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Nobody knows your cat better than you. But when you have a question or need an expert opinion, the Purina® Cat Chow® brand Cat Food Mentor panel is here for you.
The Purina® Cat Chow® brand Cat Food Mentor Panel is comprised of qualified cat care specialists ready to help answer your Physical, Nutritional, or Emotional cat care questions - no matter what your cat’s life stage. |
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Purina® Cat Chow® has experts who specialize in the fields of emotional behavior, physical health, feline nutrition, and life-stage-specific issues. |
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| Unwanted Jumping and Climbing |
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Q: How do I get my cats to stop jumping on my countertops?
Answer: It is natural for a kitten or cat to climb and jump. If the cat is getting on the counter (or other inappropriate object), consider why she is doing that. Is it to see out a window? Is there something on the counter which the cat is attracted to, like food or a plant?
If it is to see out the window, then you might provide a perch for the cat to sit on near another window so that she can still look out. If it is to get at something on the countertop, then remove that from the counter.
If it is just to climb, then you might want to put items on the countertop which are unappealing to the cat such as pie pans with water, cans with coins in them, milk cartons with coins in them, etc. This will deter the cat from getting up on the counter. Also, provide some type of perch for the cat to climb on as this is instinctive in a cat.
Training is teaching. With cats, training most often refers to educating the cat to understand the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Unlike dogs, cats rarely seem to enjoy learning simply to please their owners; they want to please themselves. Cats are highly intelligent animals, and most relish learning anything that piques their interest.
Physical punishment such as slapping or hitting with hands or objects has no place in training cats or any other animal. Such discipline won't even work on the cat, and shouting isn't particularly effective either. Cats that are punished in this way may learn to hide the inappropriate behavior while continuing to practice in private. Shy cats may become traumatized introverts, while dominant cats turn into attack animals. Plus, the cat learns to associate hands with pain rather than petting.
Negative reinforcement, which means correcting (not punishing!) inappropriate behavior, does have its place in cat training, but it must be used judiciously. Negative reinforcement at its best either interrupts or distracts the poor behavior, or makes the behavior unpleasant enough that the cat stops on his own. Squirting water at the cat from a distance, clapping your hands, shaking a tin can with coins or tossing a toy toward the cat all work as corrections.
Say no with a firm voice during such corrections, and eventually the cat should learn to stop the behavior on the word alone. Some cats respond better to the owner hissing 'sssssst' at them as another cat might do to show displeasure. Be aware, though, that dwelling too much on the negative may teach the cat that misbehavior is a great way to get your attention.
The best way to train a cat is through the use of positive reinforcement. That simply means rewarding the desired behavior. With dogs, verbal praise is often reward enough; cats tend to need more tangible prizes to motivate their interest, such as a tasty treat or a special toy or game. Make the training session a game to engage your cat's interest and keep it.
Both positive and negative reinforcement work only when you catch your cat in the act. Pets aren't able to relate what happened hours ago with the reward or correction taking place this minute. Cats live in the here and now, and to get your message across, your reaction must be immediate. Don't give treats indiscriminately if that's what you're using for training rewards. Using negative reinforcement to interrupt the behavior, followed by positive reinforcement, often works wonders.
Consistency is the key. You can't be lenient one day and expect the cat to toe the line the next. That's confusing to the cat, and it's not fair to change the rules.
With time and patience, you can train your cat to know what is allowed and not allowed in your environment. Good Luck! |
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| Does it surprise you to know that cats can spend fifty percent of their awake time grooming? If you notice that your cat's normally clean and shiny fur looks dull and matted, call your veterinarian as it may be a sign of illness. |
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