When you think of training cats, it usually involves something with a litter box and some scratch post training. Certain cats can be trained to do simple tricks as well and others have been very capable of getting toilet training as well. Cats aren’t usually seen as performance animals but they are very intelligent and they can be taught. This intelligence that cats have makes it easy for us to train them. You should keep these three simple rules to keep in mind when cat training; reward, praise, and positive reinforcement.
What basic cat training does is that it encourages good behavior by the cat and discourages bad behavior. If you want your cat to behave properly, anything that it does should be rewarded, enjoyable and pleasant. Anything that you would not like your cat to do should be, unpleasant, not enjoyable and should never be rewarded. Punishment doesn’t work with cats and it only leads your cat to mistrust you and repeat the same behavior when you are away.
Training takes time and patience. Make sure that you always stick to your routine. A cat that has a pleasant experience when it does something will repeat the same behavior. With this in mind you can apply the concept to litter box training and a number of other things. You can determine what your cat takes in and where it comes out. A short while after your cat has eaten, take him into an enclosed room which has a litter box and make sure that he sits in that box. When he has made use of the litter box, make sure you provide a lot of praise, hugs and perhaps a little treat. Very soon you won’t have to keep him in the box in order to get the result that you desire.
Nobody would like their cats to make use of their couch as a scratching post. Most of the time these cats don’t even know what they’re doing, you should play your own part and make the experience an unpleasant one. Cats don’t like it when their claws are caught up in anything so try and cover the bottom of your sofa with netting. Your cats will realize that it’s no fun and they will retreat to their scratching posts.
Though it is essential that you reward good behavior, it is just as essential not to reward bad behavior. If your cat does something that you don’t approve of, don’t give him a treat to divert him from the bad behavior. The cat will usually associate the improper behavior with rewards and will continue to do the same thing. The best thing to do is to ignore your cat or to squirt him with water and he will get your point. You should also know that cats will sometimes behave badly in order to get attention. You should ensure that you schedule regular playtime with your cat and supply him/her with lots of toys.
As soon as you have accomplished the essential aspects of training, you can teach your cat how to do a lot of things.
