How to Tell a Kitten No

While undertaking the responsibility of rearing a new kitten in your household is a rewarding and gratifying task, it also requires conscientious disciplinary measures. How you choose to set and enforce boundaries for your kitten will ultimately make a significant impact on the kitten's personality and behavior later in life. Because there are times when you will have to deny your kitten affection, food and play, it will be helpful to learn how exactly to do so.

Things You'll Need

  • Can of pennies
  • Vinegar
  • Hot sauce
  • Rag
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a stern tone of voice. This does not mean yelling or screaming at your kitten. If you yell and scream, you're likely to scare the kitten away without teaching your pet wrong from right. A stern voice is deep, commanding and displays confidence so that the kitten will obey the owner's wishes.

    • 2

      Use a variety of gestures to communicate to your kitten to not do something. Hand gestures work well because kittens can see and feel something physical like a hand. When a kitten senses that a hand is trying to deny him of a certain space, he/she is more likely to obey. Gestures with the legs or feet are similar effective measures of telling your kitten no.

    • 3

      Use loud noises; cats have great disdain for erratic, sudden and loud noises. If your kitten hounds you for attention or claws the couch, clapping your hands loudly or dropping a can of pennies will gain the kitten's attention to stop the current behavior.

      After doing this, you may also want to verbally express your disapproval.

    • 4

      Place vinegar or hot sauce on an area that the kitten frequently attempts to destroy or urinate on. You don't have to use much for cats to sense the smell and taste. If you do not want to risk ruining upholstery or bedding, pour vinegar or hot sauce on a rag and place it in the target area. Cats extremely dislike the bitterness in these substances. This technique is especially successful when you're not home as an indirect way to tell your kitten no when you're not actually present.