5 Tips For Taming Your Cat To Go From Chaos To Calm
Are you on the hunt for help in calming and taming your cat to restore some calm in your home? Welcome, you’ve landed in the right place!
Cats can be very playful. Not all, but most cats, love to romp around, pull on things, and be mischievous. It’s within their curious nature and they cannot help it. Most of the time, it is endearing and cute to watch.
Sometimes, however, it can be frustrating, like when they pull a hole in your favorite shirt… or knock over the flowers in a glass vase because she’s trying to get to the water inside. (Yes, this really happens in our home)
One of our cats, Dizzy, is literally obsessed with water!
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5 tips for taming your cat, no matter their age
Troubling behavior in kitties isn’t always personality related. Sometimes it is your cat’s way of expressing physical pain, emotional pain, or a pressing need for something specific.
No article on taming your cat would be complete without first acknowledging that a visit to your local Vet may be the right choice to make. I have seen multiple behavioral conditions completely disappear once the underlying condition is treated, such as a common condition for cats, urinary tract infections.
Anxiety is also another common cause for some stubborn behaviors that don’t respond well to any of the remedies listed below. If you suspect anxiety, I highly recommend you read my post, “How to Calm Cat Anxiety.” We still use those remedies to this day, and after 2 years, we won’t stop now! You might be pleasantly surprised how well they work for you too!
Now that we have covered some other possible explanations for bad behavior, let’s take a look at some simple ways for taming your cat so you can live in peace again!
Let the music play on! 🎶
In my post, “How To Keep Cats Calm During Home Improvements,” we discussed how certain types of musical frequencies can actually have a calming effect on our cats.
In fact, just tell your smart speaker Alexa to play “calming cat music” and you’ll be serenaded with some classical music meant for only the most brilliant of kitty minds, you see!
If you don’t have a smart speaker in your home, turning on the radio or putting a relaxing CD on repeat might do the trick. Set the volume semi-low to avoid alarming your cat. Their ears are pretty sensitive! When taming your cat is the goal, you definitely don’t want them over-stimulated. The baddest behaviors usually get reserved for those moments! 😉
Kittens can be especially curious about music, so if keeping your kittens entertained is the goal, it could be worth a try!
Never punish your cat
For those training their cat, this is a good tip to take into consideration. Cats simply won’t learn from what some owners would consider “discipline.” Worse yet, “punishing” your cat can induce stress, leading to behavioral and health problems—not something you want to deal with in cat training. Remember that patience and positive reinforcement are essential if you’re learning how to train a cat or are working on taming your cat.
Plenty of playtime is essential
A good play session can reduce tension and get the “happy cat” hormones flowing. It can also reassure your furry friend that things are going to be okay — and it could help you to relax, too. Playing with your cat is just as important as keeping them well-fed and offering a comfortable bed to sleep in.
Without fun, your cat will end up suffering from stress, anxiety, or depression. To do this, it is advisable to set a schedule of games a day, and always follow the same routine to set a pattern. Then, they will know when it suitable to play and when is not.
You can’t always be at home with your beloved cat which is why I love this interactive cat track with floating butterflies. It’s games like those that let your wild child have healthy ways to get rid of playful energy.
Spend plenty of quality time together
Pets usually don’t like being alone, especially for long periods of time. If your work requires long hours or you have other commitments to attend, ensure you make time to spend with your cat.
As many times as possible each day, make time to sit quietly with your cat and give them the kind of affection they like best. Whether that’s a nice brushing, gentle ear-rubs, hugs, letting them curl up with you while you sit quietly, or just a standard petting, the reassurance of your touch will help them feel better.
Taming your cat who tends to be a bit on the hyper side really comes down to them feeling safe and secure. The more time they have with you, to connect with you, the more you provide the comfort they crave.
Over time, you’ll find them relaxing more as their anxiety and insecurity lessen.
Consider a harness for walks
Not everyone is interested in going on walks or expeditions with their cats but a lot of people are. Exploring isn’t just for the dogs, you know!
See? I told you!
There is a trick to taming your cat when going for an adventure is the end goal, though! Standard leashes aren’t recommended for kitties. Harnesses are safer and much more effective. A harness can help tame them and make them aware that safety is key.
Getting your cat used to the harness takes a little time. Before ever putting it on, you leave it out for a few days in areas where your cat goes, like its feeding area or favorite sleeping spot. This helps them get used to seeing and smelling it.
When they are curious enough about it and seem comfortable around it, attach the harness. Once your pet is comfortable with having the harness on, attach the leash to it, and let your cat wander freely inside with it.
After a few days, start holding the leash during training. Then, ease into the great outdoors! Make sure you let your cat take its time exploring a new area and start somewhere quiet.
What are your thoughts?
Here’s a quick recap. If you have a resident wild child, try these 5 quick tips for taming your cat:
- Play soothing music on low volume in common areas of your home
- Don’t neglect spending quality time with your cat. It helps them feel safe!
- Lots of playtime! They need healthy, acceptable ways to burn off energy indoors!
- Don’t punish your cat. It only leads to more anxiety & behavioral problems
- Consider a harness if you’d like to take your cat outdoors on a leash
- ….plus, never forget that anxiety & other health-related issues should be ruled out by a Vet!
Is your catkin well-behaved or mostly mischievous? 😀 Have you tried any of these solutions, or will you be? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
As always, I encourage you to share this post with your social media family if you found it helpful. I appreciate you so much! Thank you for your support. You’re like family to me! ❤
All My Love & Healing Purrs,
Excellent advice. My last kitty was the best ever. She followed me everywhere and was ever so loving. When it was time to go to bed she’s come with me and she had to be touching me all the time. I sure miss that precious cat.
Have a fabulous day and weekend, Holly. ♥
Aww! Your last kitty does sound absolutely precious. I know you do miss her, bless your heart! Isn’t it unbelievable how much they break your heart when you lose them? I’m so sorry for your loss, Sandee! 🤗 I do appreciate you sharing such a sweet story with me though!
Sending love to you and your family in hopes that your week ahead is a beautiful one!
These are such great tips! I keep telling my husband that we need to train Amber on a harness so he can start taking her to Lowe’s. 😂
I’ve shared and pinned!
😹 Amber taking trips to Lowe’s would be the best! She’d be a celebrity for sure! Ha ha, so cute, Michelle! If you ever make that happen — be sure to send lots of pictures!
I am so grateful for your shares and support, my friend. Sending love & hugs your way! ♥
Hi Holly. That’s a very informative article. My cat Aragorn has become quite obedient of late. He used to be very difficult to handle. I really didn’t do anything special with him though. It’s really nice to be with all my cats. I enjoy spending time with them.
I was wondering if you would be interested in writing about the danger of feeding kibbles/dry food. I have lost so many as they put extra pressure on the kidneys. Feline expert Dr.Lisa Pierson, founder of the fabulous website catInfo.org says that even the cheapest wet food is better than dry food. Dr.Marty Goldstein who is a very famous vet also says that cats outside live on a natural diet. Kibbles were invented for the convenience of humans and not for the good health of pets. So many cat owners don’t know this. It’s just something that I thought might interest you.
I hope that you’re doing well. Have a great weekend. Padma
Hi Padma! You know I love hearing from you! It made me smile to hear that Aragorn has been behaving nicely lately. It’s always a blessing to get closer with them, isn’t it? I love your heart for these precious babies. You can hear the love & joy you have through your words.
You bring up a really great point about feeding dry food. Over the years I’d read a few things about this topic and had been intending to do more research. It does break my heart that you have lost so many kitties to kidney problems, Padma. I am so sorry! We have as well, typically always in their later years. My husband had a cat named Spaz that he was giving IV drip to each night.
Like you mentioned, it is a topic that not many cat owners are familiar with. I’ll definitely be looking into it more. If you ever think of writing a guest post here about it, I’m all ears. 🙂
As always, you are greatly appreciated. Your thoughts are valuable to me! Sending my love to you, dearest Padma. I hope you & your loved ones are well. ♥
Now I’m thinking I’ll have to get a harness for Nemo as he’s all over the place, from scratching at the sofa to rolling on the floor demanding petting and chewing on earbuds. Our other cat is the calmest gal ever, so they’re quite different in personalities! Thanks for sharing your tips here, Holly. Sorry to hear about your glass vase tipping over ((hoping it wasn’t crystal or a family heirloom)). Love to you and family xo
Nemo sounds like quite the character! 😉 Isn’t it funny how their personalities shine through like that? When we really stop and think about it, they are so much like us. You could have 100 cats and see a distinct difference in each one. They’re fascinating! I think Nemo could definitely be harness trained. It would be fun to go on hikes with him!
Thankfully the glass vase wasn’t anything extra special, and surprisingly, it didn’t break! We have no idea how that was possible since she did it several times but it’s still fully intact! Dizzy is a mess and teaches her sister very bad habits, ha ha!
Love to you and your family as well, Christy. I sure do love hearing from you! ♥
These tips are so great and useful! My Toby can go from 0 to chaos in about 0.5 seconds! Lol so it’s nice to read some tips on how to help him calm down!
😁 0 to chaos in about 0.5 seconds made me laugh! It’s oh so familiar to us! Toby sounds like such a character and he is truly adorable. I still love that room you created for him and his goodies.
Sending love to each of you. Thank you for stopping in!
Those are all good but maybe not the harness here, there too many scary things out there for our crew.
Hi Brian! Nice to hear from you. Your crew isn’t the outdoor adventure type, huh? We have one who loves the outdoors and another who is pretty happy just looking out the window. 🙂 Appreciating their personalities as individuals is pretty amazing, isn’t it?
I’m sorry I’m so late catching up on this post, Holly, but I just wanted you to know I love the suggestions! It’s heartening to be reassured that cats can be retrained and tamed no matter their age, so you needn’t stop using those vases for your flowers 😂 Playtime is the bit I’m stuck on – Virgil doesn’t really seem to play, like he thinks he’s too old and sophisticated for it or something. I’m also a bit apprehensive of playing with his fangs and razor claws. I value my skin being on my body and not on the floor!
The harness for walks is a really good idea. I actually think Virgil might quite enjoy a walk with me around the block, but getting him used to a harness would be the problem. Having it around so he familiarises himself first is an excellent tip. I think I’ve probably only ever seen a cat being walked once in my life. Isn’t it funny that it just isn’t a ‘thing’, whereas people always leash up their dogs and take them for walkies? Cats like to prowl around the neighbourhood with their owners too! xx
Aw shoot, you never need to apologize for being late to reading a post, my friend. I completely understand! You see how behind I get!
🤣 You crack me up! I think the flower vase around here is a lost cause (sigh). She might grow out of her water obsession one day but she is crazy about it!
Virgil is such a character. I love your stories of him! He is pretty laid back so it doesn’t surprise me that expending energy chasing after our idea of ‘toys’ isn’t appealing to him. 🤣 A cat has his dignity, ya know!
I do think he’d do well on the harness actually for that very reason (being laid back). You might be surprised how quickly he took to it, especially once he realized that he could come hang out with you outdoors on a little adventure! I’d love to see photos of you two walking together! 🙂
I agree 100% with you about finding it strange how the public fully accepts taking their dogs out for walks but never considers their cats might like it too. While it’s true that not every cat personality is suited to neighborhood walks, plenty would be! I think the public persona of cats is a bit off anyhow. They’re brilliant animals that really do offer outrageous amounts of love. It’s all in understanding how they express it!
I’m sending my love from all of us to you. You’re awesome, Caz. Thank you for your great comments and never ever feel guilty if you can’t get to my blogs. Friends don’t keep score of such things! ♥