So, you are thinking about getting a cat or perhaps you already own a fluffy lump. But it is not enough to just feed the animal and clean its litter box – its upbringing plays an important role in keeping a cat.
Many people don’t bother with this and use “traditional”, well-known methods of education that are familiar to almost everyone – but are they all really useful and won’t harm the pet?
Let's look at the 5 most common mistakes that owners make when trying to teach an animal to live by established rules.
Physical punishment
Slap a cat on the butt, grab it by the scruff and hold it in the air, throw a slipper… sounds familiar? Modern zoopsychologists do not recommend using physical violence against cats.
The most obvious thing is that you can simply traumatize your pet, because a person is objectively stronger than any cat. It is especially useless to use physical punishment after some time - the cat simply will not understand why it was treated this way. After all, it did so many things during the whole day, why exactly was it punished?
The cat will only understand that the owner can suddenly cause pain for reasons that are clear only to him - and will treat you more cautiously, and regaining trust is not so easy. Even if you punish the cat immediately after the offense, the relationship with it will be built on intimidation and aggression.
Using a spray bottle
Many owners are accustomed to using water as a method of training: everyone knows that cats do not like water. And indeed, if, for example, you sprinkle water on the cat while it is sharpening its claws on new wallpaper, it will most likely help.
But the thing is that a chain will go off in your whiskered friend's head: water is wet, unpleasant - and the source of water is in the hands of the owner, which means he controls it, therefore, this person is bad. And just like in the previous point, you will lose a trusting relationship with your pet.
Lack of activity during the daytime
Have you noticed how many owners complain about nighttime "tygdyki"? The reason for this behavior is most often the cat's insufficient activity during the day. Yes, these animals sleep much more than we do - about 18 hours a day.
But at the same time, it is very important for them to satisfy their need for movement and hunting, and if there is no activity during the day, then this need will be replenished at night. That is why during the day, find a little time for games so that your pet gets tired and sleeps as sweetly at night as you do.
I sit high, I look far
Another problem that puzzles cat owners is how to wean the rascal off jumping on tables and nightstands? The fact is that the cat strives to climb higher for one simple reason: it needs to control everything that happens around it. And what is the best way to do this? Of course, climb onto that table from which you can see the whole room.
To solve the problem, various cat complexes have been invented, which are usually installed on the wall or hung. You can buy them in pet stores or make them yourself. Provide your cat with an alternative - and she will only be happy, and you will not have to watch paw prints and fur on the dining table.
Ignore alarming symptoms
Have you tried everything, but the kitten still left a puddle in the wrong place? Or did an adult cat suddenly start doing this out of the blue, although there were no mistakes before? The first thing to do is to rule out diseases.
A cat can't just tell you that something hurts - but it knows that if it does something wrong, its owner will pay attention to it. So watch your pet - if something in its behavior has changed dramatically without any particular reason (for example, severe stress), then it's better to play it safe and contact a veterinarian.
The decision to get a pet is undoubtedly a very important and responsible one. We hope that our article helped you understand the psychology of animals a little better, and you will definitely build a strong and trusting relationship with your new family member!
