If you need to reprimand your cat for problematic behavior (like scratching furniture or walking on the dinner table), you'll have to think like a cat to get results. You'll get no response from your cat if you reprimand him for something he did hours ago. Also, cats are social animals, and briefly "shunning" or isolating your cat from the rest of the household will get better results than yelling. A cat should never be reprimanded physically with swatting or hitting. Not only do they not understand this type of reprimand, it can quickly break the bond of trust and lead to even more bad behavior.