Have one animal pet requires, in addition to a lot of love and affection, firmness and patience to teach what is right and what is not in everyday life. With felines, it's no different. The owner needs to scold and educate the cat. Did you know there is a correct way to do this? If you are thinking about adopting a kitten, you need to be aware of the techniques beforehand.
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You have to keep in mind that cats are very different from dogs, so they need different means so that they can be scolded in the right way. Also, remember that kittens are more temperamental and carry many behaviors from their wild ancestors.
What is the correct way to scold my cat?
First of all, make sure you scold him the instant he's doing the prank, after all, he doesn't have the same sense of context that we do. There is also no point in screaming or shooing the animal away, as this will only make it run away.
See what you should do:
- Approach the cat cautiously, carefully pick it up by the neck and lower its head towards the ground;
- With him “immobilized”, just say: “no”;
- Do the movement more than once, always using the same tone of voice, but without hurting him.
In this way, the animal will associate your “no” with discipline and will understand that the attitude he was having is wrong. You must repeat the steps above whenever you catch the pussy with your hand in the dough. And remember their temperament! It will not always be easy to scold and educate your cat, but you must insist.
alternative methods
There are some other methods to educate your pet; however, for them to be effective, you'll need to be as agile and cunning as your kitty. Later on, you will understand why.
- Spray with water: spraying a little water on your cat's nose when he's doing his trick can be effective. Gradually, he understands that if he does that, he will receive a jet of water. And as we well know, they don't like it very much;
- Loud noise: because they have very sharp hearing, cats don't like loud sounds like horns and whistles, so an interesting strategy is to make some noise whenever he's getting ready. Make sure you always use the same sound;
- “Good” Smell: you can also use some aromas which cats are not very fond of keeping them away from certain areas. Some good options are lavender, rosemary and rue.
The “cat's problem” in these alternative methods is that the animal cannot know where the water or noise came from. They are very intelligent animals, so they are not to be underestimated.
If they know that the source of these “punishments” is you, they won't learn the lesson.
Scolding and educating the cat gently
Under no circumstances use these methods as a way to mistreat animals. Also, never use violence as a way to educate your kitten or any other animal. The cat will most certainly not react well and will be able to defend itself against you, so it will be afraid of future interactions. He will become skittish.
Furthermore, they also have feelings and deserve our respect.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.