Does a Cat Really Submit to Being Beaten? A Surprising

When we talk about "submitting" a cat, we're essentially referring to the idea of making a feline bow down to your authority. But let me tell you something with a heavy heart: What kind of daydream are you living in? You're often disciplined by your parents, yet you've never become a meek and mild creature. How can you expect a cat to submit just by hitting it?

Suppose "submitting" means correcting a cat's bad habits, like biting or scratching. In such cases, "hitting" can be seen as a form of punishment—a negative one. However, if used correctly, it can have its effects.

Below, I'll discuss how to use "hitting" as a skillful tool to make a cat "submit." But is there a better way to achieve this without resorting to negative punishment? How can you do it?

How to Properly "Hit" a Cat

Many people have a flawed understanding of "hitting" as an educational method. Some hit too hard, leaving the cat with a lasting psychological scar, causing it to keep its distance. Others hit too lightly, as if it's just tickling the cat. And sometimes, the timing is all wrong; the cat has made a mistake, but you only address it after a long time has passed. In the cat's eyes, who's the疯子 (crazy person)?

Before I teach you how to "hit" a cat, remember: hitting a cat is an educational tool, not a way for you to vent your anger or unleash your inner brute. If you hit your cat to vent your emotions or express your violent nature, you're not just being cruel; you're also acting against your humanity. Let's not be too harsh, but let's be clear.

Here are the proper methods and techniques for "hitting" a cat:

① Timeliness: If a cat makes a mistake, punish it immediately. Don't wait for minutes, let alone seconds. After a few seconds, the cat will see your punishment as senseless and capricious, like a weather vane that changes with the wind.

② Appropriate Strength: Don't hit too hard or too lightly. When you pat the cat, it should feel like you're patting your own hand, with a slight sting. Never hammer the cat; that's animal cruelty!

③ Proper Location: Generally, I teach cats by hitting the base of their hind legs, near their tails. Even if you don't control the strength well, they won't be hurt. If the cat is biting, tap its mouth, not its nose.

④ Repair the Relationship: Half an hour later, you can go and make amends with treats or toys, because some cats can hold a grudge. You need to learn to show your affection proactively.

After discussing the proper techniques for "hitting" a cat, I must say that I strongly discourage this form of punishment!

Why I Don't Recommend Using "Hitting" as an Educational Method

People often say, "You can't teach a child without a rod," but cats are not the same as humans. The smartest cat is only as intelligent as a three or fouryearold child. If you only use "hitting" as an educational tool, the cat you raise might be like this:

① Shy and Insecure: Scared of people, even very scared, and an insecure cat that shies away from affection. You'll also lose its trust, as it never knows when it might be hit. Goodbye, cuddly companion.

② Longterm highpressure environment, stress accumulation, may lead to subhealth or illness in cats.

③ Fear and even aggressive behavior.

④ When you're not around, the cat may not change its bad habits. It might still urinate or scratch furniture, or even attack people.

We keep cats because we want to build a deep emotional connection with them, not just to have a pet without any emotional connection. So, when educating a cat, we can use better methods: positive reinforcement as the main approach, with punishment used only occasionally and as a supplementary method.

How to Properly Educate

Positive reinforcement should be the main approach, with punishment used only occasionally and as a supplementary method. Some mistakes can be corrected with positive reinforcement, while others may require punishment, but the punishment should not involve violence.

One: Positive Reinforcement

Reinforcement involves increasing something that the animal desires to increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring. This is suitable for correcting a cat's bad habits, such as excessive meowing or disturbing you while you work, or for training skills like coming when called, shaking hands, sitting, lying down, or even sliding on a skateboard.

Example 1: How to Correct the Cat's Habit of Disturbing You While You Work

Scenario: When the cat comes to disturb you, pawing at you or sitting in front of you to hinder your work.

Step 1: Suppress the urge to touch it or talk to it.

Step 2: Move away from the cat and remain quiet, not allowing it to touch you.

Step 3: Move your work materials to the side and observe if the cat will follow.

Step 4: If the cat follows, repeat the above steps.

Step 5: If the cat doesn't follow, as soon as it sits quietly and stops disturbing you, start petting it immediately. The frequency should be high at first, so the cat can be rewarded for sitting and maintaining the sitting position.

Step 6: Gradually increase the intervals between petting, so the cat can learn to sit quietly and maintain the sitting position for longer periods.

Example 2: Training the Cat to Come When Called

① Start with training the cat to sit. When the cat sits, give it a treat and then walk a few steps away. If it wants the treat, it will follow. If it sits down again, give it another treat.

② As the cat continues to perform successfully, increase the distance you walk away, until you can ensure that it will still follow you even if you're a few steps away.

③ When it can consistently come to you and sit down, add a command. When it finishes eating the treat from the previous stage of training and is ready to follow you, say the command: "Cat, come here."

④ The next step is to increase the distance it has to run to come to you, such as across a room.

Two: Nonviolent Punishment Methods

Nonviolent punishment involves removing something that the animal desires to reduce the occurrence of a behavior.

For example: When the cat paws at you to get something, simply move the treat away as soon as it raises its paw, signaling to the cat that pawing is not the way to get treats.

Or, when the cat treats your hand as prey, just walk away and leave the cat there, letting it get bored. When the cat calms down, play with a laser pointer to show it that the laser pointer is the "prey," not your hand.

Lastly, remember this when educating your cat: Humans use language and conversation to communicate, while animals rely on body language or positive or negative outcomes. Therefore, when training our cats, we must understand our body language better than our words. We must also observe the cat's body language.