Er… . . let me clarify something here, I’ve been thinking that it is bad enough people on this website think that I hate the Wright Brothers . . so the last thing I need are charges of “animal abuser” launched at me.
This “whack” would come after REPEATED verbal warnings and pushing the cat away from whatever he was doing and he would go right back to whatever it was that was bothering me.
For instance, as a kitten he would jump up on the dinner table while I was eating, and start snifiing at my food. After several "NO!"s and throwing the little critter on the floor (which doesnt hurt them they land on their feet), he KEPT doing it. Obviously verbal warnings were not cutting it. So I had no choice but to pick him up, give him a whack, and lock him the bathroom for 1/2 hour.
Now, whenver I’m eating, and he gets too close, a loud NO! suffices, and he beats it.
BTW, cats are DEFINITELY into hierarchies. They thrive on it as a matter of fact, and need that order in their lives.