How to discipline

Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

Also, I did get him a scratching post and tied some cute hanging toys from
it but he really doesn't use it instead of the furniture.

For instance, at this moment he is trying to get on this laptop and I've had
to push him away a few times (although it's adorable). Is he learning or is
it hopeless?

Thanks very much,
Jeff

On Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:29:27 GMT, "Jeff Caspari"
wrote:

Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

Also, I did get him a scratching post and tied some cute hanging toys from
it but he really doesn't use it instead of the furniture.

For instance, at this moment he is trying to get on this laptop and I've had
to push him away a few times (although it's adorable). Is he learning or is
it hopeless?

Thanks very much,
Jeff


Furiture you can do. There's various sprays (citrus stuff) or sticky
tape that seems to work. I don't bother; all I try to do is keep them
off the dining table but I'm sure they're all over it when the
non-feline members of the household are away. But I didn't use the
spray or tape approach.

As for the laptop, forget it. That's the same as reading a newspaper.
You're looking at it and they want you to look at them so they plop
themselves on whatever you're doing. I think we're being honored by
them but I'm not sure.

On Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:29:27 GMT, Jeff Caspari wrote:
Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

Also, I did get him a scratching post and tied some cute hanging toys from
it but he really doesn't use it instead of the furniture.

For instance, at this moment he is trying to get on this laptop and I've had
to push him away a few times (although it's adorable). Is he learning or is
it hopeless?

Kittens can be extremely stubborn. Just keep repeating no. Never get
rough -- that *never* works. Sometimes a "time out" might be necessary if
you need to get some serious work done without kitty attacking your eyes
as you read.

As the kitten becomes a cat, he'll calm down and get into a schedule of sleeping
at least 16 hours a day. If he's a little ******* like my mongo, he'll only
misbehave when he wants attention. :-)

On Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:07:43 -0400, dgk wrote:
As for the laptop, forget it. That's the same as reading a newspaper.
You're looking at it and they want you to look at them so they plop
themselves on whatever you're doing. I think we're being honored by
them but I'm not sure.

Or kitty wants to join you in what you doing and look at the laptop too.
Best position to do that is to sit on the keyboard and attack the "mouse"
pointer on the screen. Why does it keep moving? Why won't anybody kill it?!

"Jeff Caspari" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

A LOUD "no" or "no" accompanied by a sharp clap will work best, as cats hate
to be startled by sharp, loud noises. No water, and NO slapping.

"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"Jeff Caspari" wrote in message
...
Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

A LOUD "no" or "no" accompanied by a sharp clap will work best, as cats
hate to be startled by sharp, loud noises. No water, and NO slapping.
the sharp noise I found that works best is marbles in a coffee can talk
about a racket

On Oct 28, 5:29*am, "Jeff Caspari" wrote:
Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

I hope you don't mean that you hit him by "bit rougher!"

First, you need to have a scratcher that's appealing to him, and it
sounds like what you have isn't his thing. Try a different kind of
scratcher--cardboard is an inexpensive and popular alternative. Is he
a vertical or horizontal scratcher? Some cats even prefer "non
traditional" surfaces, like a piece of wood or an upside down wicker
basket. Whatever it is, he needs to like it and use it.

You can use Sticky Paws (double sided tape), tin foil, or an upside
down, plastic carpet runner to keep him off the furniture, counters,
or other surfaces. Do you have a cat tree he can climb instead?

If you catch him scratching on furniture, say no, and redirect him to
the scratcher. Praise him a lot when he uses it. And one other thing,
make sure the scratcher is in a central location or near his bed.
Don't hide it in a corner.

On Oct 28, 5:29*am, "Jeff Caspari" wrote:
Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

Also, I did get him a scratching post and tied some cute hanging toys from
it but he really doesn't use it instead of the furniture.

For instance, at this moment he is trying to get on this laptop and I've had
to push him away a few times (although it's adorable). *Is he learning or is
it hopeless?

Thanks very much,
ff

I would like to train my cat to wrap his tail around his body when he
eats. I have a very small kitchen and whenever he eats he always
extends his tail right across the floor so that I could easily step
on it by accident which I dont want to do. Im not sure how to go
about training him to make this change in behavior because he wont pay
any attention to me when he is eating. Ive noticed that other times
he generally sits or crouches with his tail wrapped up around him.

"honeybunch" wrote in message
...
On Oct 28, 5:29 am, "Jeff Caspari" wrote:
Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

Also, I did get him a scratching post and tied some cute hanging toys from
it but he really doesn't use it instead of the furniture.

For instance, at this moment he is trying to get on this laptop and I've
had
to push him away a few times (although it's adorable). Is he learning or
is
it hopeless?

Thanks very much,
ff

I would like to train my cat to wrap his tail around his body when he
eats. I have a very small kitchen and whenever he eats he always
extends his tail right across the floor so that I could easily step
on it by accident which I dont want to do. Im not sure how to go
about training him to make this change in behavior because he wont pay
any attention to me when he is eating. Ive noticed that other times
he generally sits or crouches with his tail wrapped up around him.

this might sound cruel but step on it enough for him to realize tail in
bad place. I am not talking about any type of pressure that will hurt him
jut enough for him to realize what needs to be done

I have trouble walking sometimes and the furballs like to stop in front of
me so they get a helpful boot when they do it they have learned to move it
or get a helpful foot to move along

On Nov 3, 3:59*am, "Matthew" wrote:
"honeybunch" wrote in message

...
On Oct 28, 5:29 am, "Jeff Caspari" wrote:





Hello all,

Is it possible to teach a cat not to get on certain furniture and what is
the most effective and humane approach?

Right now I just take him off and say "No" and then get a bit rougher when
he repeats it.

Also, I did get him a scratching post and tied some cute hanging toys from
it but he really doesn't use it instead of the furniture.

For instance, at this moment he is trying to get on this laptop and I've
had
to push him away a few times (although it's adorable). Is he learning or
is
it hopeless?

Thanks very much,
ff

I would like to train my cat to wrap his tail around his body when he
eats. *I have a very small kitchen and whenever he eats he always
extends his tail *right across the floor so that I could easily step
on it by accident which I dont want to do. * Im not sure how to go
about training him to make this change in behavior because he wont pay
any attention to me when he is eating. *Ive noticed that other times
he generally sits or crouches with his tail wrapped up around him.

this might sound cruel *but step on it * enough for him to realize *tail in
bad place. *I am not talking about any type of pressure that will hurt him
jut enough for him to realize what needs to be done

I have trouble walking sometimes and the furballs like to stop in front of
me *so they get a helpful boot when they do it *they have learned to move it
or get a helpful foot to move along- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

How is it that cats seem to anticipate exactly where your next
footstep will be, before the event?
Doesn't matter which way you go, you can almost be certain that Ringo
will be there a nano second before your own brain even realises where
you intended to put that foot? Either way, I love him, & move a milli
step further every time too!
S "o"