Hello, I’m Christopher! To learn more about me and my silly Russian blue cat, Olga, please read my bio.
Cats fill our lives with joy, but they can also tear up furniture, knock valuable items off shelves, bully other pets, and even wake us up in the middle of the night. Small predators need to entertain themselves, and most homes do not recreate their natural environment. Unruly cats are difficult to handle, but training them like you would a child usually doesn’t help.
feline training
I agree with veterinarians and behavioral experts that hitting and screaming when a cat misbehaves is cruel. However, shouting is very different from shouting. It’s hard to give kind advice when your cat is fussy. I understand that cats have sensitive hearing, but more than once I raised my voice when Olga misbehaved.
She likes to jump into blinds when she has a sudden burst of energy, and I’m surprised she’s never damaged a blind or broken a window. She also likes to jump on the vanity and play hockey with the toiletries. Saying “no” or “stop” will work temporarily, but if I don’t get close, the prank will continue.
She runs away when I approach, usually prompting her to play hide and seek, which she prefers to her previous antics. You can also use paper balls or silver vine sticks to distract her. That is the scope of my disciplinary action. There’s no point in doing anything else. I lost a few pints of blood to Olga’s attack and replaced some items she destroyed, but I don’t think she’s a bad cat.
inefficient method
I have observed other discipline techniques used by friends and acquaintances, and while they are not cruel, they are ineffective and a bit silly. For example, I had a friend who used to give his cat time-outs when he misbehaved. She grabbed him and carried him to the bedroom, closing the door. And she lectured him in baby talk as if he were a toddler.
I don’t think he could have understood her unless he was smarter than I imagined. Cats don’t respond to words, and some cats won’t come when you call their name. Treating them like little children is cute in a way, but it’s also absurd. Distracting Olga and restricting her access to her favorite objects to destroy usually works, but sometimes she finds new ways to annoy me.
Olga’s thick skin
She is not a needy cat, nor is she as affectionate as my Siamese cat, but she is more tolerant. She doesn’t begrudge me if I make a fuss or chase her away. Even after her destruction is done, she will still jump on my lap or take a nap at my feet. In contrast, my Siamese would turn away, avoid looking at me, and scream as loud as he could after I criticized his bad behavior.
Olga doesn’t sulk or stress when I’m done having fun. Probably because I am not a disciplinarian and know that I can always attack the blinds another day.
This article is part of the Christopher and Olga series.
