Feline Q&A on Cat Training and More
Q: Can cat behavior be modified by training?
A: Yes, training a cat is not as tough as most doubters imagine it is. Kitties probably are not as amenable to training as dogs are but they can be trained. Tasty treats presented as positive reinforcement is assuredly the best procedure to train your cat.
Q: Why and how do kitties purr?
A: Adult cats purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — who can resist a purring kitty? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to help bond them. It is widely believed that the purring is a vibration of the voicebox as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: What is the reason some folks are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander coming from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies have an allergic reaction because their immune system is beginning to fight the alien protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you halt undesirable cat behavior such as scratching?
A: The best way to break unwanted 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 should do this at the time of the unwanted behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t be required to do any training for a cat to make use of a litter box, but if your previously litter trained cat has begun to avoid the litter box you need to figure out why. 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 changed 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 challenging one. Cats like elevated places and they often find food or food aromas 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.
This entry was posted on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at 7:37 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.