Q: Are cats trainable?
A: Yes, training a cat is not as impossible as the majority of cat people believe it is. Cats may not be as attentive to training as Fido or Rover are but they are trainable. Tasty treats offered as positive reinforcement is most likely the primary means to train your cat.
Q: Why and how do pet cats purr?
A: Adult cats purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Can you resist a purring kitty? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is mostly believed that the purring is a vibration of the voicebox as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.
Q: What makes a number of people are allergic to cats?
A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander originating from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies demonstrate a reaction because their immune system is attempting to fight the foreign protein and creates histamines.
Q: How do you halt unwanted cat behavior like scratching?
A: The best way to change unwanted cat behavior is the same way the mother cat controls an errant kitten. This is by scuffing the cat. You firmly but gently grasp the cat by the scruff of the neck and hold it down until it calms down. You should do this at the time of the undesirable behavior.
Q: How do you litter train a cat?
A: You really shouldn’t have to do any training for a cat to make use of a litter pan, but if your adult cat has begun to avoid the litter pan you need to find out why. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to go to the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have switched to litter you may have to change back or sprinkle a little catnip in the litter to attract the cat to the new litter.
Q: How do you keep cats off counters?
A: This is one of the most asked about cat behavior issues and can be a difficult one. Cats like elevated perches and they may find food or food aromas on tables and counters. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the tables.