Owners react differently to the “tricks” of their pets. Some come to terms with the fact that the cat’s behavior cannot be corrected, others begin to study books on training and turn the apartment into a cat parade ground, others break down in impotent anger and punish the animals for every offense. The staff of the Murkosha shelter will tell you why none of these strategies bring the desired results.
Let us immediately note that there is great news for all of the above-mentioned groups: cat behavior problems can be solved, and success largely depends on the owner. You can view a list of solutions for the most common situations in the following article.
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Now let's look at the basic methods of correcting behavior, widely used by many owners.
Beats
If you train an animal by beating, the result will be nothing more than a constant feeling of fear. So, it is useless to hit a cat to train him to use the litter box, just as it is pointless to poke his nose into a puddle. From the cat's point of view, poking his face into the puddle, you explain to him that in this place he has a toilet. Perhaps some cat will understand exactly what you meant with your gesture, but most will simply be afraid of you. And, by the way, if the cat categorically does not recognize the litter box and continues to make puddles all over the house, have him examined by a veterinarian; health problems are possible.
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How to toilet train a kitten
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If you don’t want to deal with the litter box every day, you can teach your kitten to use the toilet. But only on condition that the animal is completely healthy. Wait until your pet is older (small kittens can drown in the toilet) and start training. Smart individuals usually master this “science” in 3-4 weeks.
First, place the cat litter box on a slight elevation so that the kitten gets used to relieving itself this way. Gradually raise the tray higher and higher, but do not forget about stability. When the cat litter is the same height as the toilet, secure it firmly and securely to the seat. If the cat is not afraid to use such a tray, then everything is fine.
How to teach a kitten to be brushed
It is necessary to accustom a kitten to hygiene procedures from childhood. Cats with long hair and a thick undercoat need regular brushing, otherwise they will develop tangles and hair loss. To avoid this, first lightly stroke the kitten with a special comb mitt. Then gradually move on to the brushes. Choose a calm time for the procedure and try not to hold the baby by force, so as not to hurt him. You can gently brush it with a brush after waking up. Very soon the pet will get used to this procedure and even begin to enjoy it. If resistance is strong, try rewarding your pet with treats.
Is it possible to beat a cat for an offense?
It is unacceptable to use harsh measures or engage in physical assault. Such actions are used only by too lazy or too emotional people who do not try to understand their pet and understand the reasons for his actions. It is useless to hit a cat, because he is unlikely to understand the connection between a prank and an educational measure - but he will most likely begin to be afraid of his owner and take revenge on him.
It is acceptable to use a rolled-up piece of paper or a rag, which can be used to lightly slap the mustachioed offender on the back at the time of the offense. This will come as a surprise to the miscreant and will distract him from committing a bad deed, but will not cause pain and will not cause fear.
Summarize
From the cat’s point of view, if the owner punished her, then he is angry and inadequate, and it is not her fault. The only thing you can achieve by punishing a cat is to ruin your relationship with it, provoking fear, mistrust and worsening behavior. Yes, cats' conclusions rarely coincide with our desires, but by better understanding the reasons for their actions, we can correct the situation.
Especially many questions regarding behavior arise during the period of adaptation of cats to a new place. The well-being of the shelter’s residents is very important to us, so the Murkoshi team is always ready to help the owners of their graduates. And also for all cat lovers, we have prepared useful articles on care, behavior adjustment, documents, adaptation, pet health and the most exciting issues that you can find on our website.
How not to punish a cat: unacceptable actions
When choosing a method of influencing a naughty dog, it is important for the owner to be guided by the principles of humanity. It is strictly forbidden to use violence, leaving without food, medicines and other means of punishment that negatively affect the psyche and health of a mustachioed friend.
Physical violence
Veterinarians and animal psychologists are unanimous in their opinion that beating an animal is prohibited. Cats are considered very vindictive, so after physical violence is applied to them, the four-legged animals begin to indulge even more actively.
In addition, beating someone who is weaker is very mean and inhumane. And this can literally injure the mustache - for example, there is a cluster of nerve endings on the back and in the tail area. This is similar to the solar plexus in humans. Touching, let alone hitting a cat on the back is simply dangerous, because any touch to a sensitive area will cause discomfort or pain.
Advice from a veterinarian: how to help a street animal without harming yourself
What to do if you pick up an animal from the street
If a person picks up an animal from the street , first of all, you need to show the animal to a veterinarian.
The doctor has the opportunity to conduct an examination. He assesses the general condition of the skin, and checks for microsporia or ringworm with a Wood's ultraviolet lamp. If it is not possible to see a doctor immediately, the animal must be isolated at home. You cannot take him to bed, kiss him, you must wash your hands after talking to him. The animal may have fleas, lice, and worm eggs. Most worms are species specific, so cat worms will not live on humans. But there are also those that can live in dogs, cats, and humans - for example, echinococcus. The adult parasite lives in dogs, and the larva lives in humans. It causes quite severe liver diseases - echinococcosis.
If a puppy or kitten is sick or not feeling well , for example, it was hit by a car, it is necessary to restore it. Wait until he starts eating, drinking, going to the toilet, and then treat him for parasites.
Only a doctor can prescribe tablets to animals . Many medications for humans are contraindicated for animals. For example, “Paracetamol”, “Diclofenac”, “Ketoprofen”, “Dekaris” for worms is considered a good drug for humans, but extremely toxic for cats. Cats die from one tablet. Once the medicine is absorbed and affects the nervous system, the animal cannot be saved.
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Animal shelters are also worth checking out , because many animals are kept together there. We must pay tribute to Grodno animal rights activists: they have a lot of foster care. They don’t throw 20-30 kittens into one room, but distribute two or three kittens at a time. Zoo defenders conscientiously treat the animals, and only then hand them over to good hands.
Even if you bought a puppy for a lot of money , it may be sick. The puppy may vomit the deworming tablet, the drug may be expired, or the dosage of the drug may be incorrect. It’s better to play it safe and treat it yourself against parasites.
How not to get infected yourself
To avoid infection , you should not take the animal to bed or carry it in your arms. It is necessary to ensure quarantine: we need to wait for some time, see how the animal feels. It may not have stains, bald spots, or bald spots. But microsporia or trichophytosis may appear after two to three weeks. Even a healthy, active animal can be a carrier of the disease.
In most cases, these are diseases that can be treated without any problems, both in humans and in animals. But there are also more dangerous ones . For example, taxoplasmosis. This is a dangerous parasite that infects 50 to 90 percent of stray cats. In them it occurs hidden, but a person can become infected. An adult or child will tolerate it normally, but a pregnant girl may have serious problems.
Animal worms can be transmitted to humans, causing larva migrans syndrome. Worm larvae burrow through the intestinal walls and enter the bloodstream. They do not develop there, but can cause an allergic reaction and digestive upset. To get larva migrans syndrome, it is enough to remove the tray from a sick animal and not wash your hands.
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The most dangerous disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans is rabies . Recently, for the first time in three years, there was a case of rabies in Grodno. A fox was found on Devyatovka, and in the laboratory a section of the brain showed signs of rabies. This fox could have bitten a dog or puppy. If a person took such a puppy home, and it bit him, the problems would be very serious.
There is no cure for rabies. If a person shows signs of rabies, there is no salvation. If an animal from the street shows signs of aggression, it lunges and hisses, this should be taken seriously. The bite of such a dog must be washed with soap, pressure on the bite site and bleeding. It is better to go to a medical facility where they will get vaccinated against rabies. Even with inaction, the risk of getting sick is not one hundred percent. But I don't want to take risks.
The rabies virus travels along nerve endings very slowly. If a dog bites the leg, the virus will reach the head within two months. If it's in the neck, it's much faster. To prevent it from getting there, the body must produce antibodies as quickly as possible. If the virus reaches the head and clinical signs of rabies appear - hydrophobia, photophobia - the person cannot be saved.
What to treat animals for
As Garfield said, the main rules of caring for a cat are to love, feed and never leave. We need to make sure that he eats well, goes to the toilet well, feels normal, and is active. Otherwise, contact the veterinary service.
It is difficult for a non-specialist to understand whether a kitten is developing correctly and whether it has any congenital defects.
Flea treatment should be done as needed. When the animal goes for a walk, the time will come to treat ticks and fleas with collars, drops or tablets. If the kitten is clean and does not go outside, it does not need to be treated at all.
An adult animal should be treated for worms once every three months. We do this not only from the point of view of the animal’s health, but also for our own health. Professional treatment for parasites along with an examination will cost 20–30 rubles .
An animal from the street can bring an unpleasant surprise to the one at home. Therefore, it is worth vaccinating cats and dogs against major infectious diseases. Cats are vaccinated against feline distemper, herpes virus and calici virus. It is also established at the legislative level in Belarus that all predatory animals are vaccinated against rabies.
It is recommended to castrate before the onset of puberty - between the ages of six months and 7 months. At this time, it is worth castrating cats and females, males and females.
Animals should be washed as needed. A cat is a very clean animal. If she grooms herself and looks good, why wash her? But if she turned the trash can on herself, of course, she needs to give it a bath.
Washing dogs depends on the breed, shampoo and temperament of the animal. Yard dogs are never washed. Decorative breeds, which are often carried in the arms, are washed once a month.
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Psychological health of animals
An adequate animal gets used to going to the toilet where it needs to be. You want the litter box to smell at first: put a napkin with urine there and show the cat this place, after a while he will remember. For dogs, it all depends on the breed. Animals of large breeds get used to going outside earlier, small ones - later.
A healthy animal is interested in what is happening around, asks to eat, wants to play. A cat on its territory may not accept a cat that is placed with it. Animals can be aggressive, especially if both are not neutered. Every cat and dog needs games and communication.
If you cannot give him time and attention constantly, toys will be required. People go to work, but the cat is at home. He is bored, eats like crazy, gets fat and gradually turns into a piglet. It is useful to keep cats in pairs and several individuals - it will be more interesting for them to communicate with each other.
How to stop a kitten from jumping on the kitchen table
This unpleasant habit is due to the fact that in nature cats love to jump onto elevated surfaces and from there observe what is happening around them. A table for this is an ideal springboard, and if there is also food on it, then the pet will come here more often. This behavior must be stopped immediately, because... it is unhygienic for you and dangerous for the animal (sharp knives, harmful products, etc.).
You can use repellent commands or immediately splash water on the kitten. A few drops of essential oil with a pungent odor and a cut onion will help to keep your pet away from the table. Also, the kitten will give up a bad habit if there are unpleasant objects waiting for him on the table, for example, a baking sheet with water, foil rustling under his paws, or empty tin cans that fall with a roar with every movement.
Reasons for disobedience in mustaches
Despite the fact that many scientific and behavioral studies have been conducted, people still cannot fully understand the psychological relationship between a pet and a person. Meanwhile, for a comfortable coexistence, it is important to understand the language of your pet and know the reason for his actions. This is easy for some owners, more difficult for others.
Often there are completely reasonable explanations for bad actions. For example, if a furry dog urinates on the carpet, then he is most likely expressing dissatisfaction with the new filler, the arrival of a new family member, or the rearrangement of furniture in the room.
Stealing tasty morsels from the owner's table usually does not contain negativity on the part of the fluffy. This is just a purely physiological desire to eat. Torn furniture upholstery or scratched wallpaper can be a consequence of inattention on the part of a person or family members.
In general, the cause of disobedience can be determined through short-term or long-term observations. No one knows a cat better than the owner - and it is he who sooner or later guesses the reason behind all her actions.
