Kitty Questions and Responses on Training a Cat and More
Q: Are cats trainable?
A: Yes, cat training is not as tough as most pet owners consider it is. Kitties probably are not as responsive to training as Champ or Rover are but they can be trained. Treats presented as positive reinforcement is certainly the primary way to train your cat.
Q: Why and how do cats make a purring sound?
A: Adult kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Who can ignore a purring kitty? Kittens purr in answer to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is generally theorized 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 is the reason certain people are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander coming from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies have an allergic reaction because their immune system is beginning to attack the foreign protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you break naughty cat behavior such as biting?
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 unwanted behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t need to do any training for a cat to make use of a litter pan, but if your adult cat has begun to avoid the litter pan you need to determine the cause. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to go to the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have started using 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 tables?
A: This is the most asked about cat behavior problems and can be a challenging one. Cats like elevated places and they can find food or food smells on tables and counters. It is best to keep the surfaces clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the tables.
