I have three beautiful cats, the smallest one is always hissing on the other cats for no reason, sometimes I punish her by locking her in the closet for a while, but I feel very guilty after, can anyone tell me what to do?
2007-07-28 02:36:31 · 11 answers · asked by y i 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
That teaches her nothing except that you're not nice.
Hissing usually means fear. Her personal space is probably about 3' from her on all sides. If another cat comes closer than that, she's afraid and has to show aggression to keep the other away. She needs to feel safer to stop doing it.
If the other cats aren't bothered by the hissing, you don't need to do anything for them. If they are, then you need to make a quiet area for them or her---NOT the closet! A box large enough for her to turn around in, with a towel inside, can be placed on it's side in a corner with the edge pulled far enough from the wall to let one cat in---this makes a nice 'cave' with sleeping spot.
They'll probably ALL want to use it, but if they don't then next time she hisses, pick her up gently, say nice things to her very quietly, and slide her into the small opening between the wall and the box, she'll go into the cave and feel safe. Keep any of the other cats from coming close to it when they see you and her over there, and it should solve your problem.
She just needs to feel safe and comfortable, not be disciplined. You have to think like a cat for this.
2007-07-28 10:45:38 · answer #1 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a right to feel guilty after locking her in the closet...it is abit mean..and the cat does not know why you have done that..what you are doing is making the cat very leary of you and a threat to her. Why is the cat hissing?..is it play?..are the other cats mean to her?..is it normal feline behaviour for the cats to figure out who is "top"cat in their clan?..The cats will figure out the problems on their own..Maybe this cat would do better in a home where she gets all the good attention and can be a happy content cat on someone's knee by herself.
2007-07-28 03:01:38 · answer #2 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Locking the cat in the closet is cruel, and will do nothing to change it's behaviour--other than make it terrified of being around you.
As suggested, use the spray bottle. But you might want to investigate why the the cat is hissing--does it feel threatened by the other cats? Perhaps she needs a place to call her own--a special blanket or basket.
2007-07-28 02:47:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best way to punish a cat is to keep a squirt type water bottle near by at all times, when you see the misbehaving start, one good squirt. It doesn't hurt kitty but as you know cats hate water and they are very smart and it will only take a few times of this before your cat will learn not to do that anymore.
2007-07-28 02:44:23 · answer #4 · answered by ♥§weetiepie♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know you mean well, but...your guilt is a way of confirming what you already know...that you are inadvertently abusing the poor little thing!! My goodness, can you imagine if your parents locked you in a closet whenever you attempted to assert your independence with your older siblings. You really are quite lucky the little one hasn't upped the ante and begun to "mark her territory". There is no question that you have to refrain from any more lock ups. But..you also have to exert extra effort to re-gain her trust.
As someone else said, when cats behave in ways we do not like, we are the ones who need to evaluate what we could be doing to trigger their behavior.
BUT, do yourself a favor and let your cats be cats.
Cats hiss. No need to "punish".
Good luck!!
2007-07-28 03:23:12 · answer #5 · answered by sky 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Locking her in a closet (giving a time out) is really not all that cruel, provided she knows why she is being given the time out. In other words, the time out has to be immediate to the hissing. I assume the time out is in minutes, not hours.
Other times, getting her immediate attention and pointing a finger and saying NO helps. A squirt bottle also helps. But I wonder why you are so concerned. If no damage is being done, then I would let them work it out.
See if you can find out why she is hissing. Is her territory suddenly being encroached upon? Are they being alpha to her? This might simply be her defense mechanism for something they are doing that you do not notice.
2007-07-31 14:25:44 · answer #6 · answered by cat lover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are causing harm to an innocent kitty. and making the other cats see her a a lesser cat. and they will eventually be cruel to her like you do... if you dont like the behavior of the cat maybe you should change your own... let the cats be, they will figure out who is in charge in their kitty society. not you....and if she is young perhaps she need to learn this lesson from the other cats not you... you cannot punish a cat. it wont work... ever... if u cannot handle then find her a new home....
2007-07-28 02:47:45 · answer #7 · answered by im a goonie 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
What you should do is prepare an area for the smaller cat. let her get used to the spot. then she will stay away from the other cats.
2007-07-28 02:48:07 · answer #8 · answered by ME, MYSELF, AND I 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well there really is no "right" way but a good way that doesn't really hurt the can is a squirt bottle
2007-07-28 02:40:27 · answer #9 · answered by cubedogg1177 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
we use a small squirt bottle, it works i know from experience, but make sure if you have children that they dont squirt her for no reason then she wont know why you did that and will not understand that it is punishment.
2007-07-28 02:55:01 · answer #10 · answered by hellogoodbye 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋