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How to train a kitten about what is allowed and what is not?


mogs
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We've taken in a kitten that someone else didn't want owing to an allergy.  We already have 2 male neutred cats so they're not happy but i'm hoping they will all settle down and live happily ever after!

I'm finding the kitten quite hard work, I'd forgotten how energetic they can be and at times I put her into a large crate to have some peace, she meows profusely but soon settles down, and this is where her basket, litter tray and food and water are.

She has to be watched every single second she is out of the crate, at least whilst she is in our main room which has new furniture and has recently been decorated and seems to delight, as kittens do in jumping up the furniture and when I hear her claws hit it I cringe!

So my question is, what is the best way to stop her from getting up at the furniture?  I've resorted to using a spray of water, 2 quick sprays and she usually gets the message although I can see at this rate I will lose weight rapidly following her around (not a problem, but just very tiring).

She has plenty of toys in this room, fluffy balls and even pieces of paper rolled up that she loves running around with in her mouth, I can see a good mouser here!

She also has times of free play, ie in another room that doesn't really matter what she does also with plenty of toys.   Although when she  is in this room she seems to sleep  more than play, typical.   This is a room where she is usually by herself much of the time, ie a spare bedroom but it allows me some peace and to get on with chores I have to do.

She's a clean cat, only uses the litter tray and I can see the potential for having a very good cat.   However, I'm so tired and also about to undergo a course of radiotherapy, can anyone suggest any other ways to stop her doing things we don't want her to and is the spray  method a good one for cats?   I've used it before to train puppies and was a very good way.

Thanks

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I would never dream of "training" (and i use your term for what you are doing) a kitten like that.

If you don't want her on your furniture then don't allow her in the room, but don't resort to cruelty like that please.

Cats and dogs...apples and pears i'm afraid. To be honest, if your furniture is that important to you then maybe you should have declined taking her in in the first place.

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I've never had a dog, only cats, but I have to say that the water spray has been my life saver with all of them.

To begin with I say "no" in a firm voice and give the cat a short burst to get them to desist from whatever I don't want them to do.

In my experience it doesn't take long before it's just showing them the water spray and saying no. Then just saying no while pointing a finger.

Cats are intelligent animals and incapable of being trained as such but are capable of understanding boundaries and rules if you give them clear guidance,
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Hi Mogs

It sounds like you have the Ideal room already for your new kitten to play in without you worrying, we used to have a similar room that the kittens could play freely in with litter tray until they were trained into the garden (I never have litter trays for older cats (why would you ?)

I always wanted my cats to be comfortable in the same room as us so only let them into the "best" rooms when we were there but with some "rules" ie furniture scratching. A sharp hand clap and a firm no always worked and encouraged to jump up on my knee and sit with me was always rewarded.

I'm afraid you're always going to get kittens launching themselves at things (its their job !!)

Hope your perseverance pays off.

Mel.
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Honeysuckle thank you for your opinion, I consider hitting any animal is cruel but a quick spray ???? sorry, not cruel maybe a bit unpleasant but certainly it doesn't "hurt".   I agree that cats are more difficult to train, but shouldn't a cat be "taught" not to do things, like jumping up on a worktop which is unhygienic?   My other two cats are allowed up onto my precious furniture, but they only sleep and it has a throw on it to protect it from hairs.

Antonio thank you for your comment too and I hope she will learn as quickly as yours have. 

Mel like you I do clap hands and retort with a sharp no, cats are very intelligent so I'm sure (hope) it won't take long.

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we've never resorted to spray.

We currently have 5 of the little darlings so we do have to keep an eye on things. Certainly they do try and get on the worktops, but a loud NO with a loaded finger pointing generally does the neccessay. But when you're backs turned they will try their luck!

The cat I live with in Luxembourg is completely different tho, it would never dream of jumping on a worksurface...but it's weird..it has "issues". They are all different so I guess what works for us might not work for you and vice-versa

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I've had four, and am currently training another. Firm words, then a loud noise (a smack on a table) then the water spray ... that's the sequence for me. Works on all of them except one who I think is a juvenile delinquent cat now and who, if human, would probably be a tattooed punk layabout!!

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