Kitty Querries and Responses on Training a Cat and Cat Behavior
Q: Is cat training possible?
A: Yes, training a cat is not as impossible as many owners consider it is. Cats may not be as responsive to training as Fido or Rover are but they can be trained. Treats presented as positive reinforcement is probably the best way to train a cat.
Q: Why and how do kitties purr?
A: Adult kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to manipulate humans — Who can ignore a purring kitty? Kittens purr in answer to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is widely believed that the purring is a vibration of the voice box as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: What makes quite a few folks are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander generated from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies develop an allergic reaction because their immune system is beginning to combat the enemy protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you halt bad cat behavior like scratching?
A: The best way to curtail undesirable cat behavior is the same way the mother cat controls an errant kitten. This is by scuffing the cat. You firmly but gently grasp the cat by the scruff of the neck and hold it down until it calms down. You must do this at the time of the undesirable behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t be required to do any training for a cat to use a litter box, but if your adult cat has started to avoid the litter box you need to determine the cause. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to go to the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have started using litter you may have to change back or sprinkle a little catnip in the litter to attract the cat to the new litter.
Q: How do you keep cats off tables?
A: This is one of the most asked about cat behavior problems and can be a tough one. Cats like high places and they can find food or food smells on tables and counters. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the counters.
