It has been shown that physical punishment is not effective in creating an obedient and loving pet. Pets respond very well to strong verbal commands and positive reinforcement. Pets do respond to dominance. A loud, but gentle slap on a muscular part of the body can be effective. Let your cat run free .
Some people insist that it is natural to let their cat run free.
In a ideal pet world this may be true, but living in a society changes the rules. Letting cats run free spreads disease, causes overpopulation and kills thousands of cats each year. The American Pet Association does not feel a pet should be anatomically changed to suit our needs. Both barking and scratching can be controlled by proper pet selection, training and environment. They will eat anything .