Cat Questions and Responses on Training a Cat and Cat Behavior
Written by Author on September 30th, 2009Q: Is it possible to train a cat?
A: Yes, training a cat is not as hard as many cat people predict it is. Kitties most likely are not as responsive to training as Spot or Fido are but they can be trained. Food rewards offered as positive reinforcement is probably the most certain means to train a cat.
Q: Why and how do kittens purr?
A: Adult cats purr because they are happy and contented and to manipulate humans — who can resist a purring cat? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to help bond them. It is generally believed 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 a number of folks 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 demonstrate an allergic reaction because their immune system is beginning to attack the foreign protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you stop naughty cat behavior like scratching?
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 should do this at the time of the undesirable behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t have to do any training for a cat to use a litter pan, but if your adult 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 visit the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have changed 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 one of the most asked about cat behavior issues and can be a challenging one. Cats like high perches and they can find food or food odors on counters and tables. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the tables.