Kitty Questions and Responses on Training a Cat and More
Q: Can cats be trained?
A: Yes, training a cat is not as challenging as some the uninitiated predict it is. Kitties most likely are not as amenable to training as Fido or Rover are but they are trainable. Food rewards given as positive reinforcement is definitely the best way to successful cat training.
Q: Why and how do kitties make a purring sound?
A: Adult cats purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Who can ignore a purring cat? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is usually believed that the purring is a vibration of the voicebox as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: What makes some cat owners are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander originating from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies demonstrate an allergic reaction because their immune system is attempting to combat the foreign protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you halt unwanted cat behavior like nipping?
A: The best way to break bad cat behavior is the same way the mother cat controls an errant kitten. This is by scuffing the cat. You firmly but gently grasp the cat by the scruff of the neck and hold it down until it calms down. You should do this at the time of the naughty behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t need to do any training for a cat to use a litter pan, but if your previously litter trained cat has started to avoid the litter box you need to figure out why. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to visit the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have switched to litter you may have to change back or sprinkle a little catnip in the litter to attract the cat to the new litter.
Q: How do you keep cats off the kitchen counter?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior issues and can be a challenging one. Cats like elevated perches and they often find food or food aromas on counters and tables. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the tables.