How to tell a kitten off?
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Discussion

Mubby

Original Poster:

1,237 posts

205 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
OK so dogs learn commands but kittens don't do they?

Lexi is a very sweet little kitten (9.5 weeks) and she snuggles up and loves her tummy rubbed and cuddles, but she has a very annoying habit forming that I need to try and stop, she likes snuggling up near my face, especially in the morning when I wake up she will lay on my pillow and rub her head against my face, licks my cheek and purrs like mad, all very cute and all that, but.... then if I move or open my eyes she pounces and paws me in the face/eyes with her claws! it bloody hurts!

she also has a thing about attacking feet, claws and bites them (only when we are in bed)

So does telling her "no" actually do any good? or should we ignore it as she thinks it's a game?

Lexi is our first kitten, we have had rescue adult cats before, so any advice on getting her to behave herself would be good please Pet PH'rs laugh


the evil attack monster in training lol -


odyssey2200

18,650 posts

232 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
Water pistol works well.

When kitty starts to do something he shouldn't give him a quick squirt

smile







oh. and its great fun too.. hehe


ETA

At night our cats have always been shut in the kitchen or utility room and not allowed to roam the house.

Mubby

Original Poster:

1,237 posts

205 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
our other cat sleeps downstairs so we have taken her upstairs as they have only been together a week or so and kitten doesn't leave older cat alone, Ideally they would both be downstairs...

also stairs and our bedroom newly carpeted and we dont want to close door incase she scratches all the carpet up! she sleeps in her own cat bed all night, its only when she wakes in the morning and comes to play/attack that she does this! lol

Wacky Racer

40,659 posts

270 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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"No", followed by their names in a stern voice works with our two cats...biggrin

dxg

10,138 posts

283 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
Tap it gently on the nose.

Konan

2,467 posts

169 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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I've always clapped at my cats when they've done something wrong. Appears to work.

sleep envy

62,260 posts

272 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
odyssey2200 said:
Water pistol works well.
Very well indeed, or a plant mister.

steviegunn

1,422 posts

207 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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The only thing that ever worked with my cat was to hiss at her.

clarkmagpie

3,665 posts

218 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Water pistol works a treat.
A tap on the nose winds Jasper up and he comes out fighting!
Shouting, well he just looks at me as if I'm mad and carries on what he is doing.
Haven't tried hissing but I imagine it would have the same effect...none!

NerveAgent

3,777 posts

243 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
We use a water sprayer which works but kittens are by nature a bit mischievous biggrin Ours are 6 months now and still playing with the boundries of whats acceptable!

Marf

22,907 posts

264 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
She'll grow out of attacking everything, however it won't be long till she learns that a clawed paw tapping on your nose is a good way to wake you up in the morning hehe

ali_kat

32,141 posts

244 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
A stern No (which can be hard when they are making you giggle!) is generally all that is needed, I use a loud clap with it to distract them. If you do it everytime they soon learn. Far easier to teach a cat what not to do than to do something (that takes food wink)

Use the same tone & word everytime they do something you don't want them to do, that way they associate the word with new things as well.

A water pistol is also effective, saying No at the same time, but I wouldn't do that in bed hehe I'd use the clap at them (which also means you don't have to have a loaded water pistol with you at all times). I tend to use the water pistol for mantlepieces/shelves/work surface/tables etc

I would never tap a kitten/cat on the nose (or anywhere else).

I don't use their name either. You want them to react favourably to their name so they come when you call them, they react to it & then get squirted kinda defeats that purpose. I always reward when they come to their name, with a treat or a fuss, and good girl/boy. That way if there is an emergency & I need them to come to me, I know they will come.

Well Bast & Chilli always would anyway hehe It came in useful when I came home from work one day to find the fire alarms going off in the flats. I ran in, called them, they came running & I put them straight in the basket & got them outside (there was no fire). Pepi does usually, unless he has seen I have shoes on (he thinks that is a Vet trip & hides). Beauty is still learning.

ali_kat

32,141 posts

244 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
Mubby said:
she likes snuggling up near my face, especially in the morning when I wake up she will lay on my pillow and rub her head against my face, licks my cheek and purrs like mad, all very cute and all that, but.... then if I move or open my eyes she pounces and paws me in the face/eyes with her claws! it bloody hurts!
biggrin



Butter Face

33,996 posts

183 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Our Ragdoll has developed an annoying habit of clawing your face at 3am. It's very annoying.

She's an indoor cat so sleeps all day and seems to come alive at night. Flicking her (lightly I must add) on the nose seems to be doing the trick.

My other (half bengal) is completely independant and has never done so much as scratch where she shouldn't.

Trefy5

459 posts

175 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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Blow... it's not always practical to grab for a pistol but you want her to associate scratching your face with something she doesn't like - and it won't hurt her
Not because the water pistol is a bad thing - far from it -
I'd agree with hissing as well... even growling

Nickyboy

6,794 posts

257 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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anonymous-user

77 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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sleep envy said:
odyssey2200 said:
Water pistol works well.
Very well indeed, or a plant mister.
We use a plant mister too

Now I only have to pick it up and they generally cease the naughtiness

TwigtheWonderkid

47,955 posts

173 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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OP, it might take a few months, but eventually your kitten will be successful in training you to accept everything it does without complaint.

anonymous-user

77 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
OP, it might take a few months, but eventually your kitten will be successful in training you to accept everything it does without complaint.
hehe

Jasandjules

71,983 posts

252 months

Saturday 22nd September 2012
quotequote all
steviegunn said:
The only thing that ever worked with my cat was to hiss at her.
THIS.

What her mother would do.