Feline Q&A on Cat Training and Cat Behavior
Q: Can cats be trained?
A: Yes, training a cat is not as difficult as the majority of pet owners think it is. Kitties may not be as amenable to training as Spot or Fido are but they are trainable. Treats given as positive reinforcement is most likely the most certain means to train your cat.
Q: Why and how do pet cats purr?
A: Grown 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 mostly assumed that the purring is a vibration of the voicebox as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: What is the reason some people are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander coming from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies demonstrate an allergic reaction because their immune system is attempting to fight the enemy protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you break unwanted cat behavior such as clawing?
A: The best way to break naughty 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 naughty behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t have to do any training for a cat to make use of a litter box, but if your previously litter trained 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 veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have started using 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 tables?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior problems and can be a difficult one. Cats like elevated perches and they often find food or food odors on counters and tables. It is best to keep the surfaces clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the counters.