How do I get my cat to recognize when I'm mad at her?

Question

I yell "no" and some times lightly smack her head when she misbehaves, but she doesn't seem to know that means "don't do that." She just thinks we're playing, fighting, and i don't know what.

Answer 1

Yelling is bad for you and it won't affect your cat at all. Try getting a few spray bottles, fill them with water, and keep one in every room of the house. If your cat scratches the furniture or something else negative, don't get mad, just say "Stop" or another word or sound, and spray the cat with the water.

Don't let yourself get angry. It doesn't help the situation...in fact it aggravates any problem. Pick a word or a sound...I like "Shh" and then spray without emotion. One or two sprays per incident will usually do it. Don't get too close to spray...you don't want to hurt her. Also, try spraying her back or bottom first. If that doesn't work, then you can try the face.

Also practice positive reinforcement. When you cat doesn't do the things that bother you, give her treats! :) I hope this helps!

Answer 2

The one word of 'cat' I know, which will stop most every cat in it's tracks, is what the mom cat says to her kittens when she wants them to stop immediately. It's hard wired into them from the mom, so try this.

Don't tap, hit or yell. That may work for dogs, but it's not what the mom cat does.

Next time your cat starts for something, say 'uh, uh, uh,uh' That's 4 'uh's. It's the same sound as when you say no as 'uh uh'. It doesn't need to be loud, but you do need to be looking at the cat and say it fairly fast (I'd call it stacatto, all four said within one second or slightly slower than that).

The cat will stop and look at you, wait, then make a move towards whatever they were going for, and you say it again. They stop, and you calmly go over and pick the cat up, move her somewhere a foot away from that position, put her down and move a foot or two away. Don't play with her, just move away and sit down. This gives her a time out, she gets to cool down from being too wound up, and nobody gets clawed or excitedly gnawed on.

Tapping or hitting never worked on any of ours, but the backing off and stopping all play for a short time out sure did. And the uh-uh-uh-uh will stop a cat from taking anything off your plate at dinner too.

If your cat bites at you--hold still or pull back only SLIGHTLY and go 'uh!' raising your voice at the end. Adult cats playing together where one get s too rough will have the one being annoyed make one 'uh' and pull back and hold still. If the attack/play continues, the offended cat leaves. You need to do the same thing--it will give the message in cat language to your cat, and she'll understand. They don't raise their voices, they give one objection then leave. You only need to leave for 30 seconds--long enough for the cat to know they did the wrong thing. Don't get rowdy with the cat immediately after, you need to keep things subdued for a bit.

And talk quietly, they pay more attention when you whisper or talk quiet. They know talk between people is loud, so don't pay attention to loud talk. But if you get quiet, then they know it's them you're talking to. It makes a big difference.

Answer 3

first of all you shouldnt be hoitting your cat on the head...a little tap on the hiney..maybe..but not the head...Also realize that they dont understand "no" and "don't" UNLESS you are scaring them when you say it LIKE with a spray bottle or a coffee can filled with coins...the loud noise startles them....
But don't do it just for fun to scare them...there ears are very sensitive....10 times more sensitive than humans....If you think something is loud to you...imagine how it is for them!

Answer 4

Don't hit your cat. A spray bottle is much more effective. They will see you reach for the bottle and straighten up quick.

Answer 5

hiss and spray with water. lol