Norwegian Forest Cat

　　Cats are very difficult to train, and owners may easily lose patience during the training process, which can cause irreversible harm to the cat. Therefore, training cats requires attention to the following six principles.

　　1. Never Use Violence

　　Forcing a cat to drink by holding its nose is a notorious violent example; never do this! This action causes severe harm to the cat and can lead to urinary incontinence. Also, do not hit the cat with newspapers or other light objects. It will remember this and run away as soon as it sees you. If punishment is necessary, such as forbidding the cat on the dining table, and it jumps up, you must not stand there smiling. You must clearly say "No!" Drive it down or spray it with a garden spray bottle to show clearly that something is forbidden. If the cat scratches your hand, you can yowl in a cat-like manner. You might find it funny, but this is a clear and unmistakable signal meaning "Enough!"

　　2. Intervene Immediately When It Does Something Bad

　　If time has passed, punishing the cat is completely meaningless. The cat will not understand why its owner is so angry. This can make the cat uneasy and unsure how to interact with people, potentially leading to other bad habits such as being untidy, unhygienic, or scratching everywhere.

　　3. Praise As Often As Possible

　　Only after praise will positive effects follow. Praise truly carries constructive meaning and strengthens its effect. Even if it’s not immediately effective, at least it won’t have negative effects later on. Using praise, rewards, and encouragement has been very successful in adjusting cats’ behavior. Unfortunately, most cat owners often neglect praising their cats. For example, when the cat urinates properly, uses the scratching post, learns to sleep or eat in its basket, or remains quiet in the car, timely praise should be given.

　　If you want to teach cats special skills, it can only be done through reinforced positive education, completely giving up punishment and disapproving remarks. Of course, improper demands by cats can be completely ignored, but bad habits must not be overlooked. If a cat often tears apart flowers in a vase and one time it doesn’t, try not to praise it at that moment.

　　4. Be Consistent

　　Exceptions are always humane, but cats may feel confused. Without consistency, a single exception might lead to the cat acting according to its own will rather than the owner’s. Show your dissatisfaction, but do not shout at the cat.

　　5. Maintain Distance

　　If loudly saying "No" or similar methods cannot change bad habits, deterrence therapy can be used—that is, startling the cat when it misbehaves, for example, with a sudden popping mouse trap or a sharp whistle. But don’t let the cat feel that the owner is the mastermind behind the scare. This can happen at any time. Therefore, the fifth principle is that if you want to use deterrence therapy to correct the cat’s bad habits, you must stay out of the way.

　　6. Patience, Time, and Willpower

　　If you want to change the cat or help it adapt to something it fears, you must have great patience and give the cat time. Once it shows a little courage, immediately praise and encourage it. Don’t mind setbacks and especially don’t show anger toward it. Therefore, the sixth principle is to have enough patience, time, and strong will!(Source：PetsZone)