# Discipline = Fail



## crstroik (Aug 20, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

A bit of a newbie seeking some discipline advice. Growing up, the squirt bottle was king with our family cats. Well after getting increasingly food attentive, I thought it was time to introduce Fred to the ways of the squirt bottle. The first time I squirted him he ran away. The second time he stood there and looked perplexed. Third time he opened his mouth to drink the water! Now I try to squirt him and he runs around to try to drink it up.

Should I try a can of pennies next? Fred is extremely smart, and very self confident who does not mind the sound of my blender (as an aside, he can hear as he believes the only possible use for a microwave is his food - he comes running!) in the morning, so I'm not sure that sound will be effective.

I know it is Siamese if you please, and if you don't please, but I'd prefer not to have a total food terror.

Thanks for any advice!

Cindy


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

Mmm, since your cat isn't doing anything wrong other than being annoying, you really shouldn't punish him...

If he's hungry always, it may be time to take a closer look at his diet rather than punish him for being hungry. And if his diet is complete, then it's best to ignore, not punish.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

That made me laugh! Cali was the same way. After a couple times, she just shut her eyes and braced herself for the spray. And then continued doing what she was doing. 

I think when kittens are young, they're going to be curious and want to eat what Mommy is eating, just like a toddler. 

You don't say what it is you're trying to get him to stop doing. If it's jumping on the kitchen counters, I gave up that battle a long time ago. I try to keep my counters as boring as possible, and just wipe it down before I use it. Cats love being up high.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Found this article.Squirt Bottles, Punishment, and Cat Behavior | Little Big Cat

If it's just when you're eating, I would try changing how you go about it. Feed him at the same time you eat. Then it will take him a bit to finish and get to your plate. Also, he won't be so hungry when you're eating.


I agree with Minka, I would make sure that he's not hungry as compared to being a chowhound. If it's chowhound try what I suggested or put him in another room while you eat until he gets bigger and has learned to listen better.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Great article (by my future husband).


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## crstroik (Aug 20, 2011)

Thank you for the replies!

I agree that counter surfing will be a loosing battle. The squirt bottle was brought out after Fred jumped onto the kitchen table, took a bite of my paper plate holding nachos, and proceeded to drag the plate (nachos and all!) across the table to "his" seat. Right in front of me. For the third time. Typical Fred move.

I try putting him down repeatedly with a stern "No!" but he just looks at me calmly, walks around the floor to the other side of the table to plot the next sneak attack.

He is SO bright, I just know he will be a trouble maker - which I love - why else get a Siamese? I just would also like to occasionally have people over to eat and not have the furry food thief walk away with the meal, plates, and silverware!


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## Vivid Dawn (May 31, 2010)

All I have to do is even reach for the squirt bottle, and Nebbie zooms away to hide from it. Zinny has only been squirted twice (though I think the one time my wax melter hitting the floor and breaking startled her more than my punishing water did).

Xanthe is just like Cali. She just puts her ears back, glares at me, and goes back to doing what she shouldn't! Luckily her owner doesn't mind if she goes outside, so I just dump her out the door when I get sick of her antics. Not that she associates being out with being punished, though... so it's really a lost cause. At least it gives me time to clean up whatever she messed up without her STILL getting in the way!

Marie is right, though. Keep the counters cleared off and clean, so there's really nothing interesting up there in the first place.
Unless I'm cooking, I try to keep all food either in the fridge or a shut cabinet. Every morning I empty the dishwasher, and as soon as I'm finished using a dish/cup/utensil/etc., I rinse it off and put it in the dishwasher. Then I start the dishwasher before I go to bed, so it's all ready for the next morning.
If you don't have a machine, you could probably just keep rinsed stuff in some sort of little plastic storage tub or something, until washing time.

As for the stealing food while you're eating... maybe you'll just have to shut him in another room for 15 minutes so you can be left in peace? LOL (and unless he knows your guests, and/or they even like him, that would be good for such times too)


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Yeah, don't let Cali's innocent face fool you. She will climb on top of the microwave, pry open my _childproof_ cupboard and - while looking me right in the eye - start knocking spices off my lazy susan onto the floor.

Whack. 
"Cali!"
Whack.
"Cali, stop it!"
Whack.
"Don't make me get up."
Whack.

I stand up - she takes off as if her tail is on fire.

Brat.


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## chasekwe (May 5, 2011)

I love you story about him drinking the water from the squirt-bottle. That's just excellent cat behavior right there. 

I know you aren't pleased about Fred's trick but there are many cat owners who would love to be able to get their cats to drink on command and be happy doing it as if it's a game.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

marie73 said:


> Great article (by my future husband).


Jackson Galaxy is your future husband? I'm pretty sure I saw him first.


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

I've found that pushing away is better than picking up. I use my arm against grimalkin's front/chest and just solidly push away over and over until he lays down and sulks. If he's being particularly pesky, a flat palmed hand towards his face does it. You usually don't even have to touch their face, just your hand coming Towards their face like that is enough.


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## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

it is very common for the cat to get use to it. the key, and it is very hard, is that they don't know where the squirt is coming from


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

Good article. I'm glad it's been found to be a negative method, because personally I never liked the idea and never used it.


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

My friend, Karl, uses a squirt bottle when Pete gets up on the table. It does no good. Pete will get up on the table right in front of us still even though he knows he might get squirted. I told Karl, it does no good. Pete gets up on the table when he feels like it dispite the bottle. Karl says I know. It's funny that the cat liked the water squirted in his mouth. I have always allowed my cats to get up anywhere. It doesn't bother me because my cats are just being curious and I don't care if they do it. Causes much less stress to me. I just love them to pieces. I just try to keep food off the counters and tables. If my cats try to get my food when I'm eatting sometimes I let them eat it but mostly I push them away and they understand. But I guess I'm lucky because my cats hardly cause any problems.


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## hal1 (Jul 16, 2011)

It's hard to do, but I believe that the squirt gun thing only works if he doesn't see, or know, where the water is coming from


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I do use a squirt bottle on MowMow but for only one reason. When he won't SHUT UP at night.
I don't want to be sneaky and make him think it's a magical being squirting him for bad behavior. I want him to know it's a consequence of him not obeying when I tell him to stop screaming. He gets two warnings and then he gets a shot in the face with the squirt bottle. It usually takes about twice for him to change from the loud howling yowl to a tolerable thrilling that he would never be punished for.


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## ~Siameseifuplz~ (May 6, 2007)

Persistence my friend :smile:

EVERY time he jumps on the table/counter you need to make him get off. Be gentle, but do it and he'll stop seeing any reason to get on the table. Now using this method you may still fully expect to have the cats go up there when you are not home because they learn you don't come and get them off when you're not around, there are other ways to combat this (confine them to other rooms when you're not home to break the habit, lay tin foil on the table, lay plastic floor mats with the pointy things up on the table, put down cookie sheets with water on the counter (if small area), etc.).


We've given up ourselves, the family's too lazy to enforce the rule and dad feds Willie from the table. Willie is an absolute food hound, he'll steal ANY meat as soon as you put it down. He misses his raw diet.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

October said:


> Jackson Galaxy is your future husband? I'm pretty sure I saw him first.


Um, pretty sure you're already taken.


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## Julie Carvill (Jun 30, 2010)

Sorry girls. I have been secretly married to :love2Jackson Galaxy:love2 for years!


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

MowMow said:


> I do use a squirt bottle on MowMow but for only one reason. When he won't SHUT UP at night.
> I don't want to be sneaky and make him think it's a magical being squirting him for bad behavior. I want him to know it's a consequence of him not obeying when I tell him to stop screaming. He gets two warnings and then he gets a shot in the face with the squirt bottle. It usually takes about twice for him to change from the loud howling yowl to a tolerable thrilling that he would never be punished for.


Why does he howl so much at night? Boredom??


JulieC said:


> Sorry girls. I have been secretly married to :love2Jackson Galaxy:love2 for years!


Who the fudge is Jackson Galaxy?


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Because MowMow hates Krissy and he wants to be released into the wild.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> Because MowMow hates Krissy and he wants to be released into the wild.


LMAO! I can imagine him now at his first mealtime in the wild..."WT? Who opens the cans around here?"


@Minka - We have a few stray cats around the complex. Whenever he sees one out of the window he paces the apartment and HOWLS and of course he sees them often because he's always in the windows at night LOOKING for them.


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

My cats would be asking where their cat tree and water fountain is!!


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## Rebbie (Jul 11, 2011)

MinkaMuffin said:


> Who the fudge is Jackson Galaxy?


He is a cat behaviorist who is pretty awesome and has his own show on animal planet, called 'My Cat from ****'. Think 'It's me or the dog' but more interesting imo and with a guy who looks like a biker talking to cats instead of a proper english lady teaching dogs manners.


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

MowMow said:


> LMAO! I can imagine him now at his first mealtime in the wild..."WTF? Who opens the cans around here?"
> 
> 
> @Minka - We have a few stray cats around the complex. Whenever he sees one out of the window he paces the apartment and HOWLS and of course he sees them often because he's always in the windows at night LOOKING for them.


Maybe it's time for some curtains then 



Rebbie said:


> He is a cat behaviorist who is pretty awesome and has his own show on animal planet, called 'My Cat from ****'. Think 'It's me or the dog' but more interesting imo and with a guy who looks like a biker talking to cats instead of a proper english lady teaching dogs manners.


Okay, I'd heard of the show but just never seen it before.
All I have to say is ewwwwwwwwwwww...


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Oh, I have blinds on the windows he would push curtains aside so he can see, just like he does the blinds


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

MowMow said:


> Oh, I have blinds on the windows he would push curtains aside so he can see, just like he does the blinds


Boards? xD


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

Yea totally, board up your windows!!

What do you mean "ewww"? Jackson Galaxy is a fox.


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