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Articles | main | Cat-Discipline |

Cat Discipline: 7 Simple Items You Can Use

The rule of thumb for cat discipline is to make sure you catch them in the act. You cannot discipline a cat after the fact or they will not understand what they did wrong. That being said, here are some simple tools you can use to discipline your cat.

1. Spray Bottle

An ordinary spray bottle can work wonders if your cat is scratching furniture, getting on the counters or waking you up in the wee hours of the morning. It also works for fighting and aggressive cats because they can't stand getting wet.

Some people use a squirt gun but I like the fact that you can put a spray bottle on the "spray" setting and not necessarily get your cat wet. Water can sometimes get in your cat's ears and cause an ear infection. After being sprayed a few times for naughty behavior, they will usually respond to the sound of the spray bottle and not even need to get wet.

2. Can of Compressed Air

A can of compressed air will do the trick in a lot of instances. Compressed air is often used for dusting off computers and photo equipment. In this case it's the sound that will startle your cat. If you have multiple cats in the house, an air can is not as good because it will startle all of your cats even if it's just one that's being bad.

3. Aluminum cans

Aluminum cans have all kinds of uses. You can put them on a string and hang them on curtains to keep your cat from scratching the drapes. You can stack them around the base of a potted plant that you don't want your cat getting into.

You can also use an aluminum can as a noise-making device. Put 3 or 4 pennies in the can, shake it and you've got a loud noise-maker that cats can't stand.

4. Tin Foil

Generally cats hate the feeling of walking on tin foil and most will avoid walking on it at all costs. If you have an area or piece of furniture that you want to keep your cat off or away from, tin foil can work great.

Cats also hate the sound of their urine stream against tin foil. If you have a piece of furniture your cat is spraying, then try putting tin foil on or around it.

5. Mouse Traps

When you turn a mousetrap upside down, it can be triggered without hurting your cat. It will be very startling to them if they get up on a counter top and it snaps. If the mouse trap going off is a concern to you, put them upside down and put a sheet over the top of them.

If you can't catch your cat in the act, mousetraps can be a good alternative for correcting certain behaviors. Place several mousetraps on your countertop facing down. Your cat will eventually learn through experience that the counter top is a place to be avoided!

In conclusion, you always catch your cat in the act when using effective discipline. It's a good idea to keep several disciplinary items around the house. For example, keep a spray bottle in each room of the house so you can have quick access to it when your cat misbehaves. Catching a cat in the act is the ONLY way you should use any of these tools for cat discipline.

6. Two Sided Sticky Tape

Put two sided tape around potted plants and curtains. Cats don't like the sticky sensation and will usually avoid the area. You can try putting sticky tape on furnature or any other place you would like them to avoid.

7. A set of shelves for a cat tree

Cats often look for places to climb. They like to perch themselves up high and this could be why they are jumping up on your counter tops. One possible solution to this is to buy a cat tree for them to climb on. There are also window sill extentions that you can buy or make and add onto your windows sills.

If you have some shelving and you can spare a shelf or two, try taping down a pillow to a book shelf. Make sure your cat has easy access to the shelf with a ramp. You can usually put the ramp on the side of the bookcase, extending from an adjacent table to the shelf perch.

If you find your cat likes perching on the shelf, consider making a more permanent solution. Bracket a plastic bed to the shelf and put the pillow inside. This may sound like a lot of work, but it can make all the difference if you have a problem with your cats getting on your counters and other high places that you don't want them to be.

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