Lifestyle Glitz - Miscellany October 2016

this means it wants some grooming time.
Persian cats love it when you sit and comb,
or groom them. Scientifically grooming is
healthy for cats and keeps them active.
Most Persian owners say their cats love it,
others say otherwise. If your cat tries to
bite the comb or try to run away, simply tap
them lightly on their nose or mouth with
your finger. This serves as “NO” and they
quickly learn to sit calm.
Kneading is a tactic that most cats use on
their siblings or mothers when they’re kittens.
As they grow, they treat you as their
parent and knead on you for grooming
time.
N E G A T I V E R E I N F O R C E M E NT
As humans, we find it very delightful to use
our hands to fight Persian kittens. However,
doing so instantly encourages them to
scratch and bite us more when they become
adults. It’s a cute act for sure, seeing
them play with your hands can boost your
mood but know that it’s only cute when
they are small. When your Persian is a kitten,
it's best you use toys to play with them.
If your cat is an adult now and still plays
with your hands, then scratching and biting
are common problems you will face. At
such a time, just try to keep your hands still
and when they release it move it away and
stop playing with them. This act is what we
call “negative reinforcement” and no play
for five minutes means “no attention for you”
according to cats.
A L I F E T I M E O F G O O D M A N -
N E R S
Sharing and spending your time with Persians
is a truly rewarding experience. Just as
raising any other pet, you will face many
challenges but you can face them if you have
the power of tolerance. The key to raising
Persian cats is to practice understanding and
patience and often their behavioral problems
fix on their own. As the owner, you have to
teach them good behavior, stop them when
they try to bite or behave aggressively, and
praise them and give them your attention
when they obey you!
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