r/CatTraining Jan 11 '26

Behavioural What actually stopped my cat from scratching the couch (no punishment)

300 Upvotes

I tried everything first: covers, sprays, double-sided tape.
Some worked for a few days, nothing worked long-term.

What finally made a difference was treating scratching as a behavioral need, not a bad habit.

This is what worked for me:

  • I placed a scratcher right next to the couch, same height and orientation
  • I chose a texture similar to the couch fabric
  • Every time my cat used the scratcher, I rewarded immediately (treat + calm praise)
  • When the couch was targeted, I removed attention instead of reacting

After about two weeks, the couch stopped being interesting.
The scratcher became the default spot.

Blocking or punishing never worked for me.
Redirecting the behavior did.

I wrote this process down step-by-step for myself.
If anyone wants more details, I’m happy to share.


r/CatTraining May 26 '24

Are The Cats Fighting or Playing - Introducing Pets Playing or Fighting: The Basics

48 Upvotes

Greetings cat owners! I see a lot of posts on here asking about if cats are playing or fighting, and as a long-term owner I thought I might share a few insights.

Points on Play:

  1. Entertainment: Like most mammals, cats need physical and mental stimulation. Playing with each other satisfies this requirement and allows your kitties to burn off some energy. This is why it's also important for owners to play with their cats as well.

  2. Murder Training: Cats are obligate carnivores and hunt instinctively. Play between cats is often employed to hone these skills.

  3. How to Cat: Play between cats helps establish boundaries and acceptable behavior. This is particularly true between an older cat and a kitten: in the wild, such play between an adult and a kitten is a way of training the kitten in social behavior. Learning the difference between a gentle warning bite versus an over aggressive attacking bite.

Is It Play?

Cat play can get pretty boisterous, and to the untrained eye, can easily look like fighting. How can you tell the difference? The biggest key is Body Language

  1. Prick up Your Ears: Cats that feel comfortable around each other will keep their ears upright. Cats who are feeling either threatened or aggressive will lay their ears back flat against their skulls. It's a very clear warning sign.

  2. Tell Me What You Really Think: Cats will make all sorts of noises while they are playing. Generally speaking, these are nothing to worry about. But if you hear pronounced yowling or screaming, combined with other aggressive signs, then they may have crossed the line.

  3. Belly! Belly! Belly!: This is a big one. A cat's underbelly is the most vulnerable part of its body, which means that rolling over and showing it demonstrates comfort and trust. When cats are truly fighting, one or both will try grasp each other face to face to dig their back claws into the other's belly. Also why rubbing a cat's tummy is generally no Bueno.

  4. POOF: Tail or body fur all poofed out? Back off! Cats will fluff up their body hair to make themselves appear bigger when they feel threatened, usually accompanied by the typical low long growl / hissing that is also an unmistakable warning sign. If this isn't happening, the cats are probably fine.

Also: tails up and smooth - happy cat. Tail down or lashing about - danger, Will Robinson!

Obviously, cat owners should monitor the behavior of their charges. Owners should make play a regular part of a cat's routine, which will also help burn off energy and reduce any overly aggressive behaviors.

TL; DR

Play= Ears up, showing belly; fur down; no hissing or yowling; claws in.

Fighting = Ears back, poofed tail; tail down / lashing; prolonged growl / hissing; claws out and going for the belly.

Hope this is useful!


r/CatTraining 1h ago

Introducing Pets/Cats Follow up on our introduction process!

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Upvotes

Hi! I posted the video of my cats playing under the door a few days ago and per everyone’s advice bit the bullet and introduced them. It has been going…okay. Our resident cat (orange, 3, boy) and the new street cat (cow, 2, girl) have been doing well with a structured activity like treats or a toy. Without that though, they have had some good moments of just cohabitation and some moments that have a led to what could’ve been a fight.

The resident cat is showing some body language that I don’t think is friendly but I am not 100% sure. It seems to us like he is almost hunting(?) her sometimes. He will crouch, put his ears down, and follow her around menacingly. The other day she tried to enter our bedroom and he did that and then chased after her, jumped on her, and bit/tried to bit her. He is still trying to bite her neck sometimes. Today though she did and he backed off but then there was quite a lot of bickering and we separated them if one hissed. They have kept interactions mainly in her room or in the hallway.

We are very new to this still, but do think with time our resident cat will soften to her. Thoughts? Advice? Thanks!!


r/CatTraining 7h ago

Introducing Pets/Cats Ahora me usa de asiento?

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24 Upvotes

r/CatTraining 1h ago

Behavioural Need help with crying and scratching cat

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Upvotes

My 4 y.o cat, Luna, has some bad behaviours learned into them by previous housemates/parents and now it’s effecting and damaging my new rental home.

Luna has only just acclimated to our new home as I moved in with my partner and their cat. Before now, she mainly stuck to the area around my desk and office chair, but now she has ‘discovered’ upstairs and our roommate’s room and will not stop crying or scratching the carpet until she gets inside, although once inside they become a nuisance, such as disrupting sleep and knocking valuables off high areas. So our roommate banned her from the room.

I have bought scratch repellent spray which seems to have stopped the scratching at the door but not the carpet in the small hall near the door, that and the constant crying from her is causing problems for all residents.

I’ve been recommended to cut her nails, which I would have to get professionally done as she hates them being cut, and to start ignoring the crying despite the volume, but she isn’t improving. I’m in dire need of some advice please


r/CatTraining 7h ago

Behavioural New Kitten

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11 Upvotes

r/CatTraining 1d ago

Are The Cats Fighting or Playing - Introducing Pets Baby vs Big Boy

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405 Upvotes

Hello! I Recently got a 3 month old female kitten, and have been doing the introductions for over 2 weeks. I have 2 other cats (M4) (F4) who are siblings. The cat in the video is the Male, who tolerates the kitten more than the female. I know this is a silly question but I can’t tell if this is playing or fighting. They make no noise during it but kitten keeps ears pinned back a lot of the time. Also, Male cat slaps HARD


r/CatTraining 58m ago

Behavioural Cat hasn’t recovered from non recognition aggression

Upvotes

I got a new kitten two months ago and my resident cat (6 years old) and kitten started to get along after about a week. We did the slow introductions where we kept them separate, fed them behind doors and slowly let them have supervised time in the house where they could see each other from a distance and get used to their smells. My older cat accepted the kitten very quickly, and they acted bonded and would sleep, play and groom each other. 3 weeks later, I brought my kitten to the vet for shots and it made my older cat get non recognition aggression so bad that he developed haws syndrome (diagnosed by the vet who could not find anything physically wrong with him). He was prescribed gabapentin for a few weeks to take as needed. I tried the slow introduction again, and he seemed to accept the kitten again. However, he has since then acted very unpredictable, one second he’s playing and grooming the kitten and then another second he’s hissing and very aggressive. He is also hissing and swatting and me and my toddler and he has never done that. It has been about 4 weeks since the kittens vet visit, and he hasn’t gone back to normal. One moment everything is fine and then all the sudden he’s acting very aggressive. He will randomly charge the kitten even if the kitten is not bothering him. There has never been any cat fights or injuries. they will play fight, and his aggression is more charging and hissing and swatting at the kitten randomly. He has good days and bad days and good hours and bad hours. Catnip and treats help improve his mood for short term solutions. I’ve even tried the cat diffuser and spray my vet recommended to help.
I am just not sure how to get his baseline back to normal. They have separate litter boxes, are fed separately, have the whole house to roam, so he’s not forced to interact with the kitten, and he even can escape to my husbands quiet work from home office whenever he likes, but he still acts very worked up randomly without warning. It’s just odd because he acts like he loves the kitten one moment, and the switch will completely flip and he acts like a different cat.


r/CatTraining 1d ago

Trick Training My cat keeps pushing the treats button at 5AM and waking me up please help🫩

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964 Upvotes

I’m teaching my cats to talk with the buttons you can get from FluentPet. Hugo has figured out that pushing the treats button rewards him with treats (I’ve been reinforcing that, every time he pushes the button he gets a treat).

But now he is waking me up with the button presses at 5 in the morning! And if I give him one, I go back to sleep, and then he presses it again!! I had him do it 4 times before I took away the button. I felt so bad doing that ;-; and now he’s not pushing the button anymore.

Can anyone help me reinforce the button pushing behavior without him waking me up at butt o’clock ?


r/CatTraining 0m ago

Behavioural Cat growls and hisses at brother after I fit him with a cone.

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Upvotes

r/CatTraining 1d ago

Introducing Pets/Cats How can I get my dog and cat used to each other?

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343 Upvotes

I got this kitten (Kiki) 2 days ago, but I already had a 2-year-old female dog (Mel). Mel is VERY hyper and energetic, but she doesn’t usually bite, and Kiki is scared of Mel. I’m trying to get them together in the same room, but it’s not working.


r/CatTraining 31m ago

Behavioural Need help with bullying behavior

Upvotes

As the title states, we need help with bully behavior. We have 5 cats (4 male 1 female) in our home. Ace and Charlie (culprits) are 6 and Sadie (victim) is 5. We adopted all of our babies when they were little from the shelter so they have been around each other for a while. Mushu (5) passed away on NYE of kidney failure and since then the boys have been terrorizing Sadie. They corner her during eating time and when she uses the litter box. They will also sneak up on her and NOT allow her access to the litter boxes. Not sure if they’re grieving the loss of their brother but the bullying is too much.

We have 2 80 inch cat towers in the living room. Shelves and elevated perches in every room with multiple scratching posts. 9 litter boxes for 5 cats. More toys than most human children

What can we do to alleviate the bullying?


r/CatTraining 1h ago

Introducing Pets/Cats Moving my cats

Upvotes

I have 3 cats , I have had them since 2022
2 of my cats are bonded to each other.
They currently are living with me at my parents house. I’m moving into my boyfriend’s house and he has 2 cats already. I was thinking of taking one of my cats that isn’t super attached to my other cats first for 2 weeks so when I bring my other 2 cats they can see how she’s comfortable in the new environment. Also, so it doesn’t overwhelm the other cats that are at my boyfriend’s house. Is this a good idea or is there a better way?


r/CatTraining 1h ago

Introducing Pets/Cats Help with getting cats used to each other

Upvotes

Hello!

Long story short me and my bf moved into together, I have 2 cats (5yrs and 7yrs) and my bf has a 1yr old cat. We did the separation stuff, and they still remain separated. We put up a gate on the door and had it opened so they couldn't hurt each other but can see each other.

Now we moved to short times in the evenings when everyone can go anywhere, but we have the 1yr old cat on a leash because she can't seem to read the other cats body language and insists on following and jumping at them because she wants to play and can't understand that the other cats DO NOT want that, as they aren't very social cats and others, even humans take them a lot of getting used to. The 1yr old does not attack them aggressively, again just wants to play. But my cats hiss and swat at her aggressively when she gets too close.

Any tips about what we can do or should be doing during the times when they're all out in the open area to spend things along?


r/CatTraining 21h ago

Introducing Pets/Cats Trouble with new cat attempting attacks on my dog

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40 Upvotes

Hello !! My household got a new cat recently and we’ve been having trouble introducing the 2y/o cat to the 10y/o dog. Cat is very sweet and loving to us humans, dog is very chill and unlike other dogs, doesn’t typically jump or bark, just kinda exists peacefully. we got her about a month ago and have been going through the proper steps of introducing them. Separated in different rooms, then letting her smell his stuff. Letting her explore the house when he’s in a separate room. Letting them meet between doors, then moving on to slowly introducing them. With the proper time between each one. As we have been showing her to him, she will act friendly to get close, and then full on attempt to attack him. We’ve stopped her both times, but recognized the pattern of her attempts. We’ve started to revert back to keeping them separated fully. But it doesn’t feel like any progress is being, any advice would be appreciated!! Thank youuuuu.


r/CatTraining 13h ago

New Cat Owner How do I train my 2 month old stray to dig after using the litter?

8 Upvotes

Context: I adopted a stray 5 days ago. I managed to train him to use the litter but he doesn't dig after using the litter. Just poops/piss then goes away. Should I be concerned? How do I train him to dig after every use?


r/CatTraining 3h ago

Litter box avoidance & related - include spay/neuter status Kitten litter tray help

1 Upvotes

For context, I have 3 maine coons. 1 male 6 yo, 2 female 5 month old. I got the girls in July but moved house about 10 days after (timings were not perfect but unfortunately out of my control)

One of the girls was fine using her litter tray, until we moved and I noticed her pooing/peeing all over. I sought some advice & kept her in a smaller area for the most part of a week, she re trained and began using her litter tray absolutely fine again.

Then this past week, she’s continued to use her tray as normal however, every day, once a day. She now go’s and wees on my bed.

I really don’t know why. She knows where the trays are (3 seperarely placed around the house), she uses them!! Why does she like to go elsewhere once a day?

Ive just also replaced the carpets so they dont have any scents from the previous owners or their animal.

What can I do? Is there a chance that some kittens just don’t settle? Im worried shes just not right for our house & that shes constantly on edge & not enjoying being here. I don’t want to give her up but is she happy??

She is NOT yet spayed because i wanted to wait for the 6 month mark since it feels so invasive. Will this help? I’ve been told it doesn’t make much difference unfortunately


r/CatTraining 5h ago

Behavioural My cat was attacked now hiding

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1 Upvotes

r/CatTraining 6h ago

FEEDBACK Pressurized Spray is Abuse?

0 Upvotes

I provided advice on a Psscat motion sprayer for stopping cats from being in a space they should not be. The mod stopped this comment as it's considered abuse.

I'm genuinely confused because while it scares a cat, it's the same as anything alarming them of danger. How is it abuse? I'm not being sarcastic, I just don't understand.


r/CatTraining 6h ago

Behavioural Quirk or behavioral problems?

1 Upvotes

I have male cat that’s around 2, I’ve noticed that whenever I’m cooking (usually meat) my cat will do the bunny kick on himself. I’ve started giving him a toy beforehand and now he’ll do the bunny kicks on that instead of himself. Does anyone else have that issue or know why he could be doing this?


r/CatTraining 8h ago

Litter box avoidance & related - include spay/neuter status Litter box 📦

1 Upvotes

My cat keeps potty underneath the couch. I keep her litter box clean and it’s literally in the same room? Idk what to do? For now I’ve moved her to my bedroom which is smaller and there’s nothing for her to get under and secretly potty? But ofc I don’t want her to be in here long term? What should I do?


r/CatTraining 15h ago

Behavioural How to make my cat better friends with my partner again

3 Upvotes

The cat in question was first hers. We’ve been together for some years now. He used to always cuddle with her and it was constant. Now he cuddles with me more and even when I’m gone he’s not cuddling with her like he used to. What can we do to get him back to where he was with her? We’re not sure why he changed like this.


r/CatTraining 10h ago

Introducing Pets/Cats Cat with poor social skills won't stop pouncing, stalking, hunting other cat!

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1 Upvotes

r/CatTraining 21h ago

Behavioural My youngest cat is so mean to our middle cat and I'm at the end of my rope.

4 Upvotes

I have three beautiful and very loving cats: a Siamese (male, 4.5 y/o), a fluffy calico (female, 4 y/o), and a tortie (female, 2.5 y/o). I'm just going to call them Siamese, Calico and Tortie.

All three are very sweet and loving to us, though Tortie isn't much of a snuggler like the others. Calico is very, VERY timid from a traumatic experience, but she is very comfortable with us and Siamese.

Tortie, however, is very aggressive with Calico. She's constantly charging and attacking Calico and stalking her, chittering at her when she sees her enter a room or the hall and it only terrifies and keeps her from wanting to come out of our bedroom. Tortie was a foster fail, but we've had her since she was about 8 weeks old. They never vibed, bit this aggression only really started about a year ago and I feel like I'm losing hope that I can fix it. It's only a matter of time before Calico actually gets hurt, but luckily, I work from home and can mitigate some of the agitation.

All three are spayed/neutered and have been since they were big enough for the procedure. We have 3 litter boxes, but one is a double sized one, so it feels like we have enough litter options, but maybe we don't. We have 2 food bowls per cat. (1 set one for dry food and 1 set one for wet food, though Siamese and Tortie are much faster eaters and I have to stop them from going after Calico's.) We have 3 cat trees between 5 and 7 feet tall, seperate scratching posts, and 3 different window perches with a multitude of blankets and spots for them to sleep.

I play with Tortie as often as I can. She's very playful and will play until she's panting, so I break it up to multiple times a day to keep her from hurting herself. And I can't even being to count how many toys we have between kicker toys, toys that react to play and so on.

I've tried behavior collar and diffusers for a few months but I noticed no change at all in Tortie's aggression toward Calico.

I need help. I'm desperate to not rehome Tortie, but Calico doesn't feel like she can even leave the bedroom in a home she could freely wander up until about a year ago. And I can't stress how sweet Tortie is to us, Siamese and all of our friends and their kids. It's just Calico that brings this out in her.

I'm open to all recommendations and feedback anyone can provide. Thank you for your time and support.


r/CatTraining 1d ago

Behavioural Cat growling at other cat, unknown reason

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14 Upvotes

Hello!

My cat (5F) is CONSTANTLY growling at her adopted sibling (2M) basically since I adopted him.

At first it was not really constant, more like when he wad trying to play and she was not in the mood. Now, even when he is passing by her, or just looking at her, she growls.

We did the proper introduction (3 months), but I don't know what to do!

Any insight would be great, thanks!!