How to Discipline/Train a Kitten

Hi!

Labor day weekend, we took in Eddy, a small kitten that was dumped in
the country. He's been the sweetest kitten, deciding for himself that
he is my infant daughter's pet. He's been neutered, wearing soft claws,
and now about 8 months old.

Eddy has what I call a "whatever" attitude. Not a definite teenager
"WHAT-ever," but a very accommodating "whatever y'all want to do is
fine with me." This has meant he likes people, car rides, the
application of soft paws, and about a million other things. We love
this easy-going disposition, except for one minor thing.

Every now and then he does something rather naughty. Never
mean-spirited--more of a display of kitten exuberance. But it is
something we wish to discourage:

* Climb the counter
* Climb us while we prepare food on the counter
* Chase/wrestle our older cat (who doesn't like it, but won't take
aggressive action)
* "Rough" play with our daughter (we supervise, but sometimes it slips
through)

I want to train him without destroying the parts we love of his
character. The problem is most of what we have come up with has limited
effect at best:

1. We've tried water, but he merely looks at us vaguely
dumbfounded (Eddy has been known to jump in the shower)
2. Loud noises get his attention for only a moment (and scare the other
cat)
3. We do "time outs," but I'm not sure he knows what's going on--by the
time
we get him to the "time out" spot, he may have forgotten he was
doing
wrong, and thinks it's just attention.

Obviously, we know better than to do any corporal punishment (whacking
with a newspaper, etc.), and do not intent to do so.

The other gotcha is that, by the time we get to him, he may have
discontinued his behavior.

Are there any suggestions about what we can do? I do want to train him,
but can't find an effective way to deter behavior.

Thanks,
Charles

On 2005-01-19, penned:

[snip]

The other gotcha is that, by the time we get to him, he may have
discontinued his behavior.

Are there any suggestions about what we can do? I do want to train him, but
can't find an effective way to deter behavior.

Thanks, Charles

Hi, Charles!

I had no idea what I was doing with Oscar, who's my first cat, so I guess I'm
pretty lucky that she's reasonably well-behaved. I can't give you much
advice. The one thing I can say is, if he's discontinued his behavior,
punishing or correcting him won't work. You need to catch him in the act, or
he'll have no idea why whatever's happening to him is happening.

A lot of people say that you want the cat to associate the punishment with the
thing the cat's supposed to avoid (counter, curtains, etc) and not with you.
For some behaviors that's easier than others.

How old is your daughter? Is she old enough to be taught how to gently
correct the kitten?

--
monique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!*

Daughter is actually younger than the kitten--she's three months. All
interactions are supervised, but some things give us pause. It has had
a few cute moments--him giving her a kiss goodnight, and sleeping on
the couch with her. I think sometimes he gets upset with us if we let
her cry too long.

I know about catching in the act/not associating with us--hence
squirting water and loud noises. Alas, he is very "whatever" about
that.

wrote in message
ups.com...

* Climb the counter

Loose aluminum cans, or squirt the cat with a water gun when it does this.
Frankly, at times, I've used a broom, but many others wouldn't agree with
that.

* Climb us while we prepare food on the counter

Again, water gun, or yelling VERY loudy the INSTANT it does it.

Well you said you tried water, but if they look dumbfounded then I don't
know.

LRH

On 2005-01-19, Larry R Harrison Jr penned:

wrote in message
oups.com...

* Climb the counter

Loose aluminum cans, or squirt the cat with a water gun when it does this.
Frankly, at times, I've used a broom, but many others wouldn't agree with
that.

* Climb us while we prepare food on the counter

Again, water gun, or yelling VERY loudy the INSTANT it does it.

Well you said you tried water, but if they look dumbfounded then I don't
know.

For any of those behaviors, I think I just exclaimed "Hey!" (not VERY loudly,
but not quietly either) and removed Oscar from the undesirable location.

I just replaced my old footlocker, on which Oscar was allowed, with a chest of
drawers, which I'd prefer to keep Oscar-free. Nowadays, Oscar knows me well
enough that all I have to do is say "Oscar" in a drawn-out, warning tone and
she'll hop right off. She actually is pretty good about knowing what she's
doing that's bothering me. The trick is getting her not to do it again right
after she's stopped. But since kittenhood, she's never gotten onto kitchen
counters. I like to think that I had something to do with that.

--
monique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!*

On 2005-01-19, penned:
Daughter is actually younger than the kitten--she's three months. All
interactions are supervised, but some things give us pause. It has had a few
cute moments--him giving her a kiss goodnight, and sleeping on the couch
with her. I think sometimes he gets upset with us if we let her cry too
long.

I imagine this could be tough, as "normal" kitten things that you might
tolerate or even encourage around adults or older children could be scary
around your little girl. I hope some of the parents on this NG can give you
some advice.

--
monique, roommate of Oscar the (female) grouch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eros was adopted! Eros has a home now! *cheer!*

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote:

On 2005-01-19, penned:
Daughter is actually younger than the kitten--she's three months. All
interactions are supervised, but some things give us pause. It has had a few
cute moments--him giving her a kiss goodnight, and sleeping on the couch
with her. I think sometimes he gets upset with us if we let her cry too
long.

I imagine this could be tough, as "normal" kitten things that you might
tolerate or even encourage around adults or older children could be scary
around your little girl. I hope some of the parents on this NG can give you
some advice.

I'm not a parent, but I got a nasty corneal scratch from my (at the
time) two month-old kitten this past fall. I was on two topical
antibiotics, one oral antibiotic, and one anaesthetizing eyedrop for a
week afterwards. Not to freak out the parents too much, both for the
obvious reason (cats and kids are an excellent mix!) and also because
the OP's kitten is considerably older so may not be batting at
everything that moves quite as much these days, but I'd be a little careful.

Priscilla, queen of the convoluted sentence who sees fine out of both
eyes now -- well, if you discount her bifocals

in article , Priscilla H. Ballou at
wrote on 1/19/05 2:00 PM:

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote:

On 2005-01-19, penned:
Daughter is actually younger than the kitten--she's three months. All
interactions are supervised, but some things give us pause. It has had a few
cute moments--him giving her a kiss goodnight, and sleeping on the couch
with her. I think sometimes he gets upset with us if we let her cry too
long.

I imagine this could be tough, as "normal" kitten things that you might
tolerate or even encourage around adults or older children could be scary
around your little girl. I hope some of the parents on this NG can give you
some advice.

I'm not a parent, but I got a nasty corneal scratch from my (at the
time) two month-old kitten this past fall. I was on two topical
antibiotics, one oral antibiotic, and one anaesthetizing eyedrop for a
week afterwards. Not to freak out the parents too much, both for the
obvious reason (cats and kids are an excellent mix!) and also because
the OP's kitten is considerably older so may not be batting at
everything that moves quite as much these days, but I'd be a little careful.

Priscilla, queen of the convoluted sentence who sees fine out of both
eyes now -- well, if you discount her bifocals

He said the cat is wearing soft paws so I don't think that should be much of
an issue. It sounds to me that most of the things mentioned will be "grown"
out of as the kitten gets older. Just be consistent. Put the cat OUT of the
kitchen (in the bedroom if necessary) while preparing food (consistantly)
and before long he won't climb you for it. Put obstacles on the counter for
when you are not around, or sticky double sided tape or plastic runners for
the hallway, nubby side up with the nubby stuff worn down. Supervise with
the baby (what incidents gave you pause?) Yes, they do get upset when babies
cry. They know it is a baby and upset. Overall, sounds like a pretty darn
well behaved kitten.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi!

Obviously, we know better than to do any corporal punishment (whacking
with a newspaper, etc.), and do not intent to do so.


Okay, I usually sit here and don't say anything in these posts as a
flame-avoidance measure, but sometimes a girl's just gotta speak up. Look at
how mother cats discipline their kittens - they smack them. They don't smack
them hard, just enough to shock, but if the kitten's doing something mum
doesn't like, it'll more than likely get a quick application of a paw.

I disciplined my cats this way when they were kittens - and yes, I used loud
disapproving "No"s and hisses as well. But sometimes, if they were within
reach while doing what they weren't meant to , they got a smack. Not a hard
smack (yes, you have to be very careful, because kittens are small), but one
they weren't expecting. And it was always accompanied by a loud "No". They
knew they'd been disciplined and, because it was instant, they knew what it
was for. They learned very quickly.

I think the "never, ever hit a cat" brigade miss the point. This is how they
discipline one another. The challenge, as humans, is to realise how much
more powerful we are than them and know what is appropriate force and what
isn't. But most cat lovers are intelligent to work that one out.

in article , Ashley at
wrote on 1/19/05 11:41 PM:


wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi!

Obviously, we know better than to do any corporal punishment (whacking
with a newspaper, etc.), and do not intent to do so.


Okay, I usually sit here and don't say anything in these posts as a
flame-avoidance measure, but sometimes a girl's just gotta speak up. Look at
how mother cats discipline their kittens - they smack them. They don't smack
them hard, just enough to shock, but if the kitten's doing something mum
doesn't like, it'll more than likely get a quick application of a paw.

I disciplined my cats this way when they were kittens - and yes, I used loud
disapproving "No"s and hisses as well. But sometimes, if they were within
reach while doing what they weren't meant to , they got a smack. Not a hard
smack (yes, you have to be very careful, because kittens are small), but one
they weren't expecting. And it was always accompanied by a loud "No". They
knew they'd been disciplined and, because it was instant, they knew what it
was for. They learned very quickly.

I think the "never, ever hit a cat" brigade miss the point. This is how they
discipline one another. The challenge, as humans, is to realise how much
more powerful we are than them and know what is appropriate force and what
isn't. But most cat lovers are intelligent to work that one out.




Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but mama cats are much smaller than
humans and know how hard they are bapping. I also do not trust most humans
to know how much force they are using in comparison to kitten size. There
are plenty of safe effective ways to train and discipline, why encourage
this?