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My previous two cats were trained with the common spray bottle practice. It's an effective technique but in time I came to regret using it on my cats. Towards the ends of their lives they had a lot of "accidents" and every time I'd get out the carpet cleaner they'd act like they'd done something wrong and were about to be punished. I felt really horrible about that. The link to the spray bottle was still very strong even though I hadn't sprayed them in years. So when we got the new kitten I told my hubby that I wanted to try other techniques and only fall back on the spray bottle as a last resort.
Most of the time just snapping my fingers is enough to make her stop whatever annoying thing she is doing. But sometimes she gets determined and she just ignores my basic corrections. When that happens I have been using a can of compressed air to make that hissing noise. It works really well and it is shaped differently enough that she's not scared of spray bottles, only the evil can of air. Which is a good thing because I've tried flicking water at her when she's bugging me when I'm in the kitchen and she doesn't seem to care at all, so I'm not sure if the spray bottle would even work on her.
I broke her of her worst habits with simple redirection/substitution. Scratching on the furniture? Move her to the scratching post. Wrestling with my rug? I got her a scratch mat. Trying to perch on top of the lamps? Got her a nice tall cat tree so she can own the highest place in the entire apartment. Harassing my lady palm? I got her a pot of cat grass and one of catnip that are just for her. You get the idea. I also use playtime with me as a form of positive reinforcement, since playing with me is basically the best thing ever! She even plays fetch!
So anyways I just wanted to let people know that there are other effective training methods than the spray bottle, and I'd like to hear methods you have come up with.
cats are not really that trainable of an animal. they are the least domesticated of mans animals. What you see is pretty much what you get, unless you do awful things to um such as get them declawed or as you've found use the spray bottle..
Tilli, I do have some advice for you. My advice takes time, though, and a lot of patience.
I am constantly in the process of training one of my cats for one thing or another. I use voice and hand commands.
Getting a solid eye contact and knowing the cat is not tuning you out, say, "NO!" to the behavior you don't want displayed. Along with the "NO!" use your first 2 fingers and with a gentle but firm motion, put your fingers in front of the cat, about nose level, and (oh this is not easy to describe....) OK....... keeping a few inches distance. Move your fingers toward the cat firmly, but in a LOVING manner, keep saying no.......and don't stop until that cat sits down and "resigns" to the fact, that you mean business.
Let me give you an example. Maybe you can better understand me. Hmmmm.......OK....
Cuddles. Last night I am eating my dinner. Hubs and I had words.......um, so I was eating alone in the dining room, which is not the norm. Cuddles decides to jump on the table to start investigating what is on my plate. Instead of pushing him away, I just sat back and observed. Now, I know some of you right here, will be shaking your heads.....a cat on the table while you eat????....yep, a cat on my table while I eat.
I watched. He really didn't want to eat anything, just smell. Cats LOVE to smell. He checked out my broccoli, and my main course, sniffing, wow, sniffing, just in his glory. His face was so exited that I was allowing this. Then, he wouldn't respond to my "that's enough, Cuddles, now Mommy needs to eat", but he insisted in having his nose in my plate.
At that point, I started disciplining. I said NO! and put my 2 first fingers right in his face. I had to gently push him away, maintaining firm eye contact.....my Cuds, once he makes up his mind to do something, he doesn't stop. He did back away, but then advanced again. I again said NO, I again put my fingers near his face, moving my fingers toward him, letting him know what my boundaries are. In the end, he complied and very soon after that, jumped down.
There was no water bottle involved, just my voice and hand commands. It can be done. But, let me warn you. The cat will push your buttons, and IF he continually disobeys, then the next step is the water bottle. My cats all react the same way with the bottle, and I have to reinforce the fact that this is the cleaning bottle, that they did nothing wrong.
The voice has a LOT of power, depending on how you use it. The tone of your voice is everything. That and your facial expressions.
Catspride I don't think you're giving cats enough credit. I usually either clap or snap my fingers and say ah-ah or no! Cats are completely trainable. You just have to be patient and consistant. Like anything else once they've formed a habit, it's much harder to break so kittenhood is the time to train and save yourself problems later!
This morning when Fritz tried to nibble my nose I said "no!" and scruffed him and put him on the floor. I wouldn't scruff my adult cat because he's bigger and heavier and - lets face it - more well-behaved! But Fritz is still a kitten and still small enough that scruffing doesn't seem to bother him. I just tried this this morning so I'm not sure if it's going to work. I was scruffing him before to give him liquid medicine (which unfortunately he was on for a while) and it's like he freezes, stops struggling and lets me do what I'm going to do. That's what made me think it would be good for training. What do you guys think?
J-City, my hubs does the scruff technique as a last ditch effort. I think it needs a man to do for that message to sink in. I don't think it is a really good idea to do it a lot, but just at those times when you really mean business, and a NO! is not working!
And yes, let me correct myself. Sorry. I have done the scruff technique when one of my males was persistent in hounding one of my females. I had to let him know absolutely not! I just thought of that occasion as I was writing.....that's how rare I do it, if at all.
And I think it is only appropriate for a kitten, unless it is in a situation where a male is getting aggressive. The cat my hubs scruffed weighs between 15-16 pounds....he is a big barn cat. I couldn't scruff him if I tried. LOL BUT!!! He was exhibiting behavior again and again, completely ignoring my verbal commands of NO! And he hasn't returned since the scruffing to repeat the behavior that was wrong.
I think it is a personal decision. Yes, it is cat language for Mamma cat scruffed her kittens a lot when little, carrying them, disciplining them, etc. I don't consider it wrong, but it must be used within reason.
Just my thoughts......J-City....Hope I've helped some.....
cats are not really that trainable of an animal. they are the least domesticated of mans animals. What you see is pretty much what you get, unless you do awful things to um such as get them declawed or as you've found use the spray bottle..
have you tried saying no! really loud that works.
CatsPride, I work mainly with wild/feral cats. And I can honestly say, they are very trainable, exceptionally smart, but you must work with them on their level. That means getting down on the floor sometimes, and work with hands and voice to show them what is acceptable behavior.
Also, using behavior modifications products such as SSSCAT helps tremendously to train a cat not to go somewhere you don't wish that cat to go. But you always must follow up with praise for that cat when SSSCAT goes off, for it will scare him. Just encourage, and love, and praise the cat, and with a lot of dedication and patience, that cat can become very pliable and obey you, because he trusts and loves you.
I have used a jug with change in it as well. I found it to be more effective than the spray bottle too. As far as cat trainability, I have trained mine to sit and beg. A few treats and they got the idea right away.
Towards the ends of their lives they had a lot of "accidents" and every time I'd get out the carpet cleaner they'd act like they'd done something wrong and were about to be punished.
Awwww. Thanks for sharing. I would NEVER have thought about such a situation later down the road.
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I felt really horrible about that. The link to the spray bottle was still very strong even though I hadn't sprayed them in years. So when we got the new kitten I told my hubby that I wanted to try other techniques and only fall back on the spray bottle as a last resort.
She even plays fetch!
