How to Change Your Ragdoll Cat’s Behavior

Unwanted behaviors such as scratching and climbing can be corrected with persistence. If your Ragdoll does not respond to a stern “No” you may need to reinforce this with a spray bottle, a whistle, or shaking a metal can filled with coins. When you do this it is important to understand the cat needs to associate being squirted or startled by a noise with the bad behavior, not with you.

Here are several tips to help use behavioral deterrents effectively.

1. Avoid making eye contact with your Ragdoll when squirt them with water or startle with a noisemaker. It is extremely important to be consistent and provide the same response (squirt or startled) every time you observe the behavior you are trying to correct. After you squirt your cat for instance, walk away. The correction you apply is meant to be unpleasant for your Ragdoll cat, not a terrifying experience.

2. If you are having a problem with scratching try covering the area being scratched with aluminum foil. Cats hate the feel of foil and will not scratch.

3. Try placing a motion detector alarm in the area you want to keep your Ragdoll cat away from. You can purchase an alarm of this type from your local pet supply store.

4. Never yell at or hit your Ragdoll cat. This is not an effective way to train your Ragdoll cat as they will only learn to fear you. Violent punishment is the worse thing you can do to your relationship with your Ragdoll cat.

5. If you are trying to teach your cat not to climb, be careful not to startle or squirt your Ragdoll when they are high off the ground. If you scare your cat and they fall, your Ragdoll could be injured in the fall.

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