Q: Do cats respond to training?

A: Yes, training a cat is not as frustrating as most cat owners imagine it is. Cats may not be as attentive to training as Rover or Spot are but they are trainable. Tasty treats offered as positive reinforcement is definitely the best method to successful cat training.

Q: Why and how do kitties make a purring sound?

A: Adult cats purr because they are happy and contented and to play on the emotions of humans — Can you resist a purring cat? Kittens purr in response to their mother cat’s purr to help bond them. It is mostly assumed that the purring is a vibration of the voice-box as air is pushed though it. It is also believed that purring is a voluntary action.

Q: What makes certain folks 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 a reaction because their immune system is attempting to attack the enemy protein and creates histamines.

Q: How do you stop bad cat behavior such as biting?

A: The best way to stop naughty 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 should do this at the time of the bad behavior.

Q: How do you litter train a cat?

A: You really shouldn’t have to do any training for a cat to make use of 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 go to 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 the kitchen table?

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