Siamese cat owners understand that their cats have a strong will. Stubborn is too mild a word for these cats. Although Siamese love people and are generally easy to be around, sometimes they have habits that people might not want to live with.
Siamese are curious and active cats. They have the long athletic lines as well as the ability to jump well. They can easily navigate countertops or cooking spaces that might be off limits. Because they tend to be easily excitable, they may also scratch on surfaces that are not appropriate, like the formal living room sofa.
When attempting to train your stubborn Siamese out of these habits, you may find yourself frustrated. Pet owners often make certain mistakes when trying to train their pets. Siamese cats can be particularly frustrating. It helps to remember these three things
First, remember that your cat learns at the moment of the action. After the cat has scratched the furniture or gotten off the counter is not the time to punish them. This is one problem with the squirt gun approach. The cat has nearly finished with the behavior before you, as the owner, are able to get there with the squirt gun. If you say no to a cat, it may listen and then do exactly what they want a moment later--the time of the "no" has passed.
Second, be consistent. This can be difficult if your cat loves to be on the counters while you are at work or in another room. You might hear them and come running. However, the cat has learned that they just need to not get caught. Remember the first thing, you need to train during the event.
Third, let your environment do the work. This is probably the most effective training method. Spray something the cat doesn't like on the nice sofa to keep them from scratching that and make the scratching post very available. Citrus scents work well as cats dislike this smell. Another idea is to place double sided tape where the cat scratches. It can also be placed on counters. Low jelly-roll pans filled with water along the counter can be useful for a short retraining. This is actually more effective than the noisemakers that are sold. Siamese are light footed and can thwart the sensors on these.
The environment can be consistent in its application of punishment. It is always there when the cat performs the action. The environment is the perfect teacher. You can sit back and reward your cat with treats when they do the things you want them to do. You can enjoy the house the way you want your house, while still enjoying the love of your Siamese cat.
Bonnie Koenig lives with her three cats. She and her Siamese, Cheysuli, maintain their website My Siamese
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