Saif
We love our cats. In fact, we love all cats. Cats were sent from above and landed directly in our hearts. Having a pet is all fun and games until the real trouble jumps in. As much as we adore our cats, deep down we all know they aren’t all that purr-fect. There are times when they behave differently or rather in a silly way like scratching the carpet, biting, or littering away from the litter box. But it all boils down to how you confront your cat. The way you keep up with their ‘crazy’ times will leave a high impact on your cat as well as its attitude towards you. So you gotta be extra careful. Regardless of the species, whether it’s a human or an animal that we love when they create a mistake, our first natural instinct is to punish them for it. But things are different when it comes to punishing a cat because they could turn out to be more rebellious instead of becoming more disciplined.
Just sit back and relax because you have come to the right place where your question as to why you should never punish your cat will be answered.
1. Just don’t
Feline behaviourists believe that cats don’t respond well to punishments. They go through different phases in their lifetime and may act in certain ways due to some (unexplainable) underlying reasons. The problem can never be fixed through punishing the cat(s) rather through acknowledging what the cat might be going through. However, if you still think you can rectify their odd behaviours through punishment keep reading…
2. Whatever you do, your cat is just clueless…
As much as we think these cats are clever, in reality, it’s pretty opposite. Although we do sometimes see them planning and plotting their next perfect move it’s all in our head. They just happen to do it for the sake of it and because of who they are. So when you go up to them and tell them how much damage they have caused (or hurt your feelings!), they just won’t get it. They won’t be able to make sense of every single word that you utter let alone the reason for them being punished. Instead, more damage would be caused by you towards the cat as mentioned below. At the end of the day, they’re just cats c’mon!
3. You might actually scare your cat
Since the cat does not quite understand why they are being punished in the first place, there is a chance they don’t even know you’re acting out. A quick reminder: They don’t even understand your language. So whatever you say all they can react to are the gestures that most of us think might work like yelling, spraying water, or scaring the cat. Sorry to break it to you but all you’re going to end up with is a startled cat. No matter what your cat has done to annoy you, it is highly suggested you take things slow.
4. It can lead to losing trust
So what if the cat misbehaves at times or causes trouble? You can definitely not stop that from happening. But one thing you can stop is unnecessary punishments or punishments at all. As mentioned earlier, even if there is a little chance of cat being able to differentiate between good and bad behaviours, there is a greater risk that you’re ruining your relationship with the cat. Not only will the cat be scared but it would also lose its trust in you as its sidekick (never forget the cat is always the master). Jokes apart, a cat seems to start trusting their caregiver and build a strong relationship based on love and care. If anything disrupts that you can kiss your relationship with your cat goodbye.
5. Punishment results in worse behaviours
Cats are known to be sensitive to human gestures and emotions. And shockingly, they do stress over things that we might not know of. Just like that your aggressive gestures or yelling may create a stressful environment for the cat which will further result in cat acting out even more in ways that you would not appreciate (you might wanna trust us on that).
6. And lastly, Do you REALLY want to?
Have you forgotten about the times when there was no one to comfort you? Or when you needed a hug? Let’s not forget every night when you return from work or lay in bed, your cat somehow showed up and showered you with unconditional love… or bare attitude. Bet your cat always volunteered for that! Ruining your relationship will leave you deprived of all the love your cat still has for you. And that is something we don’t want. Ever.
So if you are tired of some bothersome or clumsy behaviours of your cat and have finally made up your mind to not punish your cat, resort to some safe acts such as positive reinforcement. Giving treats or being playful can help motivate your cat to act in ways that are appreciated by you. Since our prime focus has always been the cat’s behaviour, it is important to find ways to improve it with love. This way your cat wouldn’t have to be scared of you and your relationship with your cat will remain intact.