With all due respect, apart from loving the cats, you really need to learn
more about them, so you don;t ask anymore questions like this again.

1.NEVER hit a cat-no matter how mild the hit is. It is still a HIT. NEVER.
It is considered animal abuse obviously legaly not allowed. Besides, it is
hurting them, and will produce absolute jack apart from them being scared of
you, and taking off at the first chance. If you wanna TRAIN (not
"discipline") a cat there are various ways to do it, depending on the
problem. This newsgroup has many excellent solutions to various problems so
you will always get suggestions here.

2.Cats NEED to scratch. You MUST get them a scratch post or two, it is not a
waste of money it is a nececity. If they havent got as scratch post, they
will scratch the furniture, carpets, wallpaper or your record collection.
Pls check this link http://www.northamericanpet.com/thesite.html then go
into CAT FURNITURE which contains a few scratch posts and cat "trees" which
will give you some ideas of what to get

3. Kittens ARE hyperactive, jsut like kids! There is nothing strage or bad
about it. I am surprised you didn;t know. It's their activness that is a
huge charm of kittens. The playfullness, running around, games, jumping etc.
The time will fly fast, and they will naturally calm down ina  few months
and start sleeping more. I suggest that instead of trying to destroy their
childhood by wanting them to calm down, you start watching them, and enjoy
it, as it will pass soon enough. Take a video and pictures, if you really
love cats, you will miss this time of their life greatly soon.

4. Furniture: another one you won;t get much sympathy on from the people
here. Really, you should;ve known cats DO jump on furniture. In fact cats
love to go as high as possible: the trees, the roofs and indoors the top of
cupboards. Cats would live on a ceiling if they could! May I sugegst you
take a look at this book "the Cats House"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0836221834/qid=1070996285/sr=1-1/r
ef=sr_1_1/002-7379231-4294431?v=glance&s=books . It is all about people
who adore their cats so much they've acutlaly decorated their house in a way
that cats would love it. Absolutely stunning book for any cat lover.

As for your furniture, what exactly is the problem? If they scratch it get
the scratch post. If they walk over it, well, it's what the furniture is
for: people to sit on, and cats to walk over it  or sleep on it really. How
would you like to live in a home where you were only asked to sit and sleep
on the floor.Not fair nor pleasant is it.

5.The best way to train cats in general are to create a positive or a
negative association. For example if a cat bites your fingers - scream. In
as high pitched noise as you can. cats hate it, so when you do it 3-4 times,
they will create negative association: biting=screaming and will stop doing
it. Or positive association will include some special food or a game. Some
people use bottle of water to spray a cat as a punishment. I strongly
suggest that you do it sparingly and for the things that they really musnt
do like chew electrical cables. Often a strong loud NO and clap of the hands
is enough.

I have 4 cats who I love more then life itself. I'd never hit them, not even
remotely, and have succesfully used all of the above suggestions. My 4 never
bite anyone, have their beds on the top of the cupboard, and stairs on the
wall as in the book I mantioned. They are happy, and sleep too much for my
liking he he.

Really, enjoy your kittens. The time flies.

Gee & Cat Co.

bjg flushed and wrote :

Here ya go....

http://tinyurl.com/ygv7

HTH
Agua Girl gave it to me.

when my cats were doing something really bad, like opening all the cabinet
drawers and flinging the contents on the floor, i would say no in a loud
voice and pick them up gently and remove them to another room.  they knew
they were being disciplined when i said "no," and would glare at me when i
put them in the next room.  sometimes, in a wild act of defiance, they would
beat me back into the next room and run over and begin the offending
behavior again, then run like hell when i tried to pick them up again.  by
this time i was usually laughing, and it would turn into a game.  i have had
them for 13 years now, and they are loving and mostly obedient.  they have
never been hit and never will be.  they also know what "no" means, even if
they choose to ignore it.  cats are really wonderful creatures.

Hi,

What's cute is that many people who have kittens write to public cat
discussions saying they think their kitten is mentally ill   ;-)  That
always makes me smile.  Kittens are full of energy and are excited
about everything!  They'll climb your leg and your draperies and knock
over your potted plants.  They'll break bottles and scoot under the
stove.  Your job is to close off rooms where there may be dangers if
you're not at home or not awake -- and to kittenproof your home until
they get a little older.  Put things like staples, paperclips,
strings, rubberbands in drawers to make sure they don't hurt
themselves -- they'll play with and/or swallow all kinds of things.  
Later on you'll be able to gently start teaching them.  People here
have great advice and experience.  (Sigh, I miss having kittens, but
having oldsters has its own rewards.)   Have fun!

Alt.
http://www.lovethatcat.com