[jbug]

I have scared Tyger. I have had to spank Tyger lately and now he's scared of me . He has been scratching on my screen and sitting on the table. I am thinking I'm going to have to pick my battles and I think I'm going to have to let him sit on the table because I don't eat on it. It is mainly a piling place and I scrap on it I don't eat on it. I went near him this morning to scold him and he put his ears back and flinched I thought oh boy I know that feeling and felt bad. I was like I don't want him to be scared of me. I just picked him and put him on the floor and in a firm voice said stay off the table. I didn't spank him but still felt bad.

Jan

[free2beme]

Try spraying Tyger with water. I have a bottle of water that I spray my

clothes with and I use this on my cat when he aggravates the others. It's

gotten to the point now that all I have to do is pick up the bottle and

James will take off in the other direction.

no scolding- no spanking - it works!

[gimmeice]

I agree that spraying him with water bottle could be an effective discipline, I know several people that use it with their pets and it seems to work for them.

[seeker1950]

Jbug! My cats do all kinds of no-no's! I have three cats and they get on the table, the kitchen counters, even the stove! I just pick them up and drop them off, when necessary. Much of the time they're up there, though, it is to get away from my doggy, who loves to torment them. They also scratch my upholstered furniture, and I use my "AAAHHH, AAAHH!!!" voice, and usually this stops them. Mine are inside/outside cats, and they bring in furry and feathered trophy kills to my garage daily, since I leave the garage door up a few inches so they can come in.
I hate that they kill things like this, but it is their nature, and leaving them inside all the time doesn't work. They become too destructive!
Cats will be cats!
Patty

[jbug]

I will try the spray bottle method. That way I can get him too when he scratches on the screen when he is outside too. I have replaced that screen too many times. He has forgiven me but I still feel bad. I know that cats will be cats but I don't want him scratching on the screen. I have decided that the table is ok.

Jbug

[Doh2007]

I love this thread. I use the spray method. It works on Bud, but Teak thinks it's a game. She's so funny. I hold up the sprayer and she ducks her head and squints her eyes. Then she comes back for more.

For attention, Bud knocks over all the waste baskets. He also gets to the bag where I keep cans for recycle and chews on the handles. I got tired of having to get up to squirt him, so I tried experimenting with positive reinforcement. I tell him to get down. Then, when he does, I tell him what a good boy he is. He comes over to be petted.

These cats have us all figured out.

[jbug]

He is still scared I will spank him. Tonight after he came in I had put a blanket over the table so he wouldn't get my scrapbooking stuff wet because I knew he would want to lay up there and I was right. Well I wanted to work on my scrapbooking and picked him up put down and he wanted to hop up so I just pointed my finger at him and said in a firm voice No Tyger and when I pointed my finger at him he flinched.

Jbug

[multipixie9]

jbug,

i've read that physical punishment works badly with cats, i only ever did it with one of ours who would be loving my cuddles and then abruptly bite the fire out of me. i did use the spray method too, it does help some, but my biter even began to ignore that until i added about 1 to 5 ration of vinegar to water. kitties HATE the smell of vinegar and run like the wind to avoid it.

trying to catch them being good or training for short periods when they are hungry and give little treats all seem to work pretty well. Cats have stubborn, independent temperaments....just like most of us who care for them