We spray my cat with a spray bottle when she is bad?

Question

is it ok to spray a cat with a spray bottle when she is doing something like biting or scratching up the furniture or trying to get up on the kitchen counter?

Answer 1

I do it with my cats and they learn what not to do just fine. I spray them for their own good too for something like chewing an extension cord. If I didn't spray them with water then they could get hurt.

Answer 2

As long as it's just water in it. That will work for keeping kitty off of the counter.

Do you have a scratching post for your kitty? If not, get one and show him/her that is where he/she should scratch (sisal ones work better than carpet-covered). Also, coat it with catnip. This will make it more "appealing" compared to the other furniture. If that doesn't work, you may either get claw covers (rubbery attachments that go on the claws, but cats outgrow them rather quickly) or having the front paws declawed (this is done by cutting off the front knuckles).

For a biting cat, put the cat down and ignore him for a while. He'll get the message that if he wants attention, he'd better not bite. Then again, if the cat doesn't want to be held, biting and scratching are defense mechanisms and the cat is trying to tell you "Leave me alone!! Put me down!!"

HTH!!

Answer 3

Well, scratching is normal behavior, so you really shouldn't use the bottle; instead redirect the cat to a place where it's okay to scratch.

Biting the furniture? Hmmm, sounds unusual unless she's really young, or is bored.

As for the kitchen counter, and other "forbidden" areas, you have to understand: being a "no-no" makes it that much more appealing.
Not only that, but it's a high place and cats are naturally drawn to it, you could say instinctively.

You can use you water bottle for the counter no-no. But really, is it so bad?

I keep a couple of dish towels for Fuff, and she has learned that's her spot. All I have to do is touch the towel, and she goes & sits there. I have a can of those clorox 2 wipes on the counter, and Fuff is an awesome supervisor. She totally disapproves of potato boil-overs,

All good relationships are based on respect, and the art of compromise.

Answer 4

In my experience, it has never worked. They just turn around and look at you as if to say... "Yeah? And?"

Try putting a couple of pennies in an empty soda can and shaking it really hard when kitty does something she shouldn't. Has anyone ever heard such a terrible sound? Then you understand what I mean. That sudden, gosh-awful noise is to scare any cat into saying, "Uh, guess I should get down."

I agree with Embee's answer. If you can't beat her, join her. Keep a supply of antibacterial wipes on hand and just wipe them down in between kitty's counter escapades. I gave up on trying to keep Angelo off the counter. You just don't have that argument with a 10 year old, 16 pound cat!

Answer 5

Some cats the spray bottle won't work for, they don't mind the water. I know it won't work on three of our five, so we don't use negative enforcement, we switched to positive reinforcement with all of these guys.

Ignore bad behavior, or stop it gently and get them sidelined into doing something else. Reward the good stuff. That works really well with cats.

Answer 6

yeah, but she might still do it when you're not home. also, it will make her afraid of water. i started spraying my cat with a water bottle and now he behaves very well.

Answer 7

no, they dont really care about being sprayed by the water bottle. yah, it makes them run away but they will go right back to doing it again. raising your voice works best because they respond to loud noises.

Answer 8

Absolutely, just make sure you only spray her once and tell her no in a firm voice. It is usually enough to deter them.

Answer 9

They dont generaly like water, so try to spray it on there face, and raise your vioce and firmly say " No!" and then drop the subject.

Answer 10

We sprayed my cat with water when she was bad and it didn't do anything so I wouldn't suggest you do that. We started to yell at her when she was bad and she's gotten much better.