Kitty Questions and Responses on Training a Cat and Cat Behavior
Q: Is cat training possible?
A: Yes, cat training is not as difficult as some people take for granted it is. Kitties are not as amenable to training as Rover or Spot are but they can be trained. Tasty rewards offered as positive reinforcement is most likely the primary route to successful cat training.
Q: Why and how do cats purr?
A: Grown cats purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Who can ignore a purring kitty? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to help bond them. It is generally assumed 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: What makes quite a few folks are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander coming from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies demonstrate a reaction because their immune system is trying to attack the enemy protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you change unwanted cat behavior such as clawing?
A: The best way to halt unwanted 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 need to do this at the time of the unwanted 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 previously litter trained cat has begun to avoid the litter box you need to figure out why. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to go to the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have started using 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 the kitchen table?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior problems and can be a tough one. Cats like high places and they can find food or food aromas on tables and counters. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the counters.