is it mean to use a water bottle squirt w/cat

I need to train my cat from scratching on our furniture. We have tried organic's sprays on the furniture, cat scratching posts, raising my voice, etc. My husband thinks we should squirt her with a little water everytime we catch her, but I am afraid this is mean and will break her sense of safety with us. Am I overreacting? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

I've never done it, but I know people who have.
I wouldn't say it's mean, but it's not something I would do myself.
Maybe squirting their body wouldn't be so bad, but I would never squirt them in the face.

When we've seen one of our cats doing something that they shouldn't do we've just always clapped our hands and sound "NO" very firmly and loudly and then either removed them from the place they shouldn't be and in the case of scratching furniture, after the clap and the NO we would take them to the scratching post and sort of showed them how to use it.
That method has always worked for us.

It took a few weeks with Lizzie and Annabelle, it took three times with Elliott and only once with Gracie.

Originally Posted by Graciecat

When we've seen one of our cats doing something that they shouldn't do we've just always clapped our hands and sound "NO" very firmly and loudly and then either removed them from the place they shouldn't be and in the case of scratching furniture, after the clap and the NO we would take them to the scratching post and sort of showed them how to use it.
That method has always worked for us.

Click to expand...

This is the method that worked for us too when Cosmo was attacking our feet when we walked down the hallway (LOL). The clap startles them a bit.

I'm not a big fan of the water-squirt thing... plus, you'd need to be sure to have good aim with a squirt bottle that doesn't splatter, because constantly getting the furniture/floor wet isn't great for keeping it in good condition either

I use the method of removing the cat also. You also have to be careful with the spray that it doesnt get into the cats ears, it can cause an infection if it does.

I don't use a water bottle, the way cats move so fast it's too easy to get them in the ear or face without meaning too.

We would also say no, then take them to the scratching post. It didn't take long to train them.

Originally Posted by Graciecat

I've never done it, but I know people who have.
I wouldn't say it's mean, but it's not something I would do myself.
Maybe squirting their body wouldn't be so bad,

but I would never squirt them in the face

Click to expand...

.

When we've seen one of our cats doing something that they shouldn't do we've just always clapped our hands and sound "NO" very firmly and loudly and then either removed them from the place they shouldn't be and in the case of scratching furniture, after the clap and the NO we would take them to the scratching post and sort of showed them how to use it.
That method has always worked for us.

It took a few weeks with Lizzie and Annabelle, it took three times with Elliott and only once with Gracie.

Click to expand...

Ditto!