Q: Are cats trainable?

A: Yes, cat training is not as hard as some folks assume it is. Kitties probably are not as attentive to training as Fido or Rover are but they can be trained. Food rewards given as positive reinforcement is certainly the best route to successful cat training.

Q: Why and how do kittens purr?

A: Grown kitties purr because they are happy and contented and to manipulate humans — Can you resist a purring kitty? Kittens purr in answer to their mother cat’s purr to assist in bonding them. It is widely theorized 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: Why are the reasons quite a few cat owners are allergic to cats?

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

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

A: The best way to halt 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 need to do this at the time of the undesirable behavior.

Q: How do you litter train a cat?

A: You really shouldn’t be required to do any training for a cat to make use of a litter box, but if your adult cat has begun to avoid the litter pan you need to determine the cause. 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 counter?

A: This is the most asked about cat behavior issues and can be a challenging one. Cats like high perches and they can find food or food odors on counters and tables. It is best to keep the surfaces clean and to use something like foil or double sided tape to keep cats off the counters.