chatty kitty

I just adopted a part Siamese, part Himalayan female named Zoe a few months ago. I have been around cats since I was a little girl and I love them but I have never had a cat quite like her! She is into everything...and I mean..everything! I guess the most frustrating part is that when I catch her in the act of doing something bad and tell her "no," she talks back to me! And sometimes as she's talking back to me, she will continue doing what she was doing and twice as hard! Such as clawing the couch..I tell her "no," and she scratches harder. Has anyone else experienced this and do you have any ideas on how I should handle her?! Thanks!

Siamese are notorious talkers! I'm sure there are lots of folks in this forum that are owned by them and can tell you stories!

For the behavior correction - suggest that you show them the correct thing to do rather than just discipline on the wrong thing to do. If you catch her scratching the couch, give her the firm "NO", then take her to the scratch post (if you don't have one you need to get one), rub her paws on it and praise the heck out of her. A treat at this time will work wonders.

People claim that cats can't be disciplined, but I will argue that we don't spend enough time showing them what is RIGHT, and just spend too much time telling them what is WRONG. They can't read our minds!

Siamese are notorius for talking, and they are very athletic and active as well. I would invest in a nice tall cat condo for your cat and also check out this link:

Scratching problem

Also greetings from the Willamette Valley-

I am amazed that this tactic works. I am cat sitting, and the little one went for my couch (brand new couch). I tell her no, firmly, then scratch on the sisal condo post next to it with my fingers. And she goes at that twice as hard as she did on the couch. Amazing, you can teach cats!

Yup. You just have to take the time to do it. Em loves his scratching post. Doesn't scratch on the couch at all. Now I have to get him to stop biting!!!!

You also can move the scratching post to the couch or where ever she is scratching if it is small to move there . And slowly move it back where it was . A site note : Cats don't like to scratch on their posts when it is hiding in the corner some place . Best is to have it some place where she walks more .And also if she don't use it , you can rub some catnip for her there to get her attention . Good luck .