Cat Training 101: Introduction On How To Train Your Feline

When you first get a cat and are start to train it, you start very basic by rewarding the good behavior and ignoring the bad behavior. Cats are different than dogs but you can still influence their behavior with enough training, practice and most importantly a whole lot of patience. Just like dogs’ cats do not understand why they are being punished so punishing them for unwanted behaviors is never going to train them to behave however it is you may desire.

Things to Train

There are many things your cat could begin to start learning, but not only will learning these behaviors create obedience it will help train them to be more social and content when they are around humans and other animals. Not only will it benefit your animal training them certain things can even diminish the owners anxiety, for example less anxiety on trips to the vet, here are some things you might want to think about training your pet

• Litter box training
• Coming when called
• Staying calm and still for grooming and vet visits
• Playing with other cats or toys
• Staying calm when travelling in crate or carrier

Short, Small, and Open

It is Important to know that a cat’s willingness to pay attention is much less than humans or even a dog, so it is important to keep training sessions short. So, the session can be over whenever the cat decides to stops paying, also keep things natural and let your cat lead the way when training your cat to for example play with toys. Practice one lesson at a time and make sure your cat has mastered it before you decide to move on to learning the next trick or skill.

Family Meeting

It is crucial to introduce your kitten to your entire household that includes toddlers, dogs, cats, birds, turtles anything your cat might encounter when they are free roaming the house. You can also invite friends over to socialize with your new pet but remember to keep it slow and allow your cat to move at their own pace. Introducing your cat to different people all throughout your home will socialize them making them more comfortable and less territorial.

Rewards and Remember

Rewarding your cat for good behaviors can be a great motivator for them to do it again, the two best ways to reward your cat are with treats or their favorite human food, and pets or scratches in their favorite places. Remember to never physically punish or scold your cat for bad behavior, this could in fact make things worse and your cat will be reclusive and afraid of you. Instead try to redirect your cats attention when they are behaving badly by making a loud noise or sound, for example say your cat is bugging another one of your animals you can clap your hands, whistle, or yell ‘Bang’ or ‘Bam’. Keep in mind to stay away from using common words like ‘No’ or ‘Hey’ that commonly are said in other context to avoid confusion.