How to teach your cat to stop doing
  something bad 101



    Basic info
    There are several vital aspects to training a cat.  Read this web site so you can
    understand normal cat behavior.  It will help you to diagnose why your cat acts the
    way it does.  Discover the reason why your cat acts as it does.  Try to provide for
    its mental, emotional and physical needs.
    As a teacher, I know that, in every classroom, one child has the worst behavior
    problems.  If you remove that child from the class, another will be the worst.  So,
    for those of us that have several cats, you know that one will always be the worst.
    Does that mean we have to accept the worst behavior?  Of course, not.  Let's try
    to stop the unacceptable behavior.  
    You can use the same tricks you use with little children---patience, praise and
    distraction.  

    To stop wrong behavior
    You're not the only cat keeper who has faced the situations I'll discuss here.  You
    must remember that cats will behave the way they want to.  Your job is to
    persuade them that the way you want them to act is to their advantage.  
    Since the cat is a predator, the easiest way to distract it will be to use a toy such
    as a fishing pole that has a dangling object on the end.  Playing with your cat
    doesn't mean it will feel rewarded by doing the wrong things.  It means that he's
    forgetting the wrong behavior and remembering that you're willing to please him.  
    He'll soon respond by pleasing you, too.  I don't believe cats dream about ways to
    bug you.  They don't try to do the wrong things.  In fact, when they get praise for
    doing the right things, they will repeat them more often.         
    Secondly, in case you've forgotten how it was when you were a young child,
    punishment is NOT the best way to deal with a bad situation.  In fact, punishment
    can have the opposite effect.  And it can bring on stress resulting in other
    undesirable activities by your cat.  Plus you want your cat to act a certain way even
    when you are asleep or out of the house.   

    Litter box mistakes
    One frequent problem that cat keepers face is when a cat has made a mistake and
    not used its litter box.  Don't hit your cat.  Don't rub its nose in its mistake.  Your
    cat won't know what to expect from you.  These actions will only make your cat
    afraid of you.  And it will be confused about what's making you act that way.  Are
    you punishing him for peeing in the wrong spot or just for peeing?  One of your
    cat's solutions will be to wait until you're asleep or away and then safely pee
    anywhere it wants to.  
    But before you leave the room, your cat will look at you in confusion and think,
    "What is wrong with my keeper?"  And you'll look at your cat and be confused as to
    why he stopped using the litter box, "Now what's wrong with my cat?"
    Instead of punishment, let's see if we can figure out why the cat did whatever it
    was that you are concerned about.  In our example about litter box errors, we
    know there are many reasons why a cat may stop using the litter box.  Be
    proactive and solve the problem by looking at it from the cat’s point of view.   
    If it's dirty, clean it more often or get an additional box.  
    If it smells different than it had before, change litter brands more slowly and mix
    the old with the new at first.  
    If it has too small an amount of litter inside, adjust as needed so the wet litter
    doesn't stick to the bottom of the litter box.  
    If it's scary to use, place it where it isn't too noisy and where your cat won't feel
    vulnerable.  
    If it's too easily accessible to bigger cats or dogs, invest in a tall cat tree placed
    where your cat can see when it's safe to get to the litter box.  
    If the box is too far away, place another one at the other end of the house.  
    If it's down the hall where the dog sits, waiting to chase your cat, then you have
    two things to do.  Place another litter box in a more secure area and train your dog
    to leave the cat alone when it walks in the hall.  
    If the box hasn't grown in size along with the cat, get a larger box.  
    If the sides are too high for your older cat, get a box with lower sides.  
    If the cover is too low, take it off.  
    It's too close to your cat's food and water supply, separate the food and water
    dish area from the litter box area.  A cat won't use a litter box if its too near its
    food supply.  
    If the litter is too rough on your cat's recently declawed paws, try the soft sandy
    kind of litter.  
    If you suspect  that your male cat has a urinary problem, check with the vet.  
    If something emotional is going on in the household, you know that your anxiety
    has transferred to the cat who now needs more assurance.
    hold.  (Your anxiety has transferred to the cat who now needs more assurance.)
    In the meantime, eliminate the smell of urine or stool in the wrong place by soaking
    up as much as you can and then cleaning first with baking soda and then vinegar.  
    Add a product that is called a neutralizer, which you can buy in a pet store.  It will
    not just clean the spot odor but will also remove the odor so the cat won't think
    about using the same spot again.   Also, cover the area with a box or some other
    item so the cat can't return to it until its been retrained.  One idea is to place a
    paper plate with a tiny bit of dry food directly over the spot.  The cat won't even
    think about soiling where its food is.  
    However, if you haven't figured out what made the cat make the mistake, be alert
    to the fact that there will soon be another spot somewhere else.

    Destroying furniture
    It's a real problem when your cat scratches on your belongings instead of
    scratching on his scratching posts.  And yet it's perfectly normal for a cat to
    scratch.  It helps keep its claws in good shape.  It's the usual way of marking
    territory.  And it releases frustration.  Scratching in the right places is good.  
    Scratching in the wrong places can mean that your cat has some extra energy that
    could be directed toward play.  Make sure you have lots of toys around and are
    adding and removing some every few days so the cats are continually surprised.  
    You may need to cover your furniture with double faced tape or slightly crinkled
    aluminum foil for the time being.  They can be moved later when you see the cat
    chooses the post or box rather than your furniture.  Do not use yucky tasting or
    hot spicy items to keep the cat from scratching.  When they get it on their paws
    and then lick their paws, you will be horrified at the cat's response.  
    The same goes for other things you can do to punish your cat.  For example, don't
    use a mouse trap to hurt them when they scratch.  Don't do it.  Punishment can
    injure the cat and make him aggressive or anxious.  You want to elicit a positive
    response instead of a negative one.              
    To help the cat make the right choice, rub catnip into the post and box.   

    Aggression
    You must try to figure out why the cat is acting the way it does and when and
    where it occurs.  There's a stimulus to the cat's behavior--the act that precedes the
    aggression.  Is it fear?  Anxiety?  Jealousy?  Does the cat recognize fear in another
    pet or even the owner?  
    For sure, you don't want to be bitten or scratched by your pet.  But if your cat
    senses fear in you, it will think there's something to be afraid of and will protect
    itself.  Keep your cat within its comfort level while you try to understand it and thus
    prevent being bitten or scratched.  
    And remember, if your cat does have a hold of you with its claws or teeth, do not
    try to pull away.  The cat will win and you will lose some part of you that you
    wanted to keep.  This is the time to be patient and calm.  Talk in a soft voice.  Be
    patient and wait until the cat lets go.  Losing time is better than losing some skin.   
    To help yourself lose the fear of your pet, play with it more often but only for short
    periods of time.  Enjoy your cat and change both your attitude and the cat's
    attitude from fear to pleasure.     
    Sometimes the cat expresses redirected aggression.  That's when your cat seems
    to forget what originally caused it to be afraid and, instead, attacks whatever is
    nearby. It may be you or it may be another pet.  Distraction is called for.  And,
    remove the original cause of fear, if possible.  

    Anxiety
    Would you believe that cats have many of the same emotions as we humans do?  
    Yes, that's true.  They can feel abandoned, lonely, depressed, bored, jealous,
    stressed, angry and happy.  They can be upset by the same events that upset
    humans.  Mind and body work as a unit in cats, as they do in humans.  
    A cat with a good self concept will not get anxious as often as a cat who feels
    inadequate.  So, anxiety issues in your cat can be lessened by giving your cat
    positive feedback.     
    Is your cat depressed along with being anxious?  You'll see it in their eyes.  
    Depression can lead to lessened eating, exercising and caring for their fur, and
    more sleeping.  These things will weaken your cat's immune system and may lead
    to more serious health problems.  Look at the cat's situation from the point of view
    of the cat.  Is there enough stimulation in the household?  Is the cat left alone for
    long periods?  Is it ignored even when you're home?  
    Cats need as much attention as dogs.  Try giving your cat more quality time and
    positive strokes.  Talk to your cat.  Spend more time brushing your cat.  Buy a new
    toy and play with the cat.  Take the cat for walks on a leash.  Leave the lights and
    radio on while you're out of the house.  Look around and see if you can change
    some other part of the cat's situation, maybe its diet, maybe a new collar, maybe a
    new scratching box.  If these actions don't bring the cat's behavior back to normal,
    check with your vet to see if there's an underlying problem.        
    Try to figure out why your cat is anxious and then do whatever you can to make
    the cat feel more secure.  For example, your cat may be frightened by larger or
    more aggressive pets in the household.  There's a pecking order in your
    household.  One pet will always be the meekest, but it still needs to feel secure.
    One solution is to offer a treat to both pets when they're in the presence of each
    other.  Pet each cat and admire it out loud.  Both cats need to be assured that you
    love each of them.  
    A cat is a predator, so playing with the fishing pole toy will build up your little pet's
    ego.  When you play with the cat, no need to make it frustrated.  Offer a challenge
    but let the cat win.  After you're finished playing with your cat, hide the toy so that
    the cat will know the game is over.  Praise the cat and offer a treat.  
    Another way to build up the cat's self-confidence is to build or invest in a tall cat
    tree.  Then the cat has a safe place to escape.  Rub the cat all over with a clean
    cloth to get its scent on the cloth.  Then rub the cat tree with the cloth.  When your
    cat comes over to investigate the new play thing, it will smell it's scent already on
    it.  Your dogs won't be able to bother the cat when its up on the tree, but other
    cats will.  However, the meek cat will be able to see what's going to happen and
    will be able to position itself in a secure way.   
    And sometimes the cat exhibits a fetish.  I have a cat who loves the leathery smell
    of our shoes.  He seeks them out anytime the closet door is open and takes a cat
    nap among them.  It doesn't do any harm.  But if your cat has a fetish that you
    think is keeping him from the normal cat life or is destructive--such as fabric
    sucking---try some of the ideas suggested here or talk to the vet.           

    The carrier
    Is the anxiety problem with the carrier?  Does the carrier mean the cat is going to a
    place where strangers will stick a thermometer in its backside and then stick a
    couple of hypodermic needles in its skin?  Hmm, maybe the cat associates the
    carrier with going to the vet.  That sounds like a reasonable diagnosis.  Let's see
    how to alter that bad association and replace it with a good association.  After all,
    there are times when you'll want to get your cat into the carrier as quickly as
    possible and without further anxiety.  For more hints on carriers and car riding, see
    my page on How to handle specifics
    Leave the carrier open in some quiet spot in your home and put a smelly piece of
    your clothing inside.  Place a treat in front of the carrier every day.  After a few
    days, place the treat inside and watch your cat walk confidently into the carrier.  
    Your cat may even take cat naps in the carrier.  It no longer associates the carrier
    with bad events.  See my page on How to handle specifics for more hints.   
    You may also need to work with your cat's anxiety of riding in the car.  Put the cat
    in the carrier and put it in your car.  Start with short forays around the block.  After
    returning home, give praise and offer a treat.  Now the car is no longer associated
    only with thermometers and needles, but also with treats and praise.
    You have just read one of the other general secrets for teaching cats. Start with
    long periods of patience on your part and short positive experiences on the cat's
    part and give rewards afterwards.  
    Now, if you turn to the page called How to teach your cat 202, you'll learn how to
    teach your cat to do something good.         
How to Teach Your Cat 101