Do cats needs rules/limitations?

This just occured to me today and I was wondering what you all thought. You know how people say that dogs and kids needs structure and rules to be happy and live good lives? Do you think the same applies to cats? I know cats really don't follow rules, but here is why I'm asking...

For those of you who don't remember, I adopted Milo in August from a shelter after hearing from a close friend that one of her other friends had surrendered a kitten after she got in trouble with her landlord.

Milo was quite a handful when I got him, so my friend did some asking to the people Milo used to live with. Come to find out, Milo's previous owner gave him no rules, let him do whatever he wanted, get into anything, etc. So the owner's roommate hated Milo b/c he was ill-behaved.

Since I've gotten Milo I had slowly been working on calming him down a bit. I keep things he shouldn't get into put away, and deter him when he messes with something he shouldn't. He has other normal rules too (no people food off of our plates, not on the counter when cooking, etc.) He has just become the sweetest cat in the world! He seems very content. He of course still has wild bouts like any cat, but spends most of the day curled up in my lap when I'm home.

Whether they really like our rules or not, yes they DO have to have limitations/rules to be living in the household.

Very few people like to see or know a cat is walking over the counters/sink/stove, etc. Or eating off plates and jumping on the table while eating.

Cats are smart - they can learn basic rules. Especially clawing rules

I do not know about "needing" rules/limitations but cats are willing to learn them if it's to their advantage.

I'm pretty lienant about what my boys do - but they really don't get into anything (besides the Christmas tree ) but they do get on the bar in the kitchen and lay on that, but thats all - they don't get on the counter with the sink, stove, ect. But when they do something wrong - I snap my fingers and they stop, they know its wrong. They do have limitations just like kids do, just not as many

Yes, to answer your question. Who wants to be around an ill-behaved cat??

Both of my cats have 2 major boundaries, no jumping on the counters in the kitchen and no jumping on the table. DH would also like for them to not get on our bed, but that's only because he doesn't think kitties make good snugglers!! Hannah, my youngest who we've had for a bit more than a year, is currently testing the no jumping on the counters rule. She's never jumped on the counters since we've had her, but suddenly a few days ago, she started jumping up on the counter! Go figure! So, we're in the process of refreshing her memory and reviewing her previous training. It's a pain, but I will be the victor!!

Stephanie

yup, I´d agree, there are some places, you dont really want them padding about both for theirs & your safety and health ! They can learn when you are not happy, a raised "NO" or the one I use is clapping hands
Sometime Miss Moofs is very naughty as she knows if she claws at my bedside table, I leap out of bed to give her attention so shes trained ME really they are very, very clever