How do you discipline a cat that has been abused without harming him/her?

A

addicted2candi

New member
Basically I've adopted a 6 month old cat from the RSPCA that has suffered from cruel treatment. I don't know the exact circumstances (the RSPCA aren't entirely sure) but he was starved and neglected, and possibly physically abused. His last owner is now in jail.
My cat is terrified over the slightest thing. He hid under a chair for days but 2 weeks later he's much better. However, he does things like scratch the sofa, curtains, attacks my laptop wire. How do I stop him doing these things without scaring him? I've been gently pushing him back when and saying "No" firmly without shouting, but I don't think this is actually having an effect. I'd rather deal with the damage that frighten him considering what he's been through, but any advice would be much appreciated!
Yes, I have a scratch post. He also likes to destroy toilet rolls and shred them, dragging them all over the house, although I have to admit I find this too funny to really be mad about! I'll def give the water a try as I'm always catching him in the act. He really is a little cutie when he's not being naughty!
Yes, he has lots of toys... different types of balls and string... he has free reign of the house and can go where he wants so I don't think it's boredom! He also has lots of attention from everyone, though it's hard as he does get frightened easily.

I'm not going to give him less to eat... that's not the way to deal with a cat that has been seriously underfed! He has a normal amount of food a day and he does get treats when he's good.
 
As someone already said, it is just as important to reward their good behaviour as it is to scold the bad.
In the wild, if a kitten misbehaves, the mother will scold it and then walk away and ignore the kitten. If they crave one thing it's attention, so don't give them any. Tell them off with a firm "No", then walk away and ignore them for a while. You can step up the treatment with a sharp clap of the hands and an even firmer "no". When they do something right, give them lots of attention and praise.
I would hold off the water spray treatment only as a last resort, given the cats history. If you do need to use it, make sure it's a fine mist, not a jet of water, and don't squirt it directly at the animals face, that can be really distressing for the cat.
The main thing with these punishments is that they have to be done the moment the cat misbehaves, not 30 seconds or more later. It has to associate the action with the immediate unpleasant reaction, so you'd need your little spray bottle at hand immediately. I used to keep a bottle in each room for that reason. I have to say though, although my cat is better behaved now, it didn't stop him misbehaving altogether, but when I reach for the water bottle, the cat understands, and he's out of there before I've even had a chance to point it at him. In time I'm sure my cat will eventually grow out of his delinquency, he is only a year old. He also enjoys tearing up paper and spitting it out, so any important documents have to be kept out his way. I call it post-modern paper deconstruction.
 
That is easy! My cat, Doris, was abused (we think) but she scratched us all the time. I knew she loved our attention, so I said, No, No, No! harshly while pointing my finger at her, then I refused to give her any attention for a while. The point here is, find their "weakness" and use it. Just remember, NEVER use the spray bottle. Cats hate it and I think it's cruel.
 
As others have posted, the water gun is the best deterrent. There is no need to soak him...one good squirt is usually enough. When you squirt him, make a sharp sound or say HEY or NO loudly. After several times, the sound should be enough and you can do away with the water.
 
You could use a little squirt gun/water spray, cats hate water and it isn't mean or cruel.

I used this to stop my cat jumping up on the work tops, it worked.
 
Have you got a scratching post? You need to reward him for good behaviour - using treats, toys, fuss whatever seems to work. There's no harm in saying no, and moving him away from things as you are. If you keep doing it he should get the message eventually.Also, at 6 months he's still young so he'll calm down a bit with age,
 
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