Spraying your cat with water is a good way to make him afraid of you.

Does spraying a cat with water work, Thomasina? My cat insists on getting on the sofa. I spray him with a spray bottle, and he does it anyway. And to make things worse, now he seems to be afraid of me. What’s wrong with him????
— Frustrated

Hi Frustrated…
I’m sorry you and your cat are upset with each other. Spraying a cat with water rarely works out the way the humans want it to.

Really, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with your cat. But he must be wondering what’s wrong with you! He has no idea why you keep aiming that weapon at him and getting him soaking wet when all he’s doing is trying to take a nap.

Cats don’t have a strong sense of personal property the way humans do. We think of things as “ours,” not “yours” and “mine.” So when you’re not using the sofa, your cat doesn’t see any reason why he can’t sleep on it.

Maybe you could give him his own little corner of the couch. If you put a soft throw or cat bed in the spot that’s okay for him to use, he’ll probably sleep there, especially if you sprinkle his special place with catnip.

Why The Spraying A Cat With Water Theory Is All Wet