Cats have a reputation for being aloof, distant and unflappable. So how do you reprimand your cat when they have done something wrong?

In normal circumstances, you should rarely have to reprimand your cat. The common cat issues of clawing, spraying, meowing and going to the bathroom where they're not supposed to, can and should be dealt with by immediate training. Sometimes gentle discipline needs to be part of training.

If your cat has developed new and unwanted behaviour, try to understand why. If, for example, your cat has started urinating outside the litter box, the issue is as likely to be medical as behavioural. Your cat may have a urinary blockage or urinary infection.

Similarly, a cat that has suddenly started clawing at window frames may be responding to some new stress in their life. They may be marking territory to warn off an outdoor cat they have seen outside the window or might simply be stressed by an overcrowded house. If you can eliminate or adjust the root cause of the behaviour, you'll never need to discipline your cat.

Spraying

One of the most effective ways to reprimand a cat is with a spray bottle. Most cats hate getting wet and the sudden shock of cold water combined with the sound of the spray gun will startle them.

It is important to be consistent with a reprimand if you wish to change behaviour. The important thing to remember is that it's only useful or fair to reprimand your cat if you catch them in the act of misbehaving or immediately afterwards. If you find faeces your cat left on the floor an hour ago, there's no point in punishing them for it. Even if you bring the cat to the mess, they won't be able to make the association between the reprimand and the behaviour you're punishing them for.