Educating a cat It implies punishing him from time to time, but the word "punishment" for some people has words like "aggressiveness" or "mistreatment of the animal" associated with it. But today, in this article, we will talk about what it really means to punish a cat well, how it should be done, and of course, we will talk about how it should not be done.
On a correct education It will depend on whether your cat is sociable and friendly. So, if you want to know how to punish a cat, keep reading  .
What does it mean to punish?
Before going into the subject, it is important to clarify the meaning of this concept, since it will be much easier to understand what I am going to tell you in this article. According to the Royal Spanish Academy, punish has up to nine meanings, but for the case that concerns us we are going to stay with the following:
Warn, prevent, teach.
It is true that in recent times it is not used that way, but this does not mean that it no longer means something that can be as positive as "teaching." What's more, It must be taken into account that, depending on the methods, there are two main types of punishments:
- Punishments with violence: such as that given by an abuser to an animal or person.
- Positive punishments: such as that given by a person or animal that respects other people or animals.
Obviously, when it comes to teaching a cat or to make him understand that he has done something wrong, you must always use positive punishment.
Is it true that cats don't understand punishment?
Well, punishment with hitting, screaming, and the like does not, they don't understand it. But it is that nobody understands it. With this, the only thing that is achieved is that they are afraid of who should be worrying about them. And this is very, very sad.
Cats each have a defined character: some are more affectionate than others, more mischievous, more independent, etc., and they all have the same right to have a good life and to be happy. If we are not willing to understand their body language or do what we can to make them enjoy where they are and the human company they have, then let's not have a cat.
How to teach a cat?
Kittens
We will start talking about kittens, because as a general rule they are the ones who do the most mischief and those who need more education. Puppies are very playful, very active, this implies that they will like to climb up the curtains, sharpen their nails on furniture, etc. To do this, we will owe you provide a scraper or several distributed in various parts of the home, and teach them (for example, gently grasping a paw, removing the nails and passing it through a scraper). There are many types on the market, including there are scratching blankets, ideal for those cats that have a tendency to get on the sofa and scratch it. These blankets can be put on top of the furniture, protecting it from our friend's sharp nails.
Also it is very important that we spend time and play with him. Sometimes, especially if we talk about extremely unruly cats, it may be the case that they sharpen their nails in places that we do not want to get our attention. We must not underestimate the intelligence of catsWell, they know well how to get our attention.
Adult cats
In the event that it is an adult cat, the measures to be taken will be the same; that is, scraper, and spend time with him. There are some very active cats that need to exercise, and not being able to go outside, what they do is destroy furniture. They don't do it with bad intentionsbut simply because they are bored. In this case there will be no choice but buy him a special harness and leash for cats, and gradually teach him to walk down the street.
During the walks, it is worth taking prizes so that our friend feels safe. If it cannot be removed for some reason (either because you live in a city or in a busy town), there will be no choice but to adapt the house to the feline, that is, putting ramps down the walls, scrapers in various parts of the home, etc. He will appreciate it.
How to train a cat
For many years, perhaps too many, attempts have been made to educate the cat in ways that, rather than helping it, made it a fearful cat. For example, the things we should not do are:
- Spray it with water
- Pass the nose for his needs if he has done them in the wrong place
- Hitting you with a newspaper, your hand, or anything else
The ones that we must do are:
- Understand the animal, and look for the origin of the problem (if it is clear)
- Give him a lot of love (but without weighing him down)
- If it does something wrong, redirect it. For example, if he has a tendency to bite us, we will give him a toy to chew on.
If the problem persists beyond one year of age, it will be recommended consult an ethologist feline.
What to do when a cat hisses at you?
The answer is as simple as it is complicated: find out why he snorted you. It may be because you have gone directly to him and that has made him uncomfortable, or because he feels cornered or overwhelmed.
And it is that, for the furry one is really well, not only do you have to give him water and food, but You have to respect him, give him his space, and not provoke him.
How to scold a cat when it bites?
This cannot be done with a cat.
There is not much to do. If, for example, your hand bites, you should keep it still until you release it., something he will do right away. The cat is a hunting animal, but if it sees that the hand is not moving, it will no longer be interested. Although, yes, you have to recover it little by little.
So that it does not bite you again, you have to do the following:
- Play with him, about three times a day for 20 minutes each time. Use cat toys, and don't be rude.
- Make sure you always have a toy around, like a stuffed animal. Every time you see that he is going to bite you, give him the stuffed animal.
- Be patient. It will take time for him to learn that it is wrong to bite humans. But being constant and respectful, little will you see that it bites you less and less, and there will come a time when it will stop doing it.
At Noti Gatos we are against animal abuse. To end this post, we leave you with a phrase from the pacifist Mahatma Gandhi:
The greatness of a nation is measured by how it treats animals.