Cat Behavior Problems

Feb

2009

Can cats be disciplined?

Cats are not humans

It is important to remember that cats are not humans they operate using their own logic and instincts. Your Ragdoll cat probably sees you as another large cat and will comminicate with you accordingly.

Violence is a poor motivator

A cat will not understand the use of violence as a form of discipline and so will not associate it with their bad behaviour. The only thing this will do is make them afraid of you. Hitting your Ragdoll cat is a very bad form of punishment for bad behaviour, the methods outlined below are acceptable ways to effectively discipline your Ragdoll cat:

The ‘Face Push’ Technique

For times when you are near your cat when behaving badly ‘The Face Push’ technique should be used. It consists of a GENTLE but firm push back on your cat’s face along with a stern ‘NO’ command. This is a strong message to cats and used consistently will let him know that a particular behaviour is not acceptable.

The Squirt Gun

If your cat is a longer distance away and needs reprimanding a squirt gun filled with water and a dash of vinegar is very useful. Just a quick squirt in the face with a stern ‘NO’ command is enough to get the message over.

The Rattle Bottle

Where the above methods are impractical a small can or plastic bottle partly filled with pebbles or coins when shaken or dropped and the ‘NO’ command can provide a great deterrent from bad behavior. Try not to over use this method to prevent your Ragdoll cat from becoming desensitised to its affect.

Being consistant with these methods will soon teach your Ragdoll cat which behaviour is correct and which is unacceptable.

Treating aggression

Aggression problems in cats is not as common as it is for dogs but for many reasons cats can develop an aggression problem and it is important to address this as early as possible to avoid impacting the problem with wrong treatment from you the owner. There are different types of aggression in cats and below are the most common:

Play Aggression
Play aggression is the most common form of cat aggression and is usually your cat playing rough. This is almost always because they have been taught to play like this from when they were kittens; this is called ‘conditioned aggression’.

Conditioned Aggression
As explained above if you have this problem then it was conditioned into your Ragdoll cat from when it was a kitten. To prevent doing this when rearing kittens always divert aggressive play onto toys and other objects like string on the end of a stick. This will help to distance the aggression from you. If necessary use a squirt gun to stop the wrong behavior along with the usual ‘NO’ command.

Pain Aggression
When an aggression problem develops suddenly for no apparent reason, it could be caused by pain. Your cat has no way of telling you if it has a medical condition and is in pain so biting or scratching you could be your cats way of either getting your attention or protecting itself. If it persists you should consult your veterinary surgeon to find out if there is a medical problem, which needs treatment.

When your ragdoll cat jumps on the table

This is a common problem with cats if they are not taught otherwise. A squirt in the face with the squirt gun or a drop of the rattle bottle along with the ‘NO’ command may be all that is required to deter your cat from jumping up but you must be consistent so that your Ragdoll cat knows why they are being squirted.

As mentioned above it is not that difficult to have a cat that is well behaved and knows his boundries if the above techniques are used consistantly.

By: Ben Hilton

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The auther is the writer of ‘The Complete Ragdoll Cat Keepers Handbook, to find out more visit: www.ragdoll-cat-care.com