Kathrynn Kelley asked: Cats are a very popular choice as a pet, and not without reason.
Cats are fun, affectionate, and quite intelligent, as well as generally happy to live indoors, making them a great pet for city dwellers. But the question of cat
training, or whether they can be trained is a compelling one. Theoretically
cats should respond to
training quickly and efficiently as they are very intelligent.
If you ask around, most
cat owners will say that
cats have a strong independent streak and do not try to please their owners the way that dogs do. Consequently,
training cats takes more work as the techniques that work in
training dogs do not work with
cats.
The successfulness of cat
training will depend on several variables. First is when you start your
training with your new cat. Younger
cats are more receptive to new behaviors, so you should consider beginning
kitten training as soon as you get your new pet.
The second thing to consider is what does “cat
training” mean to you. If you want to
train your cat to come when summoned and to be housebroken and use a litterbox, then these tasks are easily taught.
When it comes to simple tasks such as these you should use praise to get your cat to obey. Call to your cat, then when it comes to you give some
good praise and affection, using a proper praising tone of voice.
Pretty soon your cat will come when you call to them, as they will associate it with love and praise. Whatever you do, though, remain consistent, your cat will become confused if you change your
behavior in the middle of
training.
When litterbox
training your cat, be prepared for it to take a while. This may not be what you hoped to hear, because the smell of cat urine is certainly not something you want lingering in your house, but it pays to be patient.
There are various different methods available to you- research to find one which seems
like it will work for your situation- but, as I mentioned above, be consistent. Once you choose an approach, stick with it, so that your cat knows what is expected of it.
Different types of cat
training may be necessary when undesirable
behavior arises as the cat gets older. One frequent problem of this type is when the cat ceases to use the litterbox and instead relieves itself in corners.
Several methods exist to discourage this
behavior, but it is recommended that the cat is medically evaluated first to assure there is no underlying physical cause for the
behavior.
If the cat is healthy, cayenne pepper can be sprinkled in the inappropriate places where the cat tends to urinate. Since the pepper is irritating to the cat it is discouraged
from returning to urinate again.
The best advice when trying to
train your cat is to be patient and consistent in your approach. If you build a better rapport with your pet by trying to eliminate problematic
behavior you will have a much more satisfying and fulfilling relationship with your pet, and be more likely to be able to teach them.
