of the bad habit. It is worth taking a close look at your cat’s behavior to find out and understand when and in what situations it commits inappropriate acts.

Before punishing, you need to identify the reasons for bad behavior

Rules for punishing cats

When punishing a cat, you need to follow certain rules:

Never punish a cat with your hands. It is better to take a newspaper or a towel and swing at the animal, pretend that you want to hit, but not hit. Something pleasant should be associated with a cat's hands.
Punishment must be timely and follow immediately after the offense.
The punishment must be sincere. Sometimes, when a cat is caught in the act of a crime or behaves badly, but very funny, the owner is touched and “reprimands” her through laughter. The animal feels human emotions very subtly and will perceive punishment as praise rather than as a prohibition, and in the future it will be very difficult to wean it from a bad habit.
Punishment must be inevitable. The inevitability of punishment must be observed by all family members. If, for example, the father scolds the cat for stealing, and the mother feels sorry for her and acts in her own way, then in the absence of family members, the cat will continue to steal from the table.
The principle of minimum punishment. If the cat understands shouting or clapping your hands, limit yourself to this.

Punish your pet correctly to avoid psychological problems

There should be as few prohibitions in the house as possible, but they should be very strict. Owners need to understand what is required from a cat and build the educational process on this. For example, many people do not like it when a cat is in the bedroom and gets into the bed, while others enjoy this behavior. Some people throw pieces from the plate to the cat during lunch, while others feed them only by the hour and in a specially designated place.

There are a lot of norms of behavior and they all depend on the person.

How to properly punish a cat for bad behavior

For a pet there is no concept of the value of things. Items located in the house become the object of the game or another claw blade. A pet's behavior depends entirely on its upbringing.

Cats are wayward animals. When observing them, scientists came to the conclusion that the mustachioed ones remember the insult for a long time and are able to take revenge on their offender. Therefore, educational actions for bad behavior must be justified and not supported by brute force.

Any manifestation of brute force in the process of education: spanking, hitting often leads to a repetition of the situation. In the process of such punishment, the pet experiences stress and continues to mischief twice as much.

In addition, modern society does not accept the use of physical punishment against animals. The criminal code provides for a separate article for causing harm to a pet.

Cats don't understand the value of things

Trainer Yu. Kuklachev created a “School of Education” for cats, but excluded mentoring and violence from it. Yuri Dmitrievich encourages his colleagues to love and study furry students. Over the course of 40 years of work, the chief cat expert in Russia has accumulated 4 boxes of diaries of observations of them.

But age-old folk wisdom encourages “stick” methods for educational purposes. “Just show the beaten cat the vine,” says the Russian proverb. So is it possible to punish a cat? Is corporal punishment acceptable in relation to the most sensitive and sophisticated mammal? Let us turn to the opinion of animal psychologists.

The domestication of the furry predator began 9.5 thousand years ago. But even today he behaves as if he is patronizing a person. Cats tend to become attached to the house and owners and establish emotional contact with them. However, they easily return to a wild lifestyle.

Unlike a dog, a cat has not lost the habits of its distant ancestors and has retained the independence of a lone predator. Scientists say: genetically she has not changed. This cannot be ignored when solving the problem of how to punish a cat.

One can only adapt to the habits of semi-domesticated “dwarf lions”. The main principle of education is not to suppress, but to satisfy the needs of a willful animal. Otherwise, the cute kitten will turn into a secretive and vengeful beast. Let's consider the typical offenses of meowing pets and competent methods of “re-education”.

An animal must be toilet trained from the first day it arrives in the house. It’s better to buy two trays: cats prefer to go to different places when they need to be small and big. Every time after eating, it is recommended to take the kitten to the toilet and reward it for correct behavior.

A serious mistake is using newspaper as a filler. It is not able to absorb moisture, and the cat’s wet paws will carry specific odors throughout the house. This will inevitably lead to hygienic disorientation of the animal and conflicts with the owners.

How to properly punish a cat in this case? The usual method - “poking with the snout” - will only add to the problems. The pet will understand it in its own way: “That’s right, continue to act this way.”

If you add “spanking” to “poking,” fear and resentment will settle in the cat’s soul.

Productive ways to solve the “toilet” problem are obvious: changing the filler and/or moving the tray to a place that is comfortable for the cat.

In relation to an adult mischief maker, it is recommended to use different tactics. You should start from understanding the reason for what is happening. When fauna children mark territory, they are claiming leadership. Therefore, the cat must be made to understand: the dominant role in the house belongs to the person.

It is important to catch the miscreant at the “scene of the crime”, lift him by the scruff of the neck and look intently into his eyes (according to the cat’s rules: whoever doesn’t look away wins). It is advisable to reinforce the psychic attack with a threatening hiss and imitation of a cat's finger strikes on the muzzle of the mustache.

Then the owner of the animal must “interrupt” the cat’s marks with human ones: wash the puddle and wipe the floor with his own sweaty T-shirt or splash his favorite toilet water.

The unfriendly attitude of the meowing companion will be “told” by the ears pressed to the head, the fluffy or nervously tossing tail.

We list common reasons for cat aggression and ways to eliminate them:

Malaise. The cat may be bothered by tooth or joint pain, stomach upset, or nausea. Medical attention is definitely required here.
Emotional deviations. Premature weaning from its mother and siblings results in the kitten’s inability to self-control. You should not separate your baby from the family until he reaches the age of 2-2.5 months.
Fear of human hands. The phobia is inherent in street “foundlings” and kittens not accustomed to affection. Adaptation of the “savage” will require time, patience and tact.
Defending the right to personal space. Cats quickly get tired of games and cannot stand intrusiveness and noise. They should have “their own corner” - a secluded and safe area (under a chair, on a windowsill, in a playhouse) where they can hide, retire, and relax.
Manifestation of the hunter's instinct. The natural state of a predator is to overtake and attack fleeing prey. To avoid thinking about how to punish a cat for scratching, you should not use your own hands and feet as teaser toys. The animal must clearly understand: the human body is not a scratching post. If the cat is used to grabbing legs or arms, you should not fuel his excitement with screams and lamentations. Punishing a predator for its hunting instinct is nonsense. You should switch the animal's attention to inanimate objects: balls, laces, ribbons with a tied bow. At first, to avoid scratches, you will have to trim your nails regularly.
Longing for the “bride/groom”. It is not punishment that will help extinguish a cat’s sexual behavior, but a civilized solution - castration or sterilization.
Jealousy of the cubs. You shouldn’t hold a “watch” or pick up newborns if the mother cat is against it. Over time, she will warm up and share her squeaking “treasure” with her owner.

Purrs don’t understand what “no” means. In relation to cats and children, taboos are meaningless: they cause a backlash.
Traditional punishments of scolding and beating will bring negative results: the attacker will become the cat's worst enemy.
She will fear, hate and take revenge on the offender. Rather than start a thrashing, it is wiser to calm down the prankster with an “accidentally” dropped key or a stream of water from a spray bottle.
In addition to losing trust in the owner, corporal punishment can cause harm to the pet's health.
If you hit a cat on the head, you can upset the vestibular system, hurt the auditory nerve, and disrupt the most important functions of the brain. Is it possible to hit a cat on the butt? Definitely not: in the area of the tail, the continuation of the spinal column, there is a bundle of nerve endings. If you do not calculate the blow, you can cause a painful shock (cats have an unusually developed sense of touch), break a backbone, and damage the genitals.
It is useless to scold someone for a prank committed more than half an hour ago.
The tailed prankster will not learn such a lesson. It’s another matter if he is caught at the moment of harm and suffers adequate punishment.
To avoid conflicts between an old-timer cat and a newbie animal, the former should be given maximum respect: give priority during feeding, caress more.
Then he will not mistake the “alien” for a competitor. To prevent your cat from becoming jealous of your newborn baby, you need to set aside time for playing and talking with your pet.

Writer A. Zhvalevsky ironically noted: meowing creatures carry out only those commands that they like. How to punish a cat for bad behavior?

Let us highlight the most intelligible and humane methods:

threatening gestures with the index finger in front of the cat's nose;
light edifying tapping on the forehead;
a reproachful remark made in a quiet but impressive tone;
punishment in the form of a weak spank with a towel, napkin, newspaper, broom;
placement in “forbidden” places of objects that can make noise and frighten the cat: balloons placed on the edge of a computer desk or the windowsill of empty tin cans.

To conclude the conversation about how you can punish a cat, let us remember the witty remark of B. Shaw. The great humorist believed: a person is only as cultured as he is capable of understanding the mischievous consciousness of a cat.

Should you always scold your cat for bad actions?

It is quite difficult for a person to read the emotions of a mustachioed friend, because the fluffy one is not capable of showing strong feelings. Before punishing a cat for bad behavior, you need to find out the motive for its behavior - what if it is not punishment that is needed, but help?

What habits need correction?

Usually, any prank of a mustachioed friend can be explained. Some habits of a pet can be corrected and may disappear from the mischief-maker’s arsenal over time. So, if a cat persistently climbs onto the table in search of treats, then underfeeding becomes a likely motive.

Sometimes the animal ignores the litter box due to excessive soiling or problems with urination. In this case, it is enough to simply change the filler or consult a veterinarian for advice.

Misdemeanors caused by lack of attention or loneliness (damage to furniture, wallpaper, piles in the wrong place) can be corrected. You need to devote more time to the animal, play with it and caress it - or get a pet partner so that both of them do not get bored when people are away.

What cannot be punished for

You cannot scold an animal that has just appeared in the house. A new family member needs some time to get used to the smells and surroundings of another home. The stress of changing housing, living conditions and new people causes serious emotional stress in the furry. If during this period he is subjected to harsh educational manipulations, the baby is unlikely to understand what they want from him and will withdraw into himself.

Sometimes a four-legged friend marks everything around due to problems with the genitourinary system. Pain while going to the toilet forces you to do wrong things - this should not be confused with harmfulness.

Other ailments can also lead to behavioral deviations. You can’t scold an animal for them - it already feels bad, and it most likely understands that it’s breaking the rules. There's just nothing he can do about it. An attentive owner should monitor the health of his mustachioed friend and consult a doctor in a timely manner.

When and how to properly punish a pet?

In the most common situations, you should act as follows:

If an animal sharpens its claws on wallpaper or upholstered furniture, you should scold it and take it to the scratching post, pointing your finger at it.
If a cat drops or hits household objects, the animal must first be scolded, and then the things must be put away out of reach of the pet.
If a cat jumps on the kitchen table or appliances, then it needs to be picked up and placed on the floor, gesturing with the index finger and pronouncing the name in a threatening intonation.
If your pet defecates in shoes, on the floor or on the sofa, then you should show him the tray so that he gets used to fulfilling his physiological needs in one place.

Methods of punishment for mischief

There are different ways to punish a cat for mischief. For example, when a cat tries to climb onto the table or steal food from it, you can prohibit the animal from doing this in a stern voice with a moderately elevated tone. If during the prank your eyes meet with the cat, he can easily read dissatisfaction on your face. To enhance the effect, you need to threaten him with your finger without sudden movements and loudly say “no!”

The fear technique also works on animals. To punish, you should not wave your hand at him; it is better to choose available means. This could be a towel, a spray bottle with a stream sent at the cat, a banal clap of your hands, or the creation of other noise. A cat will really not like it if you click it on the nose after doing something nasty and punish it with this.

Types of punishment

Many acts of sabotage are committed by cats due to lack of attention from the owner. This is how the animal attracts attention to its person.

A common cat behavior is going to the toilet in the wrong place. And an equally well-known method of punishment is to poke the animal’s nose into a puddle.

This type of punishment is acceptable.

There are also other educational measures:

Spray the animal with water. Breeders believe that this is the most effective method of punishment. Cats do not like water, so the fear of being sprayed with water will prohibit mischief. The spray bottle should be kept in sight so that you can quickly use it the next time your pet acts out. It is recommended to spray your pet 1-2 times; more will lead to unscheduled washing.
Loud sounds. Pets, contrary to popular belief, pick up the intonation of the voice, while not understanding the words. Loud and sharp sounds are an irritant for them. Therefore, at the next prank, you should not shout at the animal. In such cases, it is recommended to add threatening notes to your voice.

Loud claps and rattling of keys are also used. These sounds will signal to the cat that she is doing something wrong.

Use a water spray bottle and loud noises as educational measures.

No matter how pitiful the cat makes, stand your ground

The dictionaries say that punishment is the imposition of retribution, as retribution for an insult or a wrongdoing. This is a negative incentive that leads to unwanted behavior in the direction of the offender in order to eliminate or reduce the occurrence of such behavior.

The main purpose of punishment is to ensure proper behavior. This is a form of discipline that can bring out the best in your cat. Oddly enough, the motivation for punishing your beloved furbaby is love in order to provide him with a better, happier life.

Sometimes even such a cute face deserves punishment

They are divided into good, bad and disgusting. But it is easiest to classify punishments according to the type “right” and “wrong”.

Correct

These are actions aimed at achieving a certain result.

Consistency is important in punishment

You cannot ignore him today for constant attacks, and tomorrow suddenly postpone educational work. This will just confuse the cat.

Overall, this can be the most difficult part of the entire process.

Punishment should take effect immediately after the fact of unacceptable behavior by the cat. If you wait 20-30 minutes or more, then you will simply be abusing the animal. So it simply won’t understand what exactly is happening.

If the cat takes the right path, do not hesitate to reward him

If the cat begins to understand what you want - for example, he stops sharpening his claws or ruining the rug after receiving a kind of reprimand - let him know that he is on the right track. The simplest thing is to give him some tasty treat.

If he stumbles again, stop rewarding accordingly.

Sometimes tough love is necessary to keep your pet well-behaved and healthy, but make sure you honor all your obligations to your pet.

If your cat suddenly changes his behavior, don't ignore it. It is likely that he is not behaving badly on his own initiative. This may be caused by factors such as reaching a certain age or illness. If you are in doubt about the exact cause or what steps to take, consult a professional.

The uselessness and even harmfulness of punishment has already been discussed in the article “Is it possible to punish a cat?” All statements in this article apply threefold to kittens. The list of offenses for which owners are trying to punish defenseless children makes them grab their heads.

The kitten doesn't go to the litter box! And you, a reasonable person, with intelligence and a rich inner world, how many months (or maybe years?) did you learn to use the potty? And at what age do you demand this from an unintelligent kitten who, with all due respect, has a brain the size of a thimble?

He tore the wallpaper! What fate befell your first wallpaper in the nursery? He dropped something and broke it! Have you ever broken anything?

To the question of how to properly punish a kitten, only one answer can be given: any punishment of a kitten is wrong in principle. The idea of such punishment is unethical, and the punishments themselves are useless, because the kitten will never understand them.

Based on what was written above, the question “how can you punish a kitten so that it understands?” It’s better to replace it with another: how can I communicate with a kitten so that we both understand each other correctly? As psychologists say, this request can already be dealt with.

The first piece of advice is to not take the kitten very young. Wait until two to three months, giving the mother cat time to begin raising him. Believe me, she knows better how to do this without trauma to the kitten’s psyche. The baby will learn the basic skills of communicating with people and behavior in the apartment simply by following her example.

If this is impossible, and there are no older cats in the family, you yourself will have to become a kind and patient older cat for the baby. If you see that he is getting ready to make a puddle, take him and put him first on the diaper, and then in the tray. And don’t expect him to understand you right away.

Make sure he likes the filler and whether the tray is comfortable. Buy him a scratching post according to his taste, wait until he is ready to put his claws on your favorite chair and show the little guy a new fashionable device. Move his paws along the surface so that he understands how it works. You can also pull out your claws yourself with a loud, joyful meow - if you’re lucky, the kitten will understand, and your household will begin to treat you more carefully.

The most important thing is to be sure to praise and pet the cat when he does everything right. Love is the only force that transforms the world for the better.

Correct and effective ways

Below are specific methods. You can use the most optimal one or even combine them.

Say no and stand your ground

You can punish a cat with intonation

Cats perfectly understand the intonation of speech, especially if you give it severity, make your voice rude, and generally show your dissatisfaction in every possible way. In this case, there is no need to scream or yell at all - this will simply scare the pet and make it rebel.

You can also grab the cat by the scruff of the neck. This works when you catch an animal in the act

Grab it exactly in an area of the neck where it won't hurt and lower it gently. At the same time, speak quietly and softly

Ignoring

When planning your punishment, remember that cats cannot live without the attention of their owners.

Cats love attention, and sometimes they get into mischief just to get it. If you don't play with your pet enough or don't buy him toys, he will seek at least negative attention

If everything is in order with this, but the cat still “rebels,” you should not give in to his attempts to win your favor, since then all attempts to raise the cat will be unsuccessful.

Take the animal to another room

Cats hate being alone, even when there is a box in the room.

Very similar to punishing naughty children. Remember that cats do not like to be alone, and therefore free space will be a good punishment for them.

The idea is that you remove the cat from the crime scene, so to speak.

Set traps

Double-sided tape will tame the ardor of your furry bully

If you translate the phrase “pathetic coward” into English, you get “scared cat.” But let's get back to the topic, and remember that safe traps in order to wean your pet from doing what you don't like are quite acceptable.

For example, place double-sided tape on countertops, foil, or empty bottles.

Use devices

What happens when you go to work and your cat is left alone? While you cannot control the cat yourself, your electronic assistants can do it. A striking example is the water sprinklers in the place that the pet has chosen instead of the tray. You can also choose motion sensors that will scare away the cat in case of unwanted behavior.

When it is necessary

Before deciding to punish, consider whether you are honest with your pet

If you are still ripe for punishment, you need to clearly define when it will be carried out. The decision depends on the circumstances and whether you are doing what is right for your pet. It is forbidden to “raise” a cat if you do not fulfill the following conditions well:

Providing sufficient food;
Providing warmth and comfort;
Caring for cleanliness and health, timely visits to the veterinarian;
Confidence that the cat is safe;
Showing love and providing toys so that the cat can play and sharpen its claws enough.

If at least one point is not fully finalized, the cat simply asks for help. But if you do everything correctly, then move on to choosing the so-called punishment. First of all, remember that a cat is not a person, and he needs special ways to prove that he is doing wrong .

Use intonation

The only thing we could recommend to you in case you need to convey your displeasure to the cat at any cost is a quiet but stern voice. Cats don’t know words, but they perfectly recognize intonation, and if you call him by name, the cat will realize that you are unhappy with him. Whether this will become a serious argument for him is another question.

In order to stop the cat right at the moment when he is about to misbehave, you can also imitate the sounds with which his mother cat reproaches the kitten: clicking the tongue and (in serious situations) hissing. These sounds have been familiar to the cat since childhood, and unlike the above unwanted types of punishment, the cat understands their meaning, so they will not cause the animal either stress or retaliatory aggression, but will trigger instinctive reactions that it developed in childhood.