PURRaffection

Posts Tagged ‘Cat Training’

With a lot of patience and a few simple rules you can train your cat to walk on a leash.

A harness is easier for a cat. Cat’s won’t respond well to jerking their collar so a harness is actually best and should be loose and comfortable for the cat. First, allow your cat to play with the new items so she gets use to them. Try putting the harness on her and see how she reacts. This step is very crucial, if you force the cat to wear the harness, they are not going to be happy at all with the harness or with you.

You need to take it easy with all the steps. If your cat balks at any step, go back to the previous one. It is a lot harder getting a cat to cooperate than it is for a dog.

After the cat is comfortable wearing the harness loose, then it is the time to tighten the harness up until it is the right fit for the cat. At this stage, you will want to give the cat time to get use to wearing the harness.

Next attach the leash. Now you will want to start walking the cat inside, until the cat is comfortable. Once the cat is comfortable walking with the leash then it is time to go outside for a walk.

When walking with the cat on the leash make sure there is not too much loose leash or they will be running in all random directions. There are many distractions for a cat outdoors – birds, squirrels and the neighbor’s pets might cause your cat to want to run around, but you must keep a tight leash so that your cat walks with you and is not dragging you all over the place.

A little practice and you will soon be enjoying your outings with your cat walking on a leash.

Go to my Cat Training Blog for many more tips and information on training your cat as well as understanding cat behaviour.

Pets make our home more complete by being there to greet you after a hard day at work or snuggling up to you while you rest. Cats have been termed the most fickle of creatures; however, they are sweet lovable creatures if you raise them from infancy. Cats mostly use sound to recognize their owners by associating either your voice or the noise of your car with you , and who spoils them the most. Like dogs, cats are trainable. A cat can be trained to come to your call, to bring their toys when they want to play, as well as more domestic issues such as using a litter box. The most important aspect to training a cat or kitten is reinforcement.

Reinforcement starts at any age, but it is typically wise to start out with a kitten. Cats cannot distinguish words, but they are very astute in classifiable tones of your voice. They will know they have done something wrong just by the tone of voice you use. You must use your upset voice when they have done something wrong, otherwise they will become confused. Let us go back to reinforcement. Reinforcement is either positive or negative. Water is a negative reinforcement for a cat or kitten because they typically scorn being wet. Some positive reinforcement can be hugs or fully body petting, treats, or play time.

To train your kitty to come to your call is to repeat their name while they are looking at you. Look them in the eye while you are using a nice tone of voice. Another way to call your cat is to have another sound, like snapping fingers, or clicking noises with your tongue. These typically gain the attention of your cat or kitten so they learn to come when you call.

Litter box training is perhaps the easiest part of having a kitty in your life. It is best to keep them confined to one room, the room you will have the litter box in to train them. They will learn by you putting them in the box and allowing them to acquaint themselves with the smell. Cats by nature understand the feel of litter, associating it with dirt. You may have to pick them up when they first start looking to go if they do not understand the litter box and place them inside. Occasionally a cat does not like the litter you use. They show their displeasure by using the floor. This is a time to try something new. Most female adult cats will train their kittens so it is important they do not leave their mother’s care to quickly. Food works in much the same way. Once you show them where their food bowls are they will continue to go there. Cats are creatures of habit.

Habits are how you will train your kitty to bring you toys. Some cats will simply meow when they want to play and casually bat their toy, however if you give them positive reinforcement every time they carry a toy mouse or stuffed toy they will continue to bring the toy without the reinforcement of a treat. For an example my kitty, Spooky, is two. She brings me a stuffed animal every afternoon or evening when she wants to play. She lays it down near the end of my couch and meows until I recognize the good deed and begin to play with her.

Cats are trainable, perhaps not to the degree; a dog is trainable with voice commands, but they you can definitely train them in some ways. Cats will enliven any home and given a lot of positive reinforcement, they can be just as much fun if not more fun than other pets. Especially when they give you comfort by stepping on to your lap kneading and purring. These moments can take away a bad day at work within a few seconds.

Training your cat will make caring for your cats a lot more fun and help both of you to relax. You will find a lot more information about cat training on my Cat Training Blog.