Q: Is cat training possible?

A: Yes, training a cat is not as hard as many folks consider it is. Cats probably are not as attentive to training as dogs are but they are trainable. Tasty treats presented as positive reinforcement is certainly the main route to successful cat training.

Q: Why and how do cats purr?

A: Grown kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Can you resist a purring kitty? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to help bond them. It is generally theorized that the purring is a vibration of the vocal chords as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.

Q: Why are the reasons quite a few individuals are allergic to cats?

A: Cat allergies are caused by the proteins in cat dander coming from the cat’s saliva. The dander dries and becomes airborne. People with cat allergies have an allergic reaction because their immune system is trying to attack the foreign protein and creates histamines.

Q: How do you break undesirable cat behavior like nipping?

A: The best way to break bad cat behavior is the same way the mother cat controls an errant kitten. This is by scuffing the cat. You firmly but gently grasp the cat by the scruff of the neck and hold it down until it calms down. You must do this at the time of the undesirable behavior.

Q: How do you litter train a cat?

A: You really shouldn’t need to do any training for a cat to use a litter pan, but if your adult cat has started to avoid the litter pan you need to find out why. The cat may have a urinary tract infection in which case you need to visit the veterinarian. If it is just too dirty you need to keep it cleaner. If you have switched to litter you may have to change back or sprinkle a little catnip in the litter to attract the cat to the new litter.

Q: How do you keep cats off counters?

A: This is the most asked about cat behavior problems and can be a difficult one. Cats like elevated platforms and they often find food or food smells on counters and tables. It is best to keep the counters clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the tables.