It's said that cats can't be trained but that just isn't true. You just need persistence and patience and your cat will be as well behaved as any dog.
There is more to cats than the loveable and affectionate pets who purr contentedly on the sofa. They have a destructive side as anyone whose furniture has been scratched, ornaments broken or stocking laddered beyond recognition will know. However, there are reasons why cats behave in this way and when you know why, you will be able to keep your cat under control.
The following are some reasons why cats misbehave as well as tips on how to prevent this happening:
1. Cats are easily bored when they aren't asleep and when they are bored, they become destructive. In reality, they are looking for ways to expend their energy or possibly for attention from their owners. A way round this problem is to make sure that your cat has plenty of playthings and preferably you should join in the games yourself. With young kittens, this could be for as much as two hours a day. However, don't start to play with your cat as soon as they start to play up or they will know that the way to attract your attention is to scratch the carpet or climb the curtains.
2. Cats are nocturnal creatures and will normally be awake when humans are sleeping. If you don't want your house wrecked while you are in bed, try playing with your cat quite boisterously just before you retire for the night. In this way, the cat will, initially at least, be tired out and will want to sleep too.
3. When it's mating time, cats want to go out. If you normally confine your cat to the house, then the unrequited sexual urge may well cause it to behave badly. You have two choices here; let the cat out, but this is pretty irresponsible as, if you have a female you may end up with unwanted kittens or if a male, someone else will or have the animal neutered. For a male cat, this is a very simple operation and for a female slightly more complex but nonetheless, the recovery rate is normally very fast.
4. Cats are inclined to misinterpret human chastisement. If you wag your finger at your cat, it is just as likely to wave its paw back at you. If this doesn't make you laugh too much, you need to make it clear that it's not a game and that you are annoyed at the cat's behaviour. Obviously, you mustn't physically abuse the cat, so you may want to try a "no" in a raised voice or removing the cat from wherever it is misbehaving. Cats like to be rewarded and attention from their human is just that, so make your displeasure known briefly then ignore the cat for a while.
5. Cats become attached to certain household items and in the course of playing with these, will damage them irreparably. If your cat seems particularly taken with a particular cushion or similar, buy a specialist spray from your pet supply shop. It will be practically odourless to humans but the cat will find it unpleasant and will leave alone whatever you've sprayed it on.
The key to controlling your cat's behaviour is knowing why it behaves as it does and treating it firmly when it misbehaves but giving it lots of attention at other times. You can read more here about Cat Behaviour Training and a visit to Cat Behavior Secrets Revealed which you will find there will tell you even more.
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