Why you shouldn't spank your cat?

To beat a cat is worse than useless. The only sense, completely absent from cats, is a sense of guilt. It can never connect its most bad act with the subsequent punishment, no matter how fast it is. The penalty is always associated for it with either a person or with the subject, causing its suffering. After getting a spank or swearing, cats are only convinced that they should beware of your hands and you who cause them pain without any reasons, from their point of view.

The cat doesn't understand prohibition. It takes them as an infringement on its right to determine its order on the territory belonging to it. The owner punishing it is regarded as an enemy. By means of shouting and beating you can only make your cat be afraid of you or show aggression towards you.

When a cat runs on the kitchen table or on shelves or in a cupboard, then using spanks and screams will only teach it not to do it in your presence. It is necessary to use indirect intimidation, which is considered the most effective method of training and retraining cats. Its advantage is that the cat does not associate it with the punishing owner. You should invent and set so-called traps to scare a cat away from unwanted actions or places.

For example, you can put an unstable tray on the edge the table, and when the cat runs on it, then roar comes, frightening it and makes it return to the floor. You can also place flowers on the table in order not to let your cat run on it. It won't be able either to put the legs on the table, or something will fall down making a sudden noise. It will frighten the cat and it will avoid this place.

A classic example of aversive indirect training is to splash water on your cat from a distance by a spray gun. It will really help to make your cat stop climb the curtains, jump on the kitchen table, sharpen its claws against the furniture, etc. Unpleasant smell and taste sensations can be used for diverting cats from gnawing wires, leaves of your favourite plants and furniture. You can simply sprinkle these objects with vinegar.

Another prerequisite for training cats is to warn in advance the emergence of bad habits or undesirable behaviour in them, giving them an alternative solution. Thus, in order not let it spoil your furniture, give it a piece of old thick cloth for sharpening its claws. Often misbehaviour happens because the cat simply doesn't know what to do when you're absent. Buy toys to it, talk to it more, then it will behave better and will be more willing to comply with your rules.