Is it possible to hit a cat - why not?

You can't train a kitten to play with your hands

But sometimes you really want to tinker with this lump while it’s lying on your lap!
Let him bite himself to his heart's content, tear him with his claws... After all, they are still so small, not sharp, and his paws are soft. And it doesn't hurt you at all. That's it for now! The kitten will grow up very quickly. You won’t even notice how his fangs will become large and sharp, like sabers, and his claws will become prickly, like a cactus. And when he wants to bite you a little and tear you with his claws, even just a little, it will no longer be cute fun. Or even worse - it will start hunting your unfortunate hands! What did you expect? This is a predator! It will be difficult to wean a cat from this habit.

From the very beginning, when you brought the kitten home, play with it with anything, but not with your hands. So that he does not have such associations later. Use different toys, do not draw attention to your hands.

You can't train a kitten to play with your hands

Methods of punishment for mischief

There are different ways to punish a cat for mischief. For example, when a cat tries to climb onto the table or steal food from it, you can prohibit the animal from doing this in a stern voice with a moderately elevated tone. If during the prank your eyes meet with the cat, he can easily read dissatisfaction on your face. To enhance the effect, you need to threaten him with your finger without sudden movements and loudly say “no!”

The fear technique also works on animals. To punish, you should not wave your hand at him; it is better to choose available means. This could be a towel, a spray bottle with a stream sent at the cat, a banal clap of your hands, or the creation of other noise. A cat will really not like it if you click it on the nose after doing something nasty and punish it with this.

How to properly punish a kitten

Animal psychologists distinguish several types of aggression. Understanding a cat's behavior strategy will help you understand how to properly punish and educate it. There are 3 varieties:

• Defensive. If you want to take away a toy, offer a treat in return.
• Maternal. The kitten, a girl, copies the behavior of an adult cat: creates a “nest” and protects the “offspring.”
• Aggressive. The owner himself often encourages an attack in the game, then the cat asserts itself.

Punishing a cat correctly means stopping in time. As practice shows: first the owner turns a blind eye to the pranks, then in anger he throws or hits the kitten, sometimes damaging the paws and spine.

If you notice incorrect behavior, start training immediately. Otherwise, the “action-punishment” connection is lost, and the kitten begins to fear the owner.

Methods of raising cats from experienced cat lovers

She will in no way connect your punishment with that piece of meat stolen from the table or a pile in a flower pot. All that you will achieve if you beat your pet for pranks is that the cat will not do such things in front of you.

Secondly, never forget how you appear to a cat: a huge and strong person with a loud voice and heavy palms. Imagine yourself in her place: a small, lightweight creature dependent on you. Imagine how she feels when you punish her. This will help you avoid hitting your pet even when you are very angry with him.

To punish a cat, you don't have to hit it, instead use:

• Flower spray. As soon as you notice that the cat is climbing the curtain again or has settled down to do its business in a flower pot, take a spray bottle and spray water on it. It won't hurt her or scare her too much. But the cat will remember that something unpleasant happened in this situation, and will not repeat it. The advantage of this method is that she will not directly associate the punishment with your person, and will not begin to be afraid of you.
• Products with an unpleasant taste or strong odor. If your pet explores the world and tries everything, it makes no sense to beat her for it. You just need to make her stop wanting to do it. Is your cat chewing on wires or plant leaves? Treat them with a special anti-gnat product, which is sold in pet stores.
• Harmless traps. To make it clear to your cat that she should not jump into certain places, you can put objects in them that the cat will definitely touch. For example, place a metal tray on the edge of a table, or empty tin cans on a cabinet. The main thing is that they are positioned unstable and fall when the cat gets to them. A loud, sharp noise will cause her an unpleasant sensation and an association with this place: subsequently it will cease to be so tempting for her.
• Noisy objects. If you notice your cat doing something wrong, you can scare it away. For example, throw an empty can or a bunch of keys in her direction. The main thing is not to hit her with these objects, but just create noise nearby.

In addition, there are easier methods - if a cat is misbehaving, look straight into her eyes, point your finger at her and strictly say “no”. You can also distract her from this activity by strictly calling her nickname. Our pets are very smart and have studied us well. Many people are able to distinguish between words and intonations, and read our mood by gestures and facial expressions. So there is no need to hit or raise your voice - this will only scare your pet.

Remember that you are responsible for your pet, and do not take your anger out on it.

Choose an inanimate intermediary in punishment. After all, cats are vindictive and never forget a hand that has offended them at least once. But if they receive a slap from a twig or a splash of water from a spray bottle, they will be offended by these things, and not by the hand that held them.

You need to treat the animal’s mischief with patience and understanding. It is necessary to understand that cats have different concepts of right and wrong behavior. And in order to develop the most appropriate behavior in them, you should work a little, regularly engaging in education. Not every cat will immediately understand what a person wants from it. Therefore, only with age, after several months of tolerable grinding, the animal begins to behave properly.

You can only hit the animal once, and it will remember it. Hitting a cat means hurting it. Pain, in turn, causes fear, and the owner himself completely loses the trust of the animal. Even worse, living in constant fear (waiting for a blow from a person) leads to disturbances in the cat’s psyche, and the animal becomes inadequate.

Raising a cat with force and rudeness is not only physical pain for the animal, but also a serious blow to its pride. This way of forming a cat’s character will not lead to anything good; the relationship with the animal will simply come to naught.

Let's look at all the steps to raising a kitten

Separation from family

The most important point is not to take the kitten away from its mother too early. Some give their babies away at the age of one month, but the kittens are not yet ready to separate from their family. The optimal age for weaning is 2-3 months. Then the little purrs are ready for independent life. As soon as the pet can independently “plan” its day, and not run after its mother, then it is ready to move to a new family.

Try not to delay the education process. In the first six months of life, the foundation is laid on which your pet’s entire behavior is based.

Mode

The regime is necessary not only for children. This also applies to kittens. Feed at the same time, in a specific place and from an individual bowl. Do not allow the animal to eat in different corners of the apartment. If there is a feeding area, then the pet should eat only there. Do not feed from the table. The kitten will quickly get used to this. And then he will begin to climb onto the table and take what he wants, not paying attention to your indignation.

Feeding

Don't indulge your culinary whims. Of course, the food must be complete, balanced, and healthy. But if the kitten starts to turn its nose up, and you immediately replace it with something that it adores, then don’t be surprised that the animal begins to manipulate you. It understands that if you snort and not touch, say, porridge, they will immediately exchange it for your favorite meat or food. Hence the excessive pickiness. It will be almost impossible to fight it in the future. And this will bring a lot of inconvenience to you.

Tray training

One aspect of raising a kitten is litter box training. The process is not immediate, but try to achieve complete obedience in this matter. Even a one-time “trip” past the tray should entail your reaction. The only thing is that the cat should be punished as quickly as possible. If you do this after a few hours, the animal will no longer understand why. And he will take revenge on you.

Don't forget to change the filler on time. Cats are very clean. And if the toilet is full, then even a very well-mannered kitten will not go about its business in it. And too high sides in the tray can cause the kitten to use anything other than the designated space as a toilet. As a result, the entire education process will go down the drain.

scratching post

It shouldn't scare your pet. Start training your kitten from childhood. Otherwise, your furniture and wallpaper will be in trouble. You can purchase a wall-mounted one that is attached to a vertical surface. Or you can use a thick vertical “stick” tied with thick twine and mounted on a stable stand. Or you can do it yourself. To do this, take a piece of board or plywood. Using a furniture stapler, attach a piece of carpet or very thick fabric. Once the scratching post is in the puffs, replace it. Otherwise, the animal will spread to your furniture.

Playing with a kitten

Do not use your hands or feet while playing. Otherwise, in the future the kitten may attack you with its claws, not on purpose, but during play. Therefore, buy special toys, brooms, or even ordinary string and paper. Believe it or not, the animals are wildly delighted by the process of playing with the rustling bag.

Games are very important. On the one hand, this is how the pet gets to know the world around him and the capabilities of his body. On the other hand, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know you better, make friends, and establish contact. Having fun together will help build rapport. The animal will feel loved and will obey you.

Punishment

Don't know how to properly punish a kitten? A simple light, quick flick to the nose will be an excellent punishment. There is no need to hit, scream, throw or drag the poor pet by the scruff of the neck.

Hand training

Some kids don't know human affection. Therefore, your hands can be something scary for him. He will scratch, hiss, and snort. As a result, he will become intimidated and wild. Start slowly. Take it for a couple of seconds and release. Gradually increase the amount of time you have skin-to-skin contact with your kitten. Over time, he will stop being afraid of you and will understand that no danger comes from you. And literally in a couple of weeks he will happily run into your arms for affection.

Folk wisdom

There is a popular saying: pregnant women should not hit cats. And not only to beat, but in general to offend in some way. Of course, popular rumor says that this can affect the child's health, as he will have birthmarks or be nervous. In fact, this sign has a very realistic justification.

This causes jealousy and resentment in cats, because they only seem to be self-sufficient and independent, but in fact they really need our affection and are attached to us. Therefore, during this difficult period for a cat, any action that may offend her will have a very strong impact on her. Some cats may never forgive their owners after this - they will stop being affectionate and act as if they have been replaced.

We bring to the attention of readers one option for pacifying a cat, which has proven itself well:

If the owner, for example, notices that the cat intends to do something that does not delight the owner, you should arm yourself with a regular bottle of water with a sprayer. And as soon as the cat begins to misbehave, you need to sharply direct a stream of water at it. This can scare away any cat without causing it pain, and then it will associate this punishment with its actions. Cats are afraid of water, and therefore this method works quite effectively without causing any mental trauma to the cat. It is worth noting that the cat will associate its punishment not so much with its owner, but with the spray bottle in his hands. In other words, in her opinion, it was not the owner who punished her, but the sprayer. It would seem a paradox, but this is exactly so.

With proper upbringing, with age, a cat plays pranks less and less or stops playing pranks, without causing any inconvenience to its owners at all, however, even a well-mannered adult cat can play pranks, even realizing what retribution will befall it for this. Don’t be upset and think that all your upbringing has gone down the drain. Most likely, the pet simply decided to show its character “as a precaution.” In this case, you shouldn’t be upset by rudeness, because as the cat grows up, it becomes more and more understanding and at the same time more vulnerable (provided, of course, that it is used to trusting you). Therefore, one should not react violently to such offenses, especially since they are extremely rare.

Having decided to get a kitten, you should know that from the first days of its stay it is necessary to educate it.

The cat must understand what it can and cannot do. Only in this case will it be possible to achieve harmony in the relationship.

Correcting bad behavior

Since cats have developed logic, their behavioral reflexes can be adjusted not only with a stick, but also with a carrot:

1. Encouragement. A gentle voice, soft stroking, and the use of words with a large number of hissing consonants have a calming effect on the pet.
2. Treat. Effective method. It cannot be used on an ongoing basis, as it quickly becomes established as a food reflex.

Affection and attention are the best helpers in the fight against inappropriate pet behavior

Your pet's behavior can be changed by understanding the animal's motivation. If you see the reasons that provoke a cat to actions that are absurd from a human point of view, there is a high probability of eliminating the irritating factor.

Why you can't drag a cat by the scruff of the neck

Thanks to the innate reflex, the kitten, when the mother cat drags it, grabbing it by the scruff of the neck, relaxes its body, and also tucks its hind legs and tail. Temporary paralysis is explained by pinching of a bundle of nerves located on the back of the neck. It is much easier for a cat to move a relaxed and non-resisting baby to a safe place. During carrying, the cat does not cause any harm or pain to its cub. The scruff of a cat's neck is considered the most painless part of the body. However, adult pets cannot be lifted or dragged by the scruff of the neck.

Cats drag kittens, biting the scruff of the neck with their teeth

Reasons are physiological

The ban on lifting an adult cat by the scruff of the neck is explained by physiology:

• A mature animal's skin is rougher and less elastic than that of a small kitten. The skin does not stretch well and may even tear.
• The neck muscles may become damaged (stretched or torn), since the pet is already quite heavy.
• The rough skin becomes very tight and puts pressure on the throat, making it difficult for the cat to breathe.
• A sharp grab by the scruff of the neck can even damage the spine (in rare cases).

In an unusual position, some individuals panic, break out and scratch themselves badly. At the same time, they cause physical harm not only to the person who grabbed them, but also to themselves.

In principle, it is impossible to take a big cat by the scruff of the neck.

Our previous cat was small and puny. He was constantly playing dirty tricks, and that’s why they often dragged him by the scruff of the neck. This did not cause him any visible suffering. The current cat is distinguished by good quality and fatness. It is not easy to grab her by the scruff of the neck, and besides, these actions clearly cause severe pain to the cat.

Reasons are psychological

From a psychological point of view, the consequences of grabbing by the scruff of the neck can be as follows:

• the pet will be very frightened and then will not approach the owner, and sometimes even people;
• when a cat is taken by the scruff of the neck, he becomes helpless and weak-willed, which is a huge stress for him;
• a timid animal after such violent actions will try to escape from the house at the first opportunity;
• an offended cat will perceive pulling by the scruff of the neck as an undeserved punishment that may not be forgiven;
• a self-sufficient cat will feel humiliated and lose trust in its owner.

In this position, the cat feels unprotected and it makes him angry.

How then to raise a cat?

If you can’t beat or scold a cat, how can you get it to obey? So that the cat can develop normally and grow up not intimidated, use the following technique: if you notice that the animal intends to do something dirty, arm yourself with a water spray and release a stream of water at the cat. Over time, before committing mischief, the cat will begin to develop unpleasant associations. Trainers call the essence of the method negative reinforcement.

Spraying from a spray bottle works well, as cats are afraid of water. This method will not harm the animal’s psyche; the cat will not be afraid of you, but of what you have in your hands.

With age, almost all cats understand what not to do, but sometimes even the awareness of subsequent punishment will not stop some pets from committing an offense. Cats just love to show off their character. If such cases happen, you should not be too offended by the cat.

My husband hits the cat. We have been married for 1.5 years. And I am very frightened by my husband’s aggressive outbursts: he hits the cat if it jumps on the table and knocks something over, if it scratches the carpet, etc. It's horrible. And today I came home, and the cat was in the bathroom, there was blood all over his face and paws, it turned out he had torn a bag of cement (we are doing repairs) and his husband is responsible for this... I really feel sorry for the cat! And I don’t understand this husband’s behavior! We talked about this topic many times, but he does not consider himself guilty, he is sure that he is doing the right thing! Please explain what this is? And are there any ways to make a person kinder?

Ira

,

Samara,

26 years

/

18.05.07

Our experts' opinions

• I really feel sorry for the cat. My advice to you: give him into good hands before his husband cripples him completely. Judging by recent events, this is not far off. If an adult does not understand that in front of him is a weaker being, dependent and, in fact, unable to somehow respond and stand up for himself, then this cannot be corrected. And, you know, I don’t believe that this aggression is only towards your cat. It cannot be that a mentally healthy person can be sweet and kind towards people, but behave like a non-human with animals. I’m afraid that your problem is more global than just an unfulfilled relationship between a specific person and a cat. I would actually start to worry about how ok my husband is in his head. This is not sarcasm or an attempt to insult. I'm speaking very seriously now. Many maniacal killers, perverts and other “nice people” were seemingly exemplary family men and loving husbands and fathers. The fact that your husband reacts so sharply to any violation of order in the house by the cat simply cannot help but frighten him. Imagine having children. Can you be sure that your husband will not hit your child for spilled juice, a broken cup, a broken car, or a stained carpet? To be honest, I wouldn’t risk having children with such a person. And it would be the most scary thing. So I wouldn’t think about re-educating my husband, but about how I could escape from him, such a kind man, without health consequences, by taking the cat.

• Sergey

  No. There are no ways to make an adult kinder. And it’s not a matter of kindness here. In my opinion, this is a person’s style of behavior towards those who are weaker. And personally, such people do not inspire confidence in me. Believe me, deliberately inflicting pain on a living being just for the sake of causing pain is not given to everyone. To be honest, I myself don’t like representatives of the cat family. Dogs are closer to me, after all. But beating an animal half to death is beyond my strength. A slap on the ass or the nose is one thing. Well, I can yell. Beating until you bleed - no. And in general, I believe that people who take their anger out on pets are potentially dangerous for everyone in the household. After all, such outbreaks of aggression in the future, most likely, can manifest themselves in relation to everyone who is smaller and weaker. You know, I had a school friend whose father would beat him for any prank he could get his hands on. And the cat, who lived with them for five years, was eventually thrown into the garbage chute from the 8th floor. Once we were playing at a friend’s house and with a ball we knocked several plastic pendants off the chandelier. Nothing special. Well, they would have collected it and hung it back. The father came running and, screaming, hit his son in the ear so that he flew against the wall. I ran. And I never went to their house again. Just like that. So I don’t know how you should deal with your husband, but the fact that he simply shrugs off all your admonitions and considers himself right is not very encouraging. I'm afraid that after a while your cat will simply disappear. And the husband will say that he ran away.

Reasons why pregnant women should not kick animals.

What lies behind bad behavior

Breakdowns in behavioral patterns always have a good reason. Since pets are unable to communicate verbally, they demonstrate their mood through changing habits and behavioral strategies.

Table 3. What is hidden behind bad behavior

Behavioral disorders Possible explanations Urinating on the carpet If the animal is physically healthy, this may be the way to express dissatisfaction with changing the litter. The arrival of a new person, rearranging the cat's furniture or changing the daily routine can also negatively affect the pet. Climbing onto the kitchen table In most cases, this offense does not have a negative connotation.

If an animal once, without the knowledge of its owners, feasted on a tasty dish lying on the table, the next time it will certainly repeat this action. Puts its claws into the chair Lack of attention on the part of the owner or a sharp change in his attitude towards the pet. For example, if the owner played with the animal every day in the evening, and then suddenly stopped, the cat will perceive this as betrayal. Manifestation of obvious aggression Such actions can cause inconsistency in the behavior of the owner

If, depending on the mood, you either reward or punish an animal for the same actions, there is a high probability of provoking a behavioral failure. In most cases, the pet becomes aggressive and begins to take revenge on the owner.

Before taking educational measures, it is necessary to analyze the reasons for misbehavior

Boredom and apathy

Although most furry pets tolerate being alone well, they do not cope well with boredom. If no exciting events happen in the room during the day, they begin to amuse themselves. The consequences of games can be very disastrous - from scratched furniture to furniture thrown onto the floor.

Abyssinian cats need a busy daily routine more than others.

Possible solutions to the problem:

1. Buying another cat or dog.
2. Alternating new toys every day.
3. Purchasing a horizontal installation on which the animal can climb.
4. Placing pleasant surprises for the animal in the apartment - unaccounted for feeders, tennis balls or pieces of catnip.
5. Spending enough time with your pet every day in a playful environment.

Despite the fact that cats are smart animals, they lack the ability to concentrate on one action for a long time. Therefore, you should diversify your games.

A kitten should have a lot of toys

The relationship between color and character

According to one theory, there is a direct connection between a cat’s behavior and the color of its fur.

Table 4. Relationship between color and character

Ginger cats are considered homebodies

VIDEO: Pregnant owner has a cat

There are probably few people who do not have, never had, and never will have pets. We get pets in order to make the house more comfortable, to please the children, or simply to find a friend who will be by our side regardless of the circumstances. We buy them the best, allow ourselves to be manipulated, and adapt a huge part of our lives to them.

But when we make this important decision and finally have an adorable kitten in our home, we inevitably face one very serious question. And it lies in the fact that a kitten must not only be groomed, cherished and touched by its fluffiness, but also raised

Yes, your baby can be litter box trained and will probably have no problem finding bowls of food and water, but there are still a lot of things that you would like to forbid him, or at least control. What's the best way to do this?

Many will probably think that there is nothing complicated here, and they will consider it unnecessary to invent something. For what? If you don’t like what the kitten is doing, hit him harder, and he will immediately understand that you can’t do that. Alas, such logic is destructive for our smaller brothers, and using it means wishing the worst for your pet.

So why shouldn't you hit cats on the head?

, or other parts of the body? The answer is simple - by doing this you will achieve absolutely nothing except that the pet will begin to be afraid of you and move away from you as much as possible. The cat will develop a fear of pain, which will have a detrimental effect on its psyche, but oddly enough, it will not stop doing what you are punishing it for. On the contrary, he will play even more pranks.

The cat will no longer trust you, and she will begin to associate you with pain and fear, but she will not be able to understand what you are trying to achieve. Or, even worse, he will act out of spite for you. Thus, both you and your pet will only lose from the use of force, which means it is better to abandon such methods altogether.

However, it is clear to everyone that it is still necessary to raise the animal somehow. Otherwise, it will grow completely uncontrollable and uncontrollable, and will bring its owners not joy and peace, but a complete headache.

How to properly raise a kitten?

Let's consider the most effective, and at the same time completely elementary way of education. In order to wean your pet from mischief and leprosy, you only need an ordinary spray bottle of water! It is enough just to direct a stream of water towards the troublemaker, and the bully will understand that this should not be done. And what’s most remarkable is that the pet will not experience pain and see you as a threat; it will associate punishment with the spray gun, and will be afraid only of it. It is known that cats actively do not like water, so this method of education is really useful, and does not injure the animal in any way.

It is also important that if you raise a kitten properly and try to instill in him only the best and most useful manners, then, as he grows up, he practically stops playing pranks. Of course, sometimes such a willful animal is obliged to show its character, but these are nothing more than one-time cases. Otherwise, your pet will be polite, obedient, and you will be proud to call him a role model.

Cautions

Another reason why hitting a cat is absolutely forbidden is its vulnerability. Namely

:

• Cats are small and their bodies are fragile; if we do not calculate our strength, we can cripple them. Under no circumstances should you hit a cat on the head - this will cause a concussion with all the attendant negative consequences.
• You also need to be careful with the area where the spine meets the tail. For a cat, this is a very sensitive area, similar to our solar plexus - there are many nerve endings there. Hitting this place means causing very severe pain.
• Take care of your pet’s mental health - if a cat is frightened and beaten, it will get used to living in constant fear. This will cause many problems that are very similar to human ones. Scientists have proven that animals can also experience post-traumatic disorders, they can suffer from depression or panic attacks. But, unlike people, cats have no one to help them cope.

What happens if you hit a cat while pregnant?

In general, a cat has long been considered a symbol of the absence of evil spirits in the house. She protects the house from otherworldly evil forces. It absorbs negative energy. If you punish a cat, it may become angry with you. Accordingly, the protection will weaken. This can lead to illness.

Results of punishing cats:

• Increased hairiness in children
• Presence of birthmarks
• Postural disorders
• Poor sleep in children and increased anxiety

All this can happen if you offend your pet while in an interesting position. Moreover, the birthmark will appear in the place where you kicked the cat. That is, on the side or stomach. Regarding the child’s poor sleep, this is possible due to weakening energy protection.

What happens if you hit a cat while pregnant?

In general, it is believed that a cat should not be allowed into a nursery until the baby is born. But after you get out of the maternity hospital, the pet must get used to the baby. Under supervision, allow the cat to sit next to the newborn. This has a good effect on the baby’s sleep and energy. Your tummy will bother you less, and you will forget about your sleep problems.

There are many reviews and opinions regarding a cat in a house with a pregnant woman. Many people do not recommend letting a cat into the room with a newborn until he gets on his feet. It is believed that the cat is possessive and does not like to share its territory. Accordingly, she can offend the newborn. The cat may consider him a competitor.

What happens if you hit a cat while pregnant?

As you can see, you shouldn’t offend cats during pregnancy. In addition, the pet will still not understand why you are punishing him. Therefore, use other educational measures. It is not necessary to give your cat to relatives during pregnancy, but you should be aware of the risks.

You can't spank, splash, or scream!

And finally, a few words about how you can punish a cat, and how you should never punish it. First of all, I would like to instill in our readers the most important idea: cats cannot be beaten. Cats are very fragile creatures. Even a light tap on the head or butt can cause moral or physical trauma to an animal (the latter place is especially sensitive in cats due to the high density of nerve endings).

So just prohibit yourself and your family members from using physical force on the cat, either with your hands, newspapers, rags, and so on. A little better and popular advice is to spray the cat with water. Knowing how much cats generally dislike water, subjecting them to such stress is nothing less than an example of senseless cruelty.

Real suffering is caused to cats by loud noises, especially aggressive screaming, which, unfortunately, is abused by so many people

And most importantly, these actions are not only cruel, but also completely useless. The cat will not draw any conclusions about his behavior from them. Only about yours

Only about yours.

You can't hit cats: is that true?

In order for a cat and a person to live in peace and mutual understanding, it is necessary to engage in its upbringing from the very first days of a kitten’s (or adult animal’s) stay in the house. The cat must be clearly aware of what is allowed and what is not. However, this is much easier said than done, and few people know how this can be achieved.

As every cat lover knows, these animals are extremely capricious and love to insist on their own. Once a cat has gotten something into its head, it is almost impossible to convince it. Meanwhile, the teacher’s task is to direct the relationship with the cat in such a way that the cat “drives” the right things into its head, that is, those behavioral skills and stereotypes that the owner would like to see on its part. For this reason, difficulties often arise in raising cats.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that, unlike dogs, cats are not pack animals. Yes, the myth about a cat that only walks by itself and that communicates with its relatives only during the breeding season, and the rest of the time does not want to see them, is a thing of the past. Cats are quite capable of communicating with their own kind and, even more so, with people with whom over the past millennia they have formed a real symbiosis. However, cats are certainly far from the level of sociality that distinguishes dogs. As a result, convincing a cat to obey is much more difficult than a dog, since it does not have the mindset to obey its leader in the absence of one.

As a result, faced with such characteristic features of a cat's character, people begin to make one of the most serious mistakes - they switch to a forceful manner of education, when the only method of persuasion is a slipper or spanking with the palm of the hand. At the same time, it is forgotten that, once hitting a cat, the owner may forever lose its trust and the animal will begin to associate its owner with fear and pain. Fear has an extremely destructive effect on the cat’s psyche.

The paradox of this situation is that, experiencing fear and pain and fearing every word of its owner, spoken in a slightly louder voice than usual, the cat will still, with amazing persistence, continue to perform the actions for which it was punished. Sometimes it even seems that the cat does not hear when the owner scolds her.

After some time, such punishments become less and less effective until they stop working altogether.

The owner needs to realize that the cat sees this world somewhat differently than he does. And the assessment of certain actions from her point of view will be completely different than from the point of view of a person. Also, the ability to build cause-and-effect relationships in a cat is also noticeably different from a human. For example, if a cat relieved itself in the wrong place, and the owner, for example, fifteen minutes later, lifted the cat from the chair and brought it to the scene of the crime and spanked it, then from the human point of view this will be a punishment for the fact that she shit in the wrong place.

From the cat’s point of view, this will be a punishment for sleeping on the chair. Even scolding, not to mention more, a cat can only be done within fifteen seconds after the direct action, which is undesirable from the point of view of its owner

If even a minute passes, the cat’s attention will already miss the fact of the recently committed crime, and the punishment will be associated with anything, but not with him

It should also be remembered that a cat can appreciate anger and rudeness on the part of the owner in a way that is completely unimaginable for a person, and this, over and over again hitting her self-esteem, can completely destroy her relationship with the owner. As a result, a classic vicious circle is formed.

In such cases, many owners ask experienced felinologists and breeders what they should do: never scold or beat their pet? How then to accustom him to order?

No, the situation looks somewhat different. It is almost impossible not to punish or scold a cat, but this can only be done in the most extreme cases. Moreover, the methods used in such cases must be strictly defined, otherwise the cat will eventually become intimidated or spoiled and it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to establish contact with it.

What can't you do?

In order for the pet to understand and assimilate the rules that its owners force it to follow, it is necessary to correctly approach the punishment for cat misconduct:

• Under no circumstances should you play or pet a kitten immediately after being scolded. The animal will not understand what the owner wants to say with this gesture. If you behave this way, your pet will become afraid and avoid people.
• There is no point in punishing an animal if the offense was committed a long time ago. That is, a person who noticed a plate broken by a kitten only a week after the incident should not scold his pet. The animal has long forgotten about this incident, so the punishment will be perceived as something undeserved, and the owner will become an enemy.
• You can't hit cats too hard. Any physical impact will cause physical or psychological harm to the pet. Also, do not spank the kitten on the head, neck and back - there are nerve endings in this area, and a blow will cause severe pain. If your pet does not understand facial expressions, gestures and intonation, then you can lightly pat its face with your finger - this way the cat will understand that it has done something forbidden, and the owner will not cause it pain or injury.
• There is no need to scold your cat if he tore up the furniture in the place where the claw sharpener used to be. He performs the action intuitively. In this case, you need to return the scratching post to its original place or try to show the animal a new place. Punishment in this case is senseless and cruel.

It is important to remember that a kitten is capable of doing something accidentally or unconsciously. There is no need to try to harm or hurt the animal.

The cat must be punished in such a way that it understands both its action and the person’s attitude towards this offense. Otherwise, the pet will be afraid and distrustful of the owner for a very long time.

Trainer Yu. Kuklachev created a “School of Education” for cats, but excluded mentoring and violence from it. Yuri Dmitrievich encourages his colleagues to love and study furry students. Over the course of 40 years of work, the chief cat expert in Russia has accumulated 4 boxes of diaries of observations of them.

But age-old folk wisdom encourages “stick” methods for educational purposes. “Just show the beaten cat the vine,” says the Russian proverb. So is it possible to punish a cat? Is corporal punishment acceptable in relation to the most sensitive and sophisticated mammal? Let us turn to the opinion of animal psychologists.

The domestication of the furry predator began 9.5 thousand years ago. But even today he behaves as if he is patronizing a person. Cats tend to become attached to the house and owners and establish emotional contact with them. However, they easily return to a wild lifestyle.

Unlike a dog, a cat has not lost the habits of its distant ancestors and has retained the independence of a lone predator. Scientists say: genetically she has not changed. This cannot be ignored when solving the problem of how to punish a cat.

Why pregnant women should not kick, offend, beat cats and other animals: signs, superstitions

In general, there is a lot of controversy regarding the advisability of keeping a cat in the house with a pregnant owner. Indeed, cats are carriers of a huge number of different ailments. This is mainly toxoplasmosis or worms. If you become infected with this disease at an early stage, you can give birth to a sick child. Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women often leads to the birth of disabled people and children with serious disabilities. You can find out more about toxoplasmosis.

Consequences of infection with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy:

• Damage to internal organs in a child
• Brain damage in the fetus
• Anomalies in the development of the liver and its function (jaundice, congenital hepatitis)
• The birth of a baby with acute toxoplasmosis, which leads to deafness or blindness after a few years

But it’s not just about diseases that cats carry. People have a lot of beliefs and beliefs regarding animals.

Why pregnant women should not kick, offend, beat cats and other animals: signs, superstitions

Signs associated with cats:

• If you hit a cat, the baby will be born with a hairy back
• If you kick an animal, it may be born prematurely
• If you kick or spank a cat, the baby may be born with damaged legs. People believe that this can cause children to be born with club feet, cerebral palsy and deformed legs.
• Your child may develop spots or moles with hair on their back or other parts of their body.

It is worth noting that it is useless to beat cats. Their psyche is fundamentally different from that of humans, so they perceive blows and screams as an encroachment on their freedom. Accordingly, in the future the cat will react aggressively to you or certain objects.

Why pregnant women should not kick, offend, beat cats and other animals: signs, superstitions

Ways to punish a cat:

• Place mothballs in flower pots. This smell scares away animals, and the cat will no longer go to the toilet in a flower pot.
• Place mousetraps near areas where your cat should not go. Cover them with sheets of paper to prevent damage to the animal's paws. When you step on the mousetraps, a popping sound will be made. The animal will be frightened and will avoid such areas.
• Fill a tin can with coins and place it near you; as soon as you notice that your pet is mischievous, throw this “rattle” into it. The animal will be frightened by the loud sound.
• If your pet climbs up the curtain, direct a stream of water from a spray bottle at it. Because of the cold and wetness, the cat will jump off the curtain and run away. After two times of such exposure, the pet will bind the curtains and moisture, and will no longer crawl on the curtains.

The best way to stop a cat from misbehaving or going where it is not supposed to is to place repellent objects in these places. Cats are afraid of noise and water.

Why pregnant women should not kick, offend, beat cats and other animals: signs, superstitions

Building a cat's character without beating

Is it possible to raise an animal to be obedient without beating and screaming? Of course you can. The main thing is patience. First, understand that you will still have to punish the cat, but not by force, but by special methods. Otherwise, the animal may grow up arrogant and spoiled, which will cause you a lot of problems in the future.

To intimidate an animal when it commits any unwanted actions, use the following method. If you see that your cat is misbehaving (sharpening its claws in the wrong place, jumping on the table, etc.), arm yourself with a spray bottle. At the moment the cat commits a “crime,” spray the animal with water from a spray bottle, preferably in the face. This will not cause your pet pain or cause panic, but it will be a powerful warning, since cats really do not like water. Moreover, the warning will not come from you, but from a foreign object, in this case from a spray bottle. What do you get from this method? Good relationship with the cat and its exemplary behavior.

How to explain to a child why you should not hit an animal

Some children at a certain age exhibit some aggressive behavior towards our little brothers. This in no way indicates that the child is depraved or has a bad character. It’s just that a period of personal development has come in his life. He is trying to prove to himself and others that he has some weight in the world. And this proof is most often expressed in tangibly changing something in him through his actions. Throwing cups and plates off the table quickly gets boring, the little man moves on to animate objects.

Subconsciously, the child chooses for his experiments creatures that are weaker and cannot, in his understanding, respond well. So poor cats come across the path of these brats, forced to endure the domination of a person who has just come out of diapers. Parents are required to take some measures and explain to their child why cats should not be hit. After all, this self-affirmation can turn into a habit and, over time, spread to people. And on the other hand, not every cat will tolerate beating. Even well-deserved ones, let alone just like that.

The best lesson for a child, of course, would be some response from the offended animal. But cats, unfortunately, do not know how to lightly spank. If they scratch or bite, it is with all their might. And here the task of parents is to explain why they should not touch animals, not so much for humane reasons as for fear for the well-being of their own children. Probably not all mothers know that cats aim to scratch specifically in the eye. In their opinion, this is the most vulnerable place.

There are several options to influence a child's behavior. Which one to choose depends on each specific case. For some children, it is enough to explain how painful the cat is, that she is crying and offended. That she might die if she thought the child didn't love her. For three-year-old children, who have not yet experienced our cruel world, this option is very effective. They are compassionate and kind by nature.

If the child is too aggressive and sometimes received punishment for mischief, then in this case there is nothing left but to intimidate with the most suitable argument from the parents’ point of view. If a schoolboy beats animals, then talking here is useless. Most likely, he is simulating the behavioral algorithm adopted in his family. And you can’t do it without a child psychologist.

Man by nature is obliged to be humane towards weaker creatures. And the question of why cats should not be beaten is not even worth raising. One popular wisdom says: anyone can offend the weak, but only the weak can want to offend the weak. And we in our world should not be weak. Otherwise, there will always be someone weaker who will offend us.

We show attention and care

If everything is fine with the toilet, remember what recent events could have affected the state of the cat's soul. Perhaps you moved from your dacha to an apartment, and your cat suddenly found herself surrounded by smells that she had already lost the habit of, but couldn’t find her recent marks? Or perhaps there is a new smell in the house, especially a cat one?

An even more serious stress for a cat can be a change in family composition, the addition of a child or a new pet. In this case, a period of adaptation and the formation of new relationships is inevitable - we discussed this issue in detail in the article “Why do cats bury their feces.”

The most important thing to remember is that a cat begins to mark its territory when it feels threatened. If a cat’s world is stable, she has enough food, water and attention, and she feels safe, she will not have such a desire. Try to pay more attention to the animal, communicate more with it, do everything to make the cat feel that new residents or a changed environment do not threaten its well-being.

Cat is a source of allergies

When it comes to whether pregnant women can have a kitten, many doctors are inclined to give a negative answer. Due to immunodeficiency, a woman may experience an allergy that has not previously occurred, including to cat saliva.

Allergens do not penetrate the placenta, so they are not dangerous for the unborn child. But the disease itself can cause a lot of inconvenience to the mother - a constant runny nose, skin irritation, watery eyes, and, as a result, poor sleep. The problem is that antihistamines can harm the fetus, especially in the first trimester, so the only way to get rid of the allergy is to remove its source.

A furry pet can cause severe allergies during pregnancy

Is it possible for pregnant women to have contact with animals?

There has long been a lot of controversy on the topic of communication between a pregnant woman and cats. There are dozens of pets that, at best, were given to friends when they learned about the imminent addition to the family.

Many people are of the opinion that pregnant women should not have contact with animals for medical reasons. The first reason a cat is dangerous for a pregnant woman is that they suffer from so-called toxoplasmosis. For an adult, the presence of this disease does not threaten anything, but for the development of the fetus it can be fatal. Toxoplasmosis, which enters the body of a pregnant woman, causes defects in the development of the child, sometimes causing intrauterine death. However, a routine blood test almost instantly reveals the presence of toxoplasmosis in an expectant mother. A woman in labor can communicate with cats, but she should entrust cleaning the litter box to other family members, or do it with rubber gloves and frequently wash her hands with antibacterial soap.

Attention! Fish, birds, and rodents in home cages and terrariums pose a danger if hygiene is neglected. It is also dangerous to have contact with dogs due to the fact that they need to be walked daily

And on earth, as we know, anything can happen. The greatest risk for a pregnant woman when interacting with a dog is the possibility of picking up parasites from the pet. Medicines and helminths that promote treatment are very toxic, which will negatively affect the development of the fetus. However, today there are gentle medications that work directly in the intestines, without entering the blood. And in order not to become infected with parasites from your dog, you should limit kissing your beloved pet, but petting it is allowed (followed by thorough hand washing)

It is also dangerous to have contact with dogs due to the fact that they need to be walked daily. And on earth, as we know, anything can happen. The greatest risk for a pregnant woman when interacting with a dog is the possibility of picking up parasites from the pet. Medicines and helminths that promote treatment are very toxic, which will negatively affect the development of the fetus. However, today there are gentle medications that work directly in the intestines, without entering the blood. And in order not to become infected with parasites from your dog, you should limit kissing your beloved pet, but petting it is allowed (followed by thorough hand washing).

There were signs on this topic. Superstitious people prefer that a pregnant woman limit her contact with animals as much as possible. It is especially forbidden to take out your anger on pets, otherwise the consequences will affect the development of the child in the womb and after birth.

"Crimes" and punishments

One can only adapt to the habits of semi-domesticated “dwarf lions”. The main principle of education is not to suppress, but to satisfy the needs of a willful animal. Otherwise, the cute kitten will turn into a secretive and vengeful beast. Let's consider the typical offenses of meowing pets and competent methods of “re-education”.

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Let's try to pacify the miscreant

Prepare a “weapon” in advance - a spray bottle filled with water. For example, when a cat raises its paws to peel off the wallpaper, direct a stream of water at it. This method is effective, humane and effective. The animal will understand that its behavior does not delight you, and next time it will think about whether to do it or not. Or maybe he’s just afraid. Cats are afraid and dislike water and try to avoid it in every possible way. Such punishment will not affect your relationship, because it is not you who are to blame, but the water bottle.

Just like people, cats also have unpredictable behavior. For example, a sedate adult cat may suddenly begin to act like a playful kitten. Don’t rush to jump to conclusions; you didn’t waste your time training her. This “hormonal surge” will soon end, and your beloved pet will again become a quiet and obedient creature. If this is not the norm, but an exception to the visa rules, try to pretend that you don’t notice anything.

Why does a cat do something punishable?

An animal that has committed some bad act does not always understand what it has done. Most often, cats play or look for a comfortable place. For example, if a pet climbs onto new furniture, then it seems comfortable to him. In such cases, the cat cannot be punished. It is advisable to buy her a special soft bed or lay a blanket on the sofa so that it remains in its original form longer.

The same can be said about broken dishes, souvenirs, vases - for a pet this is a game. He sees how the fragments fly in different directions, and this arouses interest. Breaking and breaking household items is common for small kittens.

The animal tears wallpaper, furniture and carpets with its claws - a sign that it urgently needs a scratching post. If it is not there, then there is no point in scolding the cat - the owner is to blame. And if there is, then it either does not suit the pet, or he does not understand its purpose. In such cases, it is necessary to show the kitten the place where the claw sharpener is located.

Be sure to encourage the animal if it does everything correctly - pet it, scratch it behind the ear, treat it with delicious food.