Cat Querries and Responses on Training a Cat and More
Q: Can you train a cat?
A: Yes, cat training is not as hard as some cat people consider it is. Kitties are not as responsive to training as Spot or Champ are but they are trainable. Tasty rewards presented as positive reinforcement is assuredly the primary means to train your cat.
Q: Why and how do kitties purr?
A: Adult kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to manipulate humans — Can you resist a purring kitty? Kittens purr in answer to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is generally theorized that the purring is a vibration of the voice-box as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: Why are the reasons a number of cat owners are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander generated from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies develop an allergic reaction because their immune system is attempting to fight the foreign protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you change unwanted cat behavior like scratching?
A: The best way to halt bad cat behavior is the same way the mother cat controls an errant kitten. This is by scuffing the cat. You firmly but gently grasp the cat by the scruff of the neck and hold it down until it calms down. You must do this at the time of the naughty behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t be required to do any training for a cat to make use of a litter box, but if your adult cat has started to avoid the litter box you need to determine the cause. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to go to the vet. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have switched to litter you may have to change back or sprinkle a little catnip in the litter to attract the cat to the new litter.
Q: How do you keep cats off counters?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior issues and can be a challenging one. Cats like elevated places and they can find food or food aromas on tables and counters. It is best to keep the surfaces clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the counters.
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