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This is where Cat Training begins
Here are 250 things you can do to make your home comfortable for your cat
Communicate with your cat? Sure, you can do it! It's not as hard as you might think
- Cat Training... How to Have a Fun and Rewarding Relationship with Your Cat
- Smart Trainers Understand a Few Basic Principles
- Clicker Cat Training
- Look Who's Listening in...
Cat Training... How to Have a Fun and Rewarding Relationship with Your Cat
No one will argue with the difficulty of cat training. The thought of cat training seems for many to be counter-intuitive. Fewer sayings have more clarity than the metaphor "herding cats" and how it applies to tasks of near impossibility. The reputation of our feline friend's strong will and their independent nature is certainly well documented by many aspiring cat owners, as well as the subject of anecdotal folklore.
When you think about it, though, do you really need to train a cat? Cats are a complete package. They're neat and clean, with impeccable grooming habits. They have a sophisticated dignity that prevents them from being confused with Fido and his unfettered, somewhat clumsy, leaping-on -you-at-every-opportunity antics. Muddy feet and all. He's begging for attention. Your cat wants attention, too. She's just a bit more subtle about it. When it comes to cat training, the challenge is for one to be more cerebral than you might expect. Dogs have an endearing drive to please. Cats demand respect. Or so it seems.
So, the question remains. Do cats really need training? Well, yes... and no. No, you don't have to teach her to be clean or groom herself. Yes, training may be necessary because her instinctual habits may not always be something that you want to live with, such as using the couch as her personal scratching post, or your shoes for a bathroom. And, she can use a little assistance with self-cleaning and grooming. Cat training is best begun when a cat is still a kitten. Older cats are trainable, but if you start your cat training while she's still young, in he long run it's easier and the results will last a lifetime.
Smart Trainers Understand a Few Basic Principles:
- Punishment and reprimands don't work.
Other than doing things that are instinctual, such as scratching, bad cat behavior is usually a call for attention. If you respond to a bad act by yelling, with anger or punishment, she'll only continue when you aren't around... still calling for attention. In that case if you punish her, the punishment is only applied after the fact. The association of the bad act with punishment isn't made in the kitty mind. More importantly, a relationship built on punishment creates fear between the cat and her owner. This isn't just bad cat training, it's not cat training at all.
- Good behavior gets the reward.
Cat training should be a method that sets your cat up to succeed. If she does something that is considered good, she needs to be rewarded and praised by you. She'll quickly learn that good behavior yields a tasty treat as well as your praise. She'll like that association. A treat and positive verbal response from you will build trust and deepen the friendship bond with her.
- Bad behavior needs to be unpleasant. Provide an alternative.
Furniture Scratching
Scratching your furniture is one of the most annoying habits a cat can have. Your furniture can be left in ruins. But, scratching is a fundamental activity of being a cat. Scratching removes dead skin from cat's claws, stretches her front quarters, marks her territory and leaves her contentedly satisfied. You're not going to stop her from scratching, but you can provide an alternative and make the spot she had been using unpleasant. Cat furniture such as a carpet or sissal covered scratch pole can be placed in her favorite corner of the room. Then make her old spot unpleasant by covering it with loose netting, double stick tape or spray it with mild menthol or citrus scents. Now, you can begin to train her. You might have to entice her to move to the new scratch spot. Place treats at the top of the pole, rub it with catnip and hang dangling toys from it. By making the desired scratch spot attractive, you will be making the old spot even more unattractive. Praising and rewarding her for good behavior will reinforce her good behavior activities.
Litter Box Problems
A second very annoying bad habit is related to your cat's use, or rather non-use of her litter box. Usually there are just a few reasons your cat stops using her litter box:
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The number 1 reason cats stop using the litter box is that the litter isn't clean, in her eyes. Litter should be cleaned often (scooped out and fresh litter added as necessary). If not every day, then every other day at least. She should step on clean litter each time she wants to use it. Once or twice a week the entire box should be emptied and washed thoroughly, then refilled with clean litter.
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Stress. Cats don't handle stress well. New members of the household (human or animal) coming in, moving to a new location, other animals in the neighborhood, children home on summer vacation. Any change in 'normal' routine can produce stress in your cat. The best antidote for her is calm, soothing reassurance from you that everything will be o.k. But, you may want to limit her access to the entire house until it's determined what the source of her stress is. When it's been addressed, she can then be allowed to roam as freely as she had in the past.
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Urinary tract problems can cause her to stop using her litter box. This is a problem that you will need to discuss with your veterinarian. The signs for these kinds of problems are indicated by changes in her elimination habits and/or pain when she eliminates.
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Litter boxes need to be located in an accessible place for her. Avoid rooms where there's a chance of the door being closed to her access. If the house is multi-cat, you may need more than one box. She should feel safe when using the box (no young kitten jumping her unexpectedly). Safe, free access will invite her to use the litter box whenever and every time she needs to.
Older cats will train their kittens how to use the litter box. Cat's learn by observing and when the kitten sees mom or dad use the box, they will, too. It seems, though, that cats know what a litter box is used for almost instinctively. I have brought home a new kitten, placed her in the box immediately and she goes right to work. Probably because mom did a good job of cat training. And since I don't like the smell of a full litter box, it gets changed at least every other day. More often is she is especially active.
- Give her attention.
Your cat enjoys interaction activities with you, and attention from you. Speak to her when she comes into the room. Welcome her presence in your home by acknowledging her as a full member of the family. Schedule play time with her to keep her from getting bored and have a supply of cat toys around. Change her litter on a regular basis and perform some cat grooming with her. Most importantly, praise her and reward her, especially when she is acting out good behavior.
A force-free method that develops a relationship of trust, response and communication with your cat.
Clicker Cat Training sessions can get sedentary cats to become more active, and, aggressive cats more calm and relaxed. Play and cute activities will be more enjoyable for both of you. The time spent interacting with her through Clicker Cat Training will be looked forward to, breaking up the usual (and painfully dull) routines that inactivity, complacency and boredom can bring. You may love being with your cat, but doing things together is much more fun and healthier, both physically and emotionally, than just sitting around, eating and sleeping. (Non-activities associated especially with indoor cats).
Here are some of the things your cat can accomplish through Clicker Cat Training:
- Playing without scratching and biting
- Walking on a leash
- Getting along with other pets
- Stay off the table (or kitchen counter)
- Come when she is called
- Wait patiently as you prepare her meals
- Permit grooming and handling without struggling
If you have some cat furniture designed for her activities, you will be able to play right along with her. Which can be a lot more fun than just sitting and watching. And, of course, you can teach her cute parlor tricks and games. You know... "roll over, kitty", "shake", etc.
The founder of Clicker Training is Karen Pryor, a behavioral biologist with an international reputation. Her Clicker Training methods are used to train many pets and animals from cats, dogs, birds and horses to dolphins and whales. There is no question that her methods for cat training of positive reinforcement and coercion-free training produce endearing and healthy results for human-animal relationships. You can read about these training concepts in her book "Clicker Training for Cats". It is pleasantly surprising how simple yet effective this training method is. And, the best part about it? You will develop genuine communication with your cat.
Overhearing this, Alexander, our very well behaved and gentile Abyssinian, pondered the upcoming visit from his brother with his wild Serengeti habits. "Now, I know that my brother won't be allowed to jump on the dining table with his 300 lb, dust matted mane and fur", he winched. "But, with a little Clicker Cat Training, we just might be able to instill some good manners". Yet, he wondered, "I really do hope he can learn to sit still as our dinner is being prepared. He's used to getting first choice at the Gnu Buffet back in Africa".
Alexander's brother may prove to be a bit of a challenge. But, your cat or kitten will probably respond most readily to Clicker Cat Training.
If kitty finds herself in a stressful
situation, she may show some very bad behavior. That's when a stress reliever is
called for
There are many Safe & Non-Toxic aids to help with feline behavior problems (including spraying & scratching) until you have trained your cat
While your away, a little help would be appreciated to help control bad cat behavior. SssCat™ makes bad behavior unpleasant without unnecessary punishment.
When you provide you kitty with a pleasant alternative to scratching the furniture, she'll gladly take it with right encouragement
Training your cat means she'll get a lot of treats for being so good. You'll want them to be healthy