Cats and Discipline- Do They Mix?

The words discipline and cats should never be used in the same sentence. A cat does not respond to discipline in a positive learning fashion. Rubbing a cat’s nose in a recent urine stain on your carpet is liable to get you either bit or scratched, or worse still, start a resentment streak in your normally laid-back cat. To rub a cat’s nose in their waste means restraining your cat for a few seconds near the spot.

Cats when restrained, even briefly will fight back vigorously. They have no way of knowing that they have displeased you. All they know is something bigger than they are is holding them against their will. They will begin to regard you with suspicion and may also lash out at you with their claws.

If you are using a squirt bottle to achieve a behavior modification all you are succeeding in doing is instilling fear into your cat. In your cat’s mind, you travel from friend to predator as most cats dislike water. Administering this form of discipline in your cat proves detrimental to her well being. Although bathing some cats proves a challenge, try bathing a cat who has been frightened with a water bottle. Add to the scare factor of the squirt bottle the scenario of you shooting your cat with spray as she is running from you, thus you get water into her ear, then you are faced with a problem. Getting water in a cat’s ear will upset the PH balance and make your cat vulnerable to ear infections. This may lead to hefty vet bills before it clears up.

Cats need guidance, in the form of your teaching tempered with love, and patience. Understanding their basic nature and their instincts is a plus. Most “misbehavior” which people tend to get upset about, turns out to be basic cat behavior. 

There will always be a reason why a cat is acting out. Acting out is not a good enough reason to reach for a squirt bottle. Instead, reach inside yourself and find the right solution, solve the problem and it will go away. In the long run it is the best way to maintain a friendship with your cat. She will thank you for taking the time to work out the problem, instead of creating more stress and tension in her life.