Cat Training – What you need to know as a cat owner

When starting to train a cat, a couple of things you will want to take into consideration.

When starting to train a cat, a couple of things you will want to take in consideration. Learn more about your cat, have the proper tools to do the training and have lots of patience. Setting goals too high for you and your cat at training can get very stressful.

Make it simple and fun for your cat training, then both you and your cat will enjoy the bonding from the training.   

Kittens are much easier to train then an older cat, because a kitten is like a child and we have to teach them the right and wrong. With the older cats, it is not easy as they are set in their ways, but they are still trainable.

 

Table of Contents

Understanding your cat’s behavior

Some of the reasons you might want to train your cat is not to scratch the furniture, jump on items, and climb the drapes or the counter top, to use the litter box and not your favorite chair. On the other hand, have your cat pulling the stuffing out of pillows, and mostly to use the kitty litter box and not that favorite rug that you have. A cat may do these a few things and you would like to change the behavior.

There are ways of training and using the behaviors, which you and your cat can both benefit. If the cat likes to scratch, buy or build a scratching post. If they like to jump, set up a hoop or stick, with working with your cat you will soon see this behavior going in the good way.

NEVER harm your cat in anyway, they will not enjoy it, and can cause the cat to have a fear of you in return the cat will not come near you. By using a strong “NO” or loud noise to let the cat know that you do not approve the behavior.

Tips & tricks to train your cat

Clicker Training

One of the first things you want to train your cat to do is come or get the cat’s attention when you call the cat’s name. A clicker can be use and is efficient as to help with training a cat. We have to remember that all cats have their own personalities so there could be a chance that your cat will not act as quickly to the clicker.

First you will want to call the cats name click the clicker, if the cat responds in any way, you need to give the cat a small treat. Small treats are great rewards for cats and cats love liver. You do not want to make a full meal out of the treats. Once the cat does respond you will want to use this till the cat does come to you when called. The next step is to stop using the clicker for calling and reduce the treats until the cat does come once you call them. The clicker and treats can be used then for other training.

Litter Box Training

The next training should be litter box training. In addition, if the cat or kitten is not trained already. Purchase a litter box, as boxes are very inexpensive. You will want to make sure you do not get one that is too tall for the cat to get in. You want the cat to be able to comfortable get in the box and not have to climb. Kitty litter should be about couple of inches in the litter box. Putting to much in will just be all over when the cat uses it and digs. Kitty litter comes in all kind of form, scents, and prices.

This will be up to you and your cat as to which one is the best. Purchase kitty litter that will absorb the smell and the poop from the cat. If it does not do this for you or the cat, the cat may not want to go back in the little box to use. The litter box needs cleaning daily, with removing the waste. Once a week the litter box needs cleaning, you will need to throw out the old litter, was the litter box and replace the litter in the box.

Set the box near the place that the cat is going. When you see the cat going or needs to go pick the cat up and place in box. Then give your cat a treat, you will need to watch for this, as you will want to get the cat to use the box. Once the cat is using the litter box, you can start moving very slowly day by day the litter box to the area that is set up for your cat to use. Moving the litter box to quickly, or all once will not work, as the cat will not know where the litter box is. Continue the treats and once your cat has successfully used the box in the proper area, then you can decrease the treats.

Researching and reading more cat related articles for more information on training your cat will help you with training and successful relationship between you and the cat.