Haha best technique is keep the cat bussy?.. But never use spray bottles or such to shoot at them from a distance, this is often adviced by people who don't know they shouldn't. Cat's have personalety and this is something you need to judge for your own.. Some cats can take a lot others are traumatized rather quickly.. And a traumatized cat is what you absolutely do not want, if they go into protest and start peeing, you have a major problem. Also if a cat can't go outside it gets boored quicky. Just try to catch it red handed and push it away every time it does it. Mean time speaking their language helps, that's what they understand, Growl and his sounds are warnings and signs of anger when they communicate with eachother or with you.. If i catch mine scratching the furniture i use words with R in a growling fashion and or Hissss like they do. Mine understand it and immidately back off.. 🙂 That's also why names with an R in it are very effective, also for dogs, they also growl.. Especialy if you use your throath to get the R out sounds more agressive.
But we have such a saying.. "When the cats out the mice dance on the table".. That's what the cat does when you are out..