How to Properly Train Your Cat Without Screaming or Hitting

There’s no doubt that you love your feline friend, but you can’t deny that his unruly behavior is getting on your nerves. Out of frustration from trying to train your cat in every way you know but to no avail, it might be tempting to lash out at him. But doing so worsens things as they already are.

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Why Yelling or Striking Your Cat Won’t Work?

Raising your voice to make a point may work in other scenarios to gain attention, but your cat speaks a whole different language from you. Screaming will scare your cat and break the bond between you that you worked so hard to build.

Attempting to train your cat through physical punishment won’t work either, so don’t even think about it. Felines are very intolerant of physical dominance from humans and are not very good at associating punishment with bad behavior. So hitting them won’t benefit you in any way and might cause your pet to withdraw from you.

The Right Way to Train Your Cat

Muster as much patience as you can before attempting to train your cat because our feline friends aren’t known to be the most obedient species.

1. Praise your cat for good behavior.

While cats can’t process punishment well, they are good at recognizing positive reinforcement. So give them treats for every good behavior they do.

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2. Redirect your cat’s attention when manifesting bad behavior.

You don’t have to jump into action immediately as soon as your cat exhibits bad behavior. Instead, take the passive approach by slowly redirecting his attention with toys or other activities.

3. Consider your cat’s health in the equation.

If you can’t get your cat to use the litter box or you notice that he has been more irritable than usual, schedule a visit to your vet. There could be an underlying issue that’s been causing his misbehavior. If you receive a clean bill of health, check out this post for a more in-depth guide to solving litterbox woes.

Like humans, cats are unique in their way. Take time to know your cat’s personality and preferences to train him more effectively. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from your family or pet trainers if things get out of hand.