CAT TRAINING and CARE

When most people think about animal obedience work, cats just aren’t usually the first candidates to spring to mind. (and that's why we LOVE them!)

We tend to associate cats with words like aloof, independent, and laid back – they seem to focus on doing what they want, and when they feel like it.

However – there’s an ever-increasing number of people who are deriving a great deal of pleasure from training their cats in basic and advanced obedience work and tricks (from sit, stay, and come, to jumping through hoops, twirling, and high-fiving) - and what’s more, they’re convinced that their cats enjoy it, too!

The benefits of training your cat:

Just because cats typically lead solitary, individual lives doesn’t mean that they necessarily want to do so.

In fact, many cats are incredibly affectionate and loving by nature – they just need you to demonstrate your leadership and initiate the rapport-building process.

Cats are often underestimated when it comes to the training process, simply because the average owner has very little need to attempt any sort of training at all. Unlike with dogs (whose ability to learn is very well documented) there’s no need to train cats in the basics of pet protocol like house training and bathing.

Consequently, relatively few people are aware of their cat’s abilities in this area.

Training your cat is a fantastic and fun way to enrich your cat’s life:

It builds a strong rapport between you and your cat
Because training underlines your authority (your cat has to do what you want to get what he wants), it helps to curb dominant behavior
It keeps your cat’s mind active and stimulated
It’s great interactive play, and teaches good social skills
Anxious and highly-strung cats are reassured and soothed by the repetition and routine of training

There are two popular cat training methods:

Target training is where you attract your cat’s attention and then obtain desired behaviors through the use of a designated tool. For example, during the ‘beg’ command, a particular target training tool called a training wand is used to attract the cat’s attention upwards, and to encourage the cat to rise up on his haunches and ‘beg’.

Clicker training is a form of operant conditioning. A small mechanical noise-maker (the ‘clicker’) is used by the trainer to create a short, distinct noise. The clicker is clicked at the precise moment that the cat performs a desired behavior – for example, during ‘sit’, the clicker is clicked at the very instant that the cat’s bottom touches the ground. Directly after the click, the cat is fed a small and tasty treat.

With repetition, the cat grows to associate the click with the food, and recognizes his own ability to earn treats by performing the desired action on command. The clicker is a particularly valued training tool because it allows the trainer to pinpoint the exact behavior that’s being rewarded: without the clicker, it’s too easy for the cat to form associations between the treat and a completely unrelated behavior since it’s impossible to feed the cat a treat at the precise moment that he’s performing a trick.

Are you interested in training you cat?

Training your cat to ‘sit’ on command

‘Sit’ is a great basic command for your cat to know, because it serves as the foundation for a number of other, more advanced tricks and commands.

Make your training wand extra-effective by smearing the tip in a little tuna oil, and use it to attract your cat’s attention (wave it around, trail it past his face, etc.)

Once he’s come over to you, place the wand just over his head, so that it’s slightly behind the crown of his head.

He will tilt his head back to keep his eyes on it. When he does this, he will naturally sit down (since otherwise, his neck can’t bend back far enough to allow him to keep watching the training wand.)

As SOON as he sits down, say the word ‘Sit’, which will be the verbal cue for this command (your cat will grow to associate the command with the act of sitting, and eventually will learn to sit down whenever you ask him to.)

As soon as his bottom touches the ground, click the clicker. It’s important that you time this precisely.

Directly after clicking, give him a small food treat. Make sure it’s cut up very small – if it takes him more than two seconds to eat it, he’ll forget why you gave it to him.

Repeat this process a few more times, and over the next few weeks, keep doing so until he’s comfortable with what’s expected of him. When he’s able to sit down on command, you can phase the clicker out – but still give treats sporadically (interestingly, if you treat every single time that he performs a command, he’s actually less likely to reliably obey that command. Keeping him on his toes seems to increase the likelihood of obedience!) Cat's just like the suspense!(" Will I get a treat this time?"

Further training:

For step-by-step advice on how to train your cat in a huge variety of other obedience commands and tricks (from ‘stay’ to ‘play dead’ to ‘fetch’), check out the Complete Cat Training book – it’s full of training how-to’s, as well as a huge amount of detailed information on solving problem behaviors, cat psychology, and how to develop a more rewarding relationship with your cat.

To visit the Complete Cat Training website, click the link below:

Complete Cat Training

Why Train Your Cat?

The question, why train your cat is almost a rhetorical one. Why shouldn't you train your cat? You train your dog, you train your children- everybody else in the family has to comply with a set of accepted behaviors, as should the cat. Some behaviors are not only unacceptable; they can also be dangerous to your pet or to your other family members, so it becomes even more important to train your cat. Remember, there are many reasons that the cat develops these behaviors, so if a usually well-mannered kitty suddenly starts acting like a brain donor, do some investigation as to why. Rule out illness or injury before assuming that your good kitty is gone forever.

One of the most common sudden bad behavior complaints is missing or avoiding the litter box. If you have ever cleaned up an errant kitty mess, then you know why this behavior is one of the most important to get a handle on. Cats are masters of habit, so walk down the checklist of possible reasons: did the litter box get moved recently? Is the spot seeing more traffic than usual? Is there something different about the room itself? If location is not the problem, then you can move on to the next set of questions. Did you change box style or litter brand? Some cats do not care what is in the box as long as it is fresh and clean, but others will only accept the scent of one kind, the end. If you find yourself planning a litter change, start introducing the new brand as soon as possible, preferably mixed in with the old kind. After ruling out all of these questions, you might consider whether or not the cat is ill. Cats with a urinary tract infection or kidney disease will avoid the litter box because they associate it with the pain they feel. Getting kitty checked for illness may help with the behavior, after he is back to good health that is.

Over vocalizing is another issue that may need to be dealt with. Some cats rarely meow, and some never seem to shut up. Of all kitty behaviors, the constant crying and need for reassurance may be the one that is most difficult to figure out, and the one that may make kitty owners overreact. Of course, asking kitty what he wants may only reinforce this behavior, and ignoring it may make kitty more neurotic, so this behavior may be one that needs some real professional help and guidance.

Kitties that bite, scratch or claw at possessions is bad, but when they do the same thing to people, it is even worse. Do not tolerate rough play when you first bring kitty home or you will find yourself bleeding more often than not. Cats do not play as gently as many dogs will, if they are nipping while playing, their needle sharp teeth will pierce your skin. When baby kitty is allowed to play aggressively with his human friends, he will turn into an older, stronger cat that is aggressive as well. Stop playing with kitty when he starts biting or scratching roughly and he will learn that he cannot act that way. What is funny now is a potential band-aid moment later.

Nobody wants to sneak around his or her own home, trying not to provoke the furry tyrant that has taken over. Do not allow your cat to run over you, establish your dominance right away or suffer the consequences.