right way to disapline? Need advice!

starrygrl

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Hi, I'm a new kitten owner and need advice on the correct way to disapline my kitten. She is attacking my feet constantly, jumping on counter tops, biting, ect.... I tell her no and try to distract her with toys, but sometimes I won't have a toy available and I don't know what to do. I know she needs guidance, she is about 3 or 4 months old. My husband loses his patients and says I let her do whatever she wants, but I just don't want to feel like I'm being mean to her. Is the water bottle a ok way? Or any suggestions would be great[emoji]128515[/emoji] Thanks! Also, we are getting her spayed in a couple weeks. Would this help her calm down a little?
 
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imjustacatmom

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I personally believe in squirt bottles but only when they arecreally doing something wrong and it has to be used right at that moment not 5 minutes or hours later...they won't associate that they've done something wrong...also you can train with treats or a clicker...and getting your cat fixed will definitely help...but remember she's a kitten...full of energy and she's also teething...so be patient yet decisive...gentle but firm...and most importantly be loving...your kitty can tell when you get upset and may even try to push some boundaries of her own...they have personalities and behaviors that can mimic a young toddler...hope this helps and welcome...meow [emoji]128049[/emoji][emoji]128008[/emoji]
 

kittens mom

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Hi, I'm a new kitten owner and need advice on the correct way to disapline my kitten. She is attacking my feet constantly, jumping on counter tops, biting, ect.... I tell her no and try to distract her with toys, but sometimes I won't have a toy available and I don't know what to do. I know she needs guidance, she is about 3 or 4 months old. My husband loses his patients and says I let her do whatever she wants, but I just don't want to feel like I'm being mean to her. Is the water bottle a ok way? Or any suggestions would be great[emoji]128515[/emoji] Thanks! Also, we are getting her spayed in a couple weeks. Would this help her calm down a little?
The only acceptable discipline for a kitten or cat is redirection. If they're doing something wrong offer them something right. With kittens if they do bite or scratch , yell ouch. and walk away. Their littermates and I promise mom didn't put up with that either. Empty the water bottle out and put it away.

Your kitten will calm down in time. Getting her spayed makes her more content and keeps her from adding to the excess kitten problem.

Patience now will pay off in a happy well adjusted pet.
 

marcus

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I believe in redirection as @kittens mom wrote. I would never physically discipline a cat.

Cats are cats. They're going to do what they want to do when you're looking or not.

Kittens and adolescents are different too. They're young and curious. Adult cats tend to mellow out.
 
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starrygrl

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Thanks for the advice[emoji]128515[/emoji][emoji]128570[/emoji]
 

marcus

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It's ok to pick her up and post her up on the couch with you. If she's biting I guarantee she's playing (she's not trying to eat your finger, right?, just letting you know she has sharp teeth). It's ok imo to keep a kitten close and corral them instead of being vocal or physical in discipline
 

di and bob

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Cats do not learn from physical punishment like dogs, who are hard drived to be part of a pack and the hierarchy it all entails. (I don't approve of ever striking either species, I'm talking of the alpha male disciplining the members) Cats don't learn from punishment they just become afraid and learn how not to get caught. A kitten is programmed to do nothing but play and hunt, they have SO much energy it is all but impossible to contain them. Just like with any toddler you just have to keep saying, "this too will pass", and believe me at two, that same cat will be sleeping more then it is awake. Remember that a human child will drive you crazy when they get into their teens too, so your kitten is a blessing in disguise!  
 As for teaching them to stay off of counters, etc, repetition is the key, you can't EVER let them on the counter, firmly remove her saying 'NO' loudly and deposit her on the floor, if she struggles you can firmly contain her by the loose skin on the back of the neck like mama would do. Third strike and she gets a small 5-10 minute time out in a room with a shut door. No longer than that or she will forget why she is there and just think you don't love her anymore. Attacking you personally, yell 'NO' loudly again and leave, give her no attention which is what she wants, or give her an appropriate play toy to redirect her. If that doesn't work, hiss loudly like mama again, and give her a small time out again. Most kittens are taken too early from the family unit, at 6-12 weeks they are learning boundaries and discipline from mama and their siblings, who fight back, so a lot of kittens lose this training when they are adopted out too young.  She needs LOTS of things to climb, and toys to keep her busy, a paper sack is a wonderful plaything, as is a box. Kittens are so fun and amazing to watch, unlike puppies who are so clumsy and need so much more attention, kittens seem to be much more advanced. Please give her a chance, she loves you already and will bring you much joy if you can get through this kitten stage, many men are completely taken over after time with a cat, yours will too. Try to convince him that she is an infant and needs to learn how to fit into your family unit, patience is the key, and loving discipline is needed from him as the man in her life, he needs to play with her and see what a wonderful addition she can be, all the luck! 
 

saji

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Hello.

Thanks for the advise.

my challenge with my two 1 year old cats are, that they have started to Poo in the house and not the litter box or like they used to do in the garden
.

how do i show them that this is wrong.

Thanks

Saji
 

saji

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Oops... i should have started a new communication with this. :-) sorry
 

StefanZ

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Our trick to discipline our male cats (studs, alter ex-studs) was to forbid them to be on the kitchen table.  They tried anyways sometimes, but this way we declared, whom is the revireholder and whom is the beloved cat of ours...

Worked nicely enough, we never had any real problems with them, discipline wise. Even if spoiled they never tried to take over or dominate us.
 
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