Keeping cats is a hobby that can cultivate one's temperament and also provide a companion for fun and entertainment during boring times. However, although raising cats has many benefits, if not done properly and disturbing others, the consequences may not be optimistic. Recently in Guangdong, there was an incident where a woman’s cat scratched her roommate, and in anger, the roommate killed the cat. Although killing and abusing cats certainly deserves condemnation, I think if the cat behaved properly, it would not have encountered so many misfortunes and been disliked by people. Therefore, while denouncing such acts, we should also pay attention to the upbringing and training of our cats.

　　Cats disturbing neighbors mainly manifest in several ways: first, annoying noises, especially the calls during the heat period, which are comparable to pig slaughter screams. Another aspect is injury – cats scratching people while playing without knowing their strength; some sensitive people may want to retaliate. Other issues include odor – some owners neglect cleaning the cats, causing strong smells in the house which spread to neighbors’ homes during summer heat, causing conflicts and neighborhood disharmony, which in turn harms cats. Of course, these are all minor details that can be avoided if owners train their cats properly.

　　1. What to do about cats meowing excessively?

　　Every spring and autumn, we often hear stray cats in residential areas calling at night, loudly disturbing people’s sleep. This is a normal physiological response of cats. To change this habit of staying awake at night, owners need to put in extra effort in care. For example, gradually train cats from a young age to adapt to human life habits. Also, arrange more activities for pet cats during the day, such as playing with toys and exercising, to help expend their energy. This way, cats will be exhausted by night and only want to sleep. This training method is a long-term process and may not show obvious results immediately, but as long as owners persist, cats will adjust according to their owners’ schedule.

　　2. What to do about cats injuring people?

　　This issue also requires educating cats from a young age. The solution is to buy toys for cats, such as scratching carpet sets, hanging balls, moving toy mice, etc., so cats can play until tired and won’t have the energy to scratch you. Additionally, owners should regularly trim cats’ nails to prevent accidental scratching or injuries.

　　Other methods include pretending to be hurt, which is effective: when the cat scratches you, loudly cry out in pain, then ignore the cat and don’t play with it. Most cats dislike hurting their owners, so noticing your unhappiness, they will be more careful and avoid biting or scratching painfully. Or simply ignore the cat so it realizes that playing too wildly upsets the owner.

　　3. What to do about strong cat odors?

　　This is especially important, as many neighborhood disputes stem from pet odors. Generally, timely cleaning of cat waste is crucial.

　　1. Clean cat feces promptly and change all cat litter regularly

　　To avoid odors in summer, cat litter boxes must be cleaned frequently, especially in multi-cat households, where cleaning two to three times a day is essential. Not only should waste be removed daily, but the cat litter should be thoroughly replaced at least once a week, and the litter box disinfected. This not only eliminates odors but also effectively prevents bacterial growth, keeping the cat litter clean and dry.

　　2. Replace with a closed litter box

　　If it’s not possible to clean the litter box several times a day, owners can switch to a sealed litter box, which effectively traps odors inside.

　　You can also use deodorizing powders made for cats, sprinkling them on the litter to effectively remove the smell of cat feces.

　　4. Issues with free-roaming cats

　　Besides the above points, some families like to let their cats roam in green areas. These cats run everywhere once outside, destroying the environment and are prone to fleas and diseases, severely impacting nearby residents’ lives and causing strong complaints. This is an important issue to note. While free roaming may be good for a cat’s nature, the outside world undoubtedly contains many dangers that threaten the cat’s safety.

　　Pet-caused neighborhood disturbances are one of the uncivilized behaviors most strongly complained about by citizens and widely discussed by the public. Eliminating these uncivilized behaviors requires not only individual responsibility but also clear laws, regulations, and standards for penalties to give law enforcement a basis for action. This also strengthens the restraint on illegal pet-keeping behaviors.