We put our animals in their crate when they do something bad. They understand. Now if they poop on the floor they will go, tail tucked under, to their crate by themselves. However, an animal will probably only remember why it is being punished for around 30 seconds. Therefore it should only be punished for no longer than 1 minute.

punishment is not an affective method.

i live by science and science has proven positive reinforcment and behavior analysis to be proper and affective methods.

anything else is useless.

I realize your a experienced cat owner and probably don't need any advice but I wonder if you had ever thought about the fact that if you are viewed as her only "parent" or mommy cat when you tap her on the nose you are telling her it is a way of communicating. If you point your finger when you scold you are doing the same thing. LOL we all do that one.

Perhaps meowing at her in a special way when you feed her and when she wants to get your attention when you are sleeping, try a special "Alert" meow before she raises her paw and give her a treat and get up and see what she wants. The first time she uses the "Alert" to get you up, make the biggest fuss and give her "tuna" or something really special.

You don't want to train her that getting you up will get her "tuna" LOL but you want to reinforce her using her voice to "tell" you what her wishes are.

Although positive enforcement works best, negative also works. If you shock a mouse enough times when it does something, it eventually gets the message and stops doing said thing. They're both relatively effective seeing as both are conditioning.

Joandboys, I do agree with reinforcing her speaking. She's been doing this more often and I've been understanding her language and idioms more. Although I'm not one to meow at my cat, we do have messages we give to get certain reactions. She tells me now, quite verbally, when she does not want to be petted. When she wants food, she just runs around like a crazy animal until we get up and feed her. And when she wants to go to potty when we're downstairs, she does the cutest thing. She actually come up to where we're sitting, puts her paws around out arm, and tugs. It's so cute. When I get up from the chair, she runs to the upstairs door and I let her into our room.

She's doing a lot better really, now that we understand her a little more. Or rather, there's a mutual understanding. She doesn't bite our toes at night, and we don't pet her when she's being fussy.

I do find that I am guilty of parenting my animals as I do my kids. It has worked with both positive and negative reinforcement and as time went by, only positive. I'm glad to know she's getting better though

Ugh! I don't know what has gotten into her but for the past two days she's being very naughty. We have this window downstairs that's above the couch, flush with the ceiling (a little basement window). There's a plant on there that she keeps trying to get. Gr! Yesterday every time I yelled at her she wouldn't listen. When I sprayed her with a water bottle she actually hissed at me!!! I couldn't believe it! She didn't run, just stood her ground, hissed, then went for the plant again.

Gr... I'm hoping with enough enforcement she'll forget about the plant again. But she's being very defiant! I had to spray her 7 times that day before she finally got the message and associated with climbing the drapes with the spraying with water...

She's also gone back to her hissing and snarling when I pick her up. I can't carry her like a normal cat. I either have to carry her like a baby on her back, or just carry her with both hands around her waist. Otherwise she goes for my face.

Do you think she has single cat syndrome?

Linky!

http://www.thecattherapist.com/behavior_problems/single_cat.htm

You know, I do believe in that. I absolutely think she treats us like she would a cat, cause I'm the only mommy she knows. I would get another cat in a heartbeat if I could. But we live in a bedroom in our in-laws house with a bunch of people. Complicated situation.

I would soooo take one of my cats that my parents are taking care of, but 1. She loves the great open door country atmosphere of where she lives now and I would hate to stiffle her, 2. She loves Thomas (one of the other cats), and 3. The above reason.

=( *sigh* I hope we can move out soon if that is the case. I hate to have her be so lonely and not be able to play the way she wants to because we're humans and it just doesn't work that way... I just got a job here though. We were going to move out asap this summer with my parents and get situated there (it's out of NYC, easier to get an apartment. $650 for a 3 bedroom!!!) but when I got the job offer, I decided to stay until I can transfer and hopefully finish up college..

Enough of my rambling.

Thanks for that thought. I'm surprised I didn't think of that sooner. It makes a whole lot of sense!

At this point, I'm not sure if another cat will help her. Chai has been hissing like a mad woman. =/ At times I can't even come within 2 feet of her without her hissing at me.

I tell her "no!" she hisses at me. I spray her with water, she ignores me and continues doing what she's doing. If I go to grab her, she hisses at me.

It's like this is her house, and she thinks she can do whatever the heck she wants, and to hell with the rest of us. =/

I don't know what to do. She's like a ungrateful child whom you feed everyday, give shelter, love, and then basically says F U and leaves the house. Except she ain't leaving, and still wants food and shelter. I can't punish her, because she won't be submissive. I can't even condition her with anything negative or positive, she won't take treats and doesn't care about being sprayed!!

I keep thinking if we got our own place to live, things would be different. I could get another cat, and she could run around wherever she pleases inside the house. But I'm not so sure with the way she is now..