Question

You want to stop your cat from clawing your new sofa by spraying a stream of water on the cat as punishment for clawing the furniture. If you are to be successful, you must

a. spray the cat every time he begins to claw the sofa.
b. use intermittent punishment by spraying the cat every now and then.
c. take the cat to each clawed mark and then hold and spray him.
d. spray the cat until he is completely wet and uncomfortable."

Answer 1

To prevent your cat from clawing the sofa, you must consistently spray the cat each time the behavior occurs, as consistency helps establish the connection between the behavior and the consequence. So the correct answer is option (A).

Step-by-step explanation:

To successfully stop your cat from clawing your new sofa, you should spray the cat every time he begins to claw the sofa. This method of punishment is consistent and timely, which can help the cat learn the association between the unwanted behavior (clawing) and the negative consequence (getting sprayed). Since cats cannot comprehend household rules in the same way humans do, it's important to be consistent to help them learn.

Intermittent punishment or delayed responses, such as spraying the cat every now and then or after the act has been committed (take the cat to each clawed mark and then hold and spray him), are less likely to be effective. Moreover, making the cat completely wet and uncomfortable (spray the cat until he is completely wet and uncomfortable) is unnecessary and may only serve to distress the animal without effectively deterring the behavior.