Cats can associate negative experiences with events, but they do not learn rules or specific behaviors from punishment the way people hope they will. Their learning window is only a couple of seconds, so anything aversive that happens after that just feels random to them. What they actually learn is that the person or place involved is unsafe, not that the behavior was wrong.
That is why punishment often leads to fear, hiding, aggression, or avoidance instead of fixing the problem. It damages trust faster than it changes behavior.
Positive reinforcement, environmental management, and redirection work far better because they match how cats naturally learn. Reward the behavior you want, set up the environment so the unwanted behavior is less appealing, and guide them toward better choices.
In practical terms, aversive training with cats is almost always counterproductive. Positive methods are both more effective and more humane.
Cat shrink, can you explain why my cat screams all goddamn day while I’m trying to work? He doesn’t want held. He doesn’t have an empty dish. He can reach his many toys. He’s healthy. He’s comfortable. He won’t shut the fuck up.
I get off work and leave the office and he’s no longer screaming. Doesn’t need me or anything.
Does eye contact shut him up? Cats use eye contact as a primary communication mode, and meowing to communicate with humans, he might be conditioned to think the meowing gets the eye contact he wants.
Or, he’s just an asshole, lots of cats are assholes too.
No effect at all.
He’s telling you your job is bad for your mental health? 😂 idk
I mean he’s not wrong but I have to work so he can eat.
I did that once, instantly felt terrible, and spent 150$ on cat toys, treats, and scratching posts for him to tell him that I was sorry. He has now learned that if he does something naughty I will treat him like a king
How DARE
I’ve never once had a cat who cared about verbal excoriation. Mine will only stop doing naughty things if you get up and approach them, then as soon as you sit back down they’re back to doing it again.
“This is a safe space. You are not welcome here.”
Removed by mod
Ahh, classic “here is a picture of cat(s) with made up caption”. It’s funny, but it definitely did not happen.
Nothing ever happens.
Lmao, I get one comment saying of course it’s fake and another suggesting it’s obviously real.
It makes the most sense that somebody saw this image and thought it looked like the given caption. It’s a funny personification, but almost definitely not real. I think it would have been just as funny if they prefaced the text with “it looks like…”. But in the grand scheme of the world, lying on cat posts is by far the lowest on the list of concerns. But then again, so is my comment pointing out they lied.
