Kitty Cat Booby Trap
Cats tend to behave more independently than dogs. Simply put, they tend to do what they want, whenever and wherever they please.
Some unwanted behaviors can be particularly difficult to interrupt. Their willful nature and determination require a much more psychological approach than other family pets.
David Scott Spiegel, DVM, whose practice is in Swarthmore, Pa., specializes in resolving unwanted behaviors and has unique experience in resolving unwanted feline behaviors.
Spiegel’s more successful cases involve using scare tactics and behavioral modification to discourage cats from, for example, jumping on furniture, digging in potted plants and scratching in forbidden locations. The key, however, is to ensure the correction is delivered on cue and consistently, when the owner is away from home.
To accomplish this, Spiegel recommends booby-trapping the home environment to respond each and every time a cat might attempt a forbidden behavior.
Noise
Clapping you hands and shouting can actually be an effective intervention strategy when training curious cats to stay away from certain areas of the home, recommends Spiegel. But since owners can rarely watch their cat like a hawk, round the clock for days on end, technology presents a solution.
Photoelectric sensors, made to deploy a swift puff of air or a loud alarm are widely available. An invisible beam of light is beamed across the area in question. As soon as a sensor detects the beam of light has been broken, the hair-raising alarm is sounded.
These systems, says Spiegel, can be effective solutions for re-training a cat in nearly any situation or home layout.
Barriers
Odor barriers, such as sprays designed to be offensive to cats are also effective at discouraging unwanted attention throughout the home. These, along with rough textures, such as gravel placed in flower pots, can be all it takes to redirect feline attention. As long as the experience creates an inconvenience or discomfort, cats are likely to avoid it all together.
Distractions
The best strategies for retraining cats rely on combinations of redirection and offering a healthy alternative, says Spiegel. Try offering an energetic cat the opportunity to dig at will by making sure the litter box is clean, contained and firmly packed. Sometimes, offering more than one litter box in the home is a great way to offer an outlet for frustration that prevents destructive behaviors involving houseplants. <HOME>
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