Discipline: What works, what doesn't

As I write this post I'm sitting in one of two Victorian side chairs I just bought today. My Bengal mix is a scratchaholic but seems to limit her damage to the basement sofa. My MC's sometimes scratch carpet but avoid furniture. I've used water bottles in the past, but for other behaviors like going outside the box, fighting, whining for food, and other nonsense I often use picking up by their scruff and scolding or time outs in a room. I had to break up a nasty fight between Merlin and Sampson again this morning. This time Merlin (MC) had Samps cornered where he could not get away and was really beating on him. I grabbed him by the scruff and put him immediately in time out. So far there's been no other incidents today...
What does everyone else do when their furkids misbehave?

Time out was exactly what I used with our first girl MC,we didn't have her as a babe & she had some rather nasty ways to start with, I have had to grit my teeth & do the same as you grab a snarling wailing wriggling cat by its scruff & put it in its own bedroom for time out with a very firm NO but when I let her out we always had a play or one to one time for forgiveness,in the end if she was naughty by the time you got to her she would have put herself away & I would arrive to a face peeping out of the door with an "oooops"shouldn't have done that look but I am here mum so what now....... eventually she was the one who not only made one of the most loving cats I could have wished for but also became the "nannie" to all the other babes.
It was when my numbers went above three that I found the water more effective to bring things under control but again luckily do not have to use it too often just picking it up quells the storm before it starts, I think like children all have different ways of responding to discipline & it is knowing your furries enough to know what will work best..... with China although she was a bit of a loner she didn't like falling out with us plus she was a nosey girl & hated missing out on things so while she was shut up & could hear others getting attention was enough for that to be a "hit home"time for her & soon knew she was missing fun but that also is why when she came out we carried on as normal & gave her a bit of attention too so she didn't feel the need to straight away turn on the others again......
I tell you i think you have to be equally ahead with your thinking with these animals as you do children but because they are so bright there is a right way to overcome all problems just don't let them know you are feeling stressed about it or again like children they know they have got you, I know in the early scrums with C I have come back down to the sitting room & sat & howled as I felt things were going backwards but done the same as I did with human babe put favourite music on had a cuppa chilled & then face it again, I used to say to OH that I wished we hadn't ever had her but I know deep down that wasn't true it was just wading through things together until we came through the other side & a lot of the super MC traits must have shone through for her to give us the love of the breed that it did & China has left us with a real MC legacy....good luck I am sure you will win & have peace in your house too,wonder how long before Merlin takes himself off for time out too if that is what seems to work best.....xxx

I am not sure what worked with Neevie, I tried a lot of thing, if you remember we had lots of issues, with her jumping on my head or biting my leg or being generally territorial... but it seems she started improving when I put my mind to talking to her all the time, and kind of forcing her to cuddle from time to time - and also showing her that I understand what she wants even though she's not biting my leg to get it... and now I'm also making a point to play with her twice a day (if she's up to it) before and after work. Before, I was kind of letting her to her own device, just cuddling when she came to me, not really talking to her much and really being lazy to play with her much. Also, now, time outs are happening as soon as she is showing a bit of impatience/frustration, even if she doesn't get to the biting part. I know it will come, so rather than letting her be boss and have her way, I calmly pick her up, giver her a quick cuddle and talk to her nicely (usually she's not happy about that bit) and leave her to sulk where I'm not for a bit. I open the door when she asks for it, and then she's forgotten all about the crabbiness and is ready for a nice long cuddle. I tell you, time outs are getting fewer and farther between...
Now my father-in-law is here for a few weeks - that's why I haven't written for a while - a big guy - she's not allowing him to touch her - there has been one instance where he's had a good hiss-and-glare treatment - but she hasn't misbehaved at all otherwise. He is not making a fuss, he's tried a couple of times to get to her, but I don't think he knows how to get friendly with cats, he's a dog person, so he approaches her slowly slowly, but he's kind of on the large side, so might appear threatening to her - he gives her his hand to smell, and sure enough she takes one look at it, gives a plaintive meooowww and runs away :-D PIRATE!

Alekto: Mandy is a biter when I don't talk to her enough!! She also makes a high pitched, ear bleeding whine.
Merlin is extremely talkative and will "address" you when you enter his space. He sleeps on MY side of the bed, which used to be Mandy's side. He gives a low "rrrrrrrowl?" to say "Hi I'm here, see that I'm here? I'm important so pet me now." The howling is another issue. My mom thinks he might be a bit senile and is getting confused at night, but I still think its territorial. No major fights since the other day but the weather is better and Sampson has been outside more. Merlin's new thing is counter surfing and licking dirty plates....Grandma isn't impressed with THAT!

heehee love the counter surfing! and of course it means the counter has to be cleared off.... :-D