Ragdoll Cats

Many Ragdoll cat owners take the same approach training their cats as they do with their dogs. This simply does not work because cats do not have the same social beliefs that dogs do. Dogs respond to a social structure based on a dominate leader. Cats do not respond to a dominate leader like dogs; cats have a more democratic approach to social structures. As a result, physical punishment does not work on a cat. The only thing physically punishing your Ragdoll cat will accomplish is to make the cat fear you. You should never, ever hit your Ragdoll cat.

Instead, you must train your Ragdoll cat to exhibit the behaviors you want while discouraging the behaviors you don’t want. One way to discourage unwanted behaviors is to use loud noises. Cats hate loud noises. By clapping your hands or snapping and using a firm “NO” you can discourage behaviors. You must do this immediately upon observing the unwanted behavior.

Never force your Ragdoll cat to look at something or rub their nose in a mess. Instead, there is an effective method of training referred to as “face push.” If your cat is biting for example, you can let him or her know this is unacceptable by gently pushing back on the cat’s face and using the command “No.” Do not hit your Ragdoll cat; just push back on their face gently.

Your local pet supply store has products to help your training. Taste deterrents such as “Bitter Apple” can be used to discourage scratching and chewing. You can also utilize catnip powders and extracts to encourage scratching on the appropriate materials. If your cat is digging in your houseplants try placing aluminum foil around the base of the plant to discourage this. Cats have a strong dislike of citrus flavors and smells so you can use this to your advantage as well.

It is important to start training your cats when they are young; don’t tolerate bad behaviors from a kitten because they are “cute.” This will only make it much harder to correct unwanted behaviors when your cat is older.