Kitty Questions and Answers on Training a Cat and More
Q: Do cats respond to training?
A: Yes, cat training is not as tough as the majority of people imagine it is. Cats probably are not as amenable to training as Spot or Champ are but they can be trained. Tasty rewards given as positive reinforcement is assuredly the best method to successful cat training.
Q: Why and how do kitties make a purring sound?
A: Adult kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to manipulate humans — Can you resist a purring cat? Kittens purr in answer to their mother cat’s purr to help bond them. It is widely 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 is the reason certain cat owners are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander originating from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies have a reaction because their immune system is attempting to fight the foreign protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you stop naughty 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 need to do this at the time of the bad 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 find out why. 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 counter tops?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior issues and can be a challenging one. Cats like high spots and they often 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.
