Spraying cats with water from a squirt bottle is not a reinforcement; it's a punishment. ... The inappropriate behavior will fade away, the bond between you will be strengthened because you're giving rewards based on something your cat does (i.e., operant conditioning), and your cat won't fear or distrust you.

Is it bad to use a spray bottle on a cat?

Don't use a spray bottle: There is an old myth about using a spray bottle to redirect a cat's bad behavior, but the truth is she likely doesn't associate being sprayed with the bad behavior.

Why you shouldn't spray your cat?

That's basically how your cat feels when you spray her with water for doing something “bad,” especially when the original behavior was just a natural reaction to a situation. In fact, whipping out that spray bottle on the regular could have some pretty negative effects on your BFF, like: Suppressing fear and anxiety.