Do you wake up to noise at 3am?
A vase is broken, curtains are torn down, and a cat is washing itself innocently on the windowsill? This is not an accident - it is revenge.
And most often the reason is that you are breaking her “cat rules”.
For example, you touch her belly too often. For people, this is a gesture of affection, but for cats, it is an invasion of personal space. She tolerates it for a minute or two, and then runs away and tears the wallpaper in revenge.
But the main secret of cat revenge is the tray. If you use scented filler with a chemical smell, wash the tray with bleach or abruptly change its location, the pet begins to panic.
Cats mark their territory with scent, and when it disappears, they feel defenseless.
The result is puddles in your shoes or on your bed. To avoid this, wash the litter box without harsh chemicals (regular soap will do) and leave some of the old litter when replacing it.
Another reason for night concerts is boredom. Cats are predators, they need to hunt. If you do not play with your pet during the day, it will run around the apartment at night, sweeping away everything in its path.
Buy a teaser rod and spend 15 minutes in the evening on active games. After such a "hunt" the cat will get tired and sleep until the morning.
And if she still wakes you up, don't feed her right away - that will reinforce bad behavior. It's better to ignore the antics and reward silence with a treat in the morning.
And remember: yelling and punishing will only make the problem worse. Cats don't connect your anger with their actions - they just become afraid of you.
If your pet has torn up your sofa, spray the area with citrus spray (cats hate the smell) and put a scratching post nearby. And to stop your cat from jumping on the table, lay out some foil — its rustling will scare off the offender.
Author: Valeria Kisternaya