Training and disciplining are essential for cats, but sometimes the results are not ideal. This may be due to communication problems with the cat. To train a cat, you first need to understand it and know what it is thinking, thus increasing the possibility of successful discipline. However, because cats are less outgoing than dogs and rarely actively seek approval or show enthusiasm, cat owners often encounter obstacles when communicating with them. They don’t know if they’re doing the right thing, if the cats understand their meaning, or if the cats really care about them. Therefore, communicating with cats is not easy; it requires patience, gradual guidance, and of course, proper methods.

　　1. Build trust, eliminate domestic violence

　　As an owner, what you need to master and be proficient in is maintaining effective communication with your cat, providing the help it needs, letting it feel your love, and giving kind reminders and corrections when it makes mistakes. All communication must remain friendly, including scolding—finding the right balance is key. For example, you only need to let it know you dislike something it is doing and promptly stop and scold it during the act, briefly and without excess. Never resort to violence. One difference between cats and dogs is that the phrase "spare the rod, spoil the child" might apply to some dogs, but for cats, once punished physically, they will lose trust in humans due to fear and may develop personality changes. For self-protection, they may even exhibit more aggressive behaviors.

　　When we make mistakes unknowingly, we hope to be understood and treated kindly; even more so sensitive cats. Becoming someone they can trust and rely on is the first step we need to take. Only after building trust can communication and discipline become possible.

　　Cat body language is also an aspect we need to understand. Cats express themselves through their posture. Usually, you can use your intuition to judge the feelings and needs of a cat. A cat's satisfied posture is the easiest to recognize because it fully relaxes and squints its eyes. When relaxed, cats will stretch all limbs and continuously wave their paws. At this time, you can approach and gently scratch it, and it will lie on its back, allowing you to continue scratching. Sometimes, cats will knead and purr when satisfied. This is because when they were nursing, they needed to knead milk out.

　　2. Combine rewards and punishments, standardize your language first

　　So, should you still treat cats kindly or give treats when they do something wrong? Absolutely not. Kind treatment includes eliminating violence and corporal punishment, but it does not mean wrong behavior should be praised or rewarded. Do not overdo correction or spoil your cat excessively unless you want the cat to become your boss and obey it implicitly. Otherwise, when the cat makes mistakes, please promptly scold and correct it.

　　It’s best to choose scolding words that are easy to distinguish and remember, such as "No" or "Don’t." Family members should unify the words used to scold the cat. Don't let one person say "Don’t," the sister say "No," the mother say "Look what you did!" and the father say "Stop"—this will confuse the cat. "What’s going on? What does this family want to say?" Choose one or two words, raise your voice appropriately, and the cat will quickly understand your meaning and stop the wrong behavior.

　　After the cat makes a mistake, be patient in educating it. It’s not that a scolding today means leniency tomorrow. The same patient approach should be maintained at all times. If the person gives up halfway, all previous efforts are wasted. "Anyway, it will forgive me soon," then the cat will get out of control. Absolutely no corporal punishment. If you randomly hit the cat, it will fear the owner and develop a shy personality. Because a cat’s body is much smaller than a human’s, hitting may cause injury. Lastly, praise significantly when it behaves well. Although cats can’t understand words, they know the difference between scolding and praise in tone. When praised, their mood improves, enhancing the effectiveness of education.

　　3. When cats have emotions, first look for reasons in yourself

　　Come home and find the cat missing for a while? After searching, you find it hiding in the closet or under the bed, stubbornly refusing to come out, and it meows unhappily when it sees you? What is your first reaction? Do you immediately check if it did something wrong? Did it break a vase or scratch the sofa?

　　If it were a dog hiding and whimpering with its head down when you come home, you would indeed need to check if it misbehaved. But this does not necessarily apply to cats. If a cat hides or shows dissatisfaction when it sees you, the issue most likely lies with you. Don’t rush to defend yourself. This “problem” may seem trivial to humans but can be serious for sensitive cats. For example, if you invite a group of friends over, the loud noise and unfamiliar smells can make cats uncomfortable and resistant, causing them to hide. Or maybe you just had a haircut, and the cat runs away in fright—not because of the hairstyle but because the chemicals used for the haircut smell unpleasant to the cat, making it want to avoid the scent. While dogs are commonly used for drug detection, a cat’s sense of smell is also extremely sensitive. They can quickly identify strange, pungent, or disliked odors and respond promptly by hiding, running away, or protesting.

　　If you find unusual behavior in your cat and have excluded physical causes, you need to find the reason behind it. Simply scolding or correcting has no meaning because "he who unties the bell must be responsible." 

　　If the cat is truly disobedient, owners must stop spoiling it unconditionally, as this only makes the cat more unruly. Owners should train the cat from a young age to develop good habits and attitudes towards people. Guide and discipline the cat through training while caring for it, so the cat sees you as the owner and obeys you.