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Should I Spray My Cat With Water? 6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t

Written by: Chantelle Fowler

Last Updated on February 5, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

hand spraying water from a bottle on black background

Should I Spray My Cat With Water? 6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t

Many households use a spray bottle to deter pets from naughty behaviors. While it works at the moment and will certainly stop your cat from doing whatever behavior you don’t like, it’s not the best discipline. Not only is spraying your cat with water uncomfortable and cruel, but it’s also ineffective.

Read on to learn six reasons you shouldn’t use a spray bottle as punishment and to find more effective alternatives to promote good behavior.

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The 6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Spray Your Cat With Water

1. It’s Uncomfortable

Spraying your pet with water is extremely uncomfortable for them. While you might not think a few water droplets could be that uncomfortable, it can certainly feel that way for your kitty. A cat’s tactile and olfactory senses are much more sensitive than that of humans, so what you feel when spritzed with water will feel much different to your cat.


2. It Can Have Long-Term Negative Effects on Your Relationship

Your cat doesn’t understand why you’re spraying them with water, so anytime you resort to doing so to try to correct her “bad” behavior, you’re putting a strain on your relationship. She may start to fear and distrust you, breaking the beautiful bond you’ve created in your time together.

water spray bottle
Image Credit: Squirrel_photos, Pixabay

3. It’s Not Effective

If you spray your kitty with water every time she does something you don’t approve of, she may start associating the unpleasant experience of getting sprayed with you, not their actions.

Additionally, as much as you’d like to think your kitty is an angel when you’re not at home, chances are they’re getting up to no good when they’re alone. You won’t be there to spray them when they’re misbehaving, so the punishment is not being reinforced every time they engage in bad behavior.


4. It’s Stress Inducing

Being sprayed with water is not only uncomfortable for your kitty, but it can cause their stress levels to rise. When stressed, your pet may be more likely to exhibit the naughty behavior you’re trying to correct and can even promote further bad behavior like urine spraying.

Image Credit: Julie Vader, Shutterstock.

5. It’s Confusing

When you spray your cat with water, you’re assuming your cat knows they’re doing something wrong, but they actually don’t. Think about why you’re punishing them in the first place: because they’re doing something you deem “bad”. But the “misbehavior” might just be them reacting naturally to something in their environment.

For example, if something frightens them and they hiss in reaction. You will spray them for hissing, but they don’t know that. They think you’re disciplining them for being afraid. Spraying them when they’re already scared compounds their fear, which could cause serious psychological repercussions down the line.


6. It Can Cause an Aversion to Water

Spritzing your kitty can cause them to develop an aversion to water. Unexpected spritzes from a bottle can make them fearful of having their back turned to you and may even make them afraid of their own water. It is already difficult for some cats to meet their hydration needs, so any fear of water will certainly not be healthy for your kitty.

tabby-cat-sitting-next-to-a-bowl-of-water
Image Credit: Impact-Photography, Shutterstock

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What Other Ways Can I Discipline My Cat?

Now that you know you’re not supposed to spray your cat with water to discipline them, what can you do when your kitty is naughty? Effectively disciplining your pet can take trial and error because each cat differs from the next. One may respond positively to one style of behavior correction, while others will completely reject it.

Let’s take a closer look at some tried and true discipline techniques you can try.

Reinforce Good Behaviors

Cats and most other pets do not learn from punishment, be it physical or verbal. Instead, praise them and give them a treat when you see them exhibiting good behavior. For example, when your kitty moves from scratching your sofa to the scratching post, tell them what a good cat they are and give them a high-value treat. You must offer the reward during the act of positive behaviors so your kitty can make the connection in their brain.

Redirect Bad Behaviors

Redirecting your cat’s attention to something else while they’re doing something they shouldn’t be is a great way to reinforce good behaviors. For example, if you catch them scratching your sofa, physically remove them from the area and put them on her scratching post.

orange cats using scratching post
Image Credit: MarinaTr, Shutterstock

Understand the Reasoning Behind Cat Behavior

Understand that many of your cat’s “bad” behaviors are because they’re trying to meet a biological need. For example, cats need to scratch. They require scratching posts to meet that need; otherwise, they’ll turn to your furniture. They may jump on your kitchen counters and cupboards because they’re bored and need environmental enrichment to keep boredom at bay.

Once you know why your kitty is exhibiting the so-called bad behaviors, you can alter your environment to meet their needs better.

Use Cat-Safe Deterrents

Cat-safe deterrents are another great alternative to traditional discipline. There are many different types out there, depending on your needs.

Certain smells will repel cats. If your cat is always eating your houseplants, put lemon or orange peels in the dirt to keep her away. If your outdoor cat is getting into your garden, invest in motion-activated sprinklers to spook them or plastic mats with flexible plastic spikes to prevent digging.

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Final Thoughts

Spritzing your kitty with water is not reinforcement; it is punishment. There are many other ways to discipline your pet that won’t cause discomfort or damage your relationship. Give your pet ways to express their needs, reward them for their good behaviors, and watch as the inappropriate behaviors fade away.


Featured Image Credit: Halk-44, Shutterstock

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