Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at your new furniture, and Kitty is sitting staring at you. Suddenly you realize how silly you look and how futile your scolding is. So how do you train your cat to respect your home?
All cats can be trained and should have some training from their owners. You will need to train your cat to use her litter box, sharpen her claws on the scratching post instead of your couch, and to stop negative behavior when you say "no." Cats can also learn to do "tricks," and the mental stimulation of learning is good for them.
Cats learn the same way dogs and people learn; they repeat behaviors that have a pleasurable result. The best way to train your cat is to reward her when she does something right. The reward might be a small piece of a special food, or lots of praise from you in a happy, high-pitched voice.
Training to change negative behaviors requires you to catch your cat "in the act." For example, if your cat uses your stereo speakers as a scratching post, wait until she is about to put claw to fabric, then firmly say "NO." The moment she freezes and turns towards you, switch to the happy voice and praise her. Move towards her to distract her away from the inappropriate object. If she makes any movement towards you praise her even more. Timing and repetition are the keys to success here. You must catch her as she moves to act inappropriately, and praise her the exact moment she stops.
Things to remember if your cat scratches your furniture
* Understand your cat's need to scratch.
* Forget punishment - it doesn't work.
* Provide a suitable place for your cat to scratch such as a scratching post
* Make the scratching post attractive to Kitty
* Make the place she's been scratching unattractive - physical or scent related deterrents will work
* Whenever possible, start cats young.
* You may want to trim your cat's claws.
Training simple tricks can be incorporated into daily playtime. Always keep some cat treats in a pocket during training time. To teach your cat to "shake hands," begin by saying "shake," then touching your hand to the underside of one of her front paws. Praise her for letting you touch there, and give her a treat. Repeat this over and over again. Eventually, you can lay your hand flat on the floor just in front of her paw. Say "shake" and wait. If she even moves her paw towards you praise her and give her a treat. Little by little, she'll catch on that every time she touches your hand with her paw she can get you to give her a treat. Once she willingly touches your hand, you can start to raise your hand off of the floor a little bit at a time. Keep training fun. Stop the session before she loses interest, and always end on a positive note with a reward.
You can use the same one-small-step-at-a-time technique to teach your cat to walk on a leash. This allows you to take your cat outside for fresh air and sensory stimulation without having to worry about her running off. Purchase a cat harness from a pet supply store. Before you even try putting it on your cat, simply leave it lying by her bed for a day or two. When she is used to seeing and smelling it, loosely put it on her just before her normal mealtime. Hand-feed her food to distract her from the harness and to make wearing it a pleasurable experience. Remove it when the food is gone. After a few days, you can let her wear the harness around the house. Let the leash drag behind, but watch to make sure it doesn't become tangled around furniture. When she seems comfortable with the harness and leash, pick up your end and walk with her, letting her lead the way. Eventually she will walk willingly beside you, and you can both venture outdoors.
Pet Medication Supplies [http://www.pet-medication-supplies.net] can help you get the best possible supplies for your pet. Advantix, Arthramine, Cosequin, Frontline, Heartgard - find the best deals in pet medication for flea and tick control, arthritis and lyme disease. Upto 50% discount everyday on brand names.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on... Read More
Dogs, especially young dogs are very playful by nature.Play provides... Read More
The 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With... Read More
The Story Continues... Following the first of many visits to... Read More
Many pet owners often wonder if it's worth it to... Read More
Just because we moved out to the country a couple... Read More
Losing your cat is a worrying experience, use these 'How... Read More
It's important to understand your dog's sleeping habits and how... Read More
Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks, or if... Read More
Nutrition and Your Dog's Behavior Proper nutrition is the fundamental... Read More
Animal welfare organizations and humane societies have been very successful... Read More
Kittens are and have always been adorable creatures. Of course,... Read More
I am a happy owner of two rat terriers. They... Read More
Caring for a kitten is a lot of work. With... Read More
Many chronic diseases commonly seen in pets result from immune... Read More
If you're contemplating the idea of starting a home-based business... Read More
One of the reasons I strongly encourage horse owners to... Read More
Advice!!!-Pet products that are useful, fun and enjoyable will make... Read More
The most important thing to remember in analyzing the behavior... Read More
As we find ourselves in the middle of winter, it's... Read More
We have a long history with domesticated animals and even... Read More
Training your dog can be time consuming and frustrating at... Read More
Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing hobby,... Read More
Thanks to Disney's Motion Picture 'Finding Nemo,' almost everybody is... Read More
The greatest fear of most pet owners is that there... Read More
Is there anything more cute and cuddly than tiny little... Read More
If your kids have been begging you to get a... Read More
Occasionally, some of us get to do work that is... Read More
'Help, my cat is pregnant and I don't know what... Read More
Whether purely for looks or for a bird's home, bird... Read More
You Must Be The Alpha DogFirst, let's take a look... Read More
Would you like to save money and have a healthier... Read More
By Jeffrey Rolocopyright 2004 AlphaHorseIn the dating world many men... Read More
Training your dog to "sit" is probably the first thing... Read More
The answer is "no" if you are the type who... Read More
Mabeke is a young gorilla who was born in captivity... Read More
In the purebred West Highland Terrier puppy market, there are... Read More
Dog Training CollarsHaving a pet means having to provide for... Read More
Dogs make great loyal pets and are always pleased to... Read More
As we love to have a comfortable place to sleep... Read More
Having a dog is a little like having a baby.... Read More
Pet friendly vacations and travel planning make sense -- after... Read More
If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know... Read More
Dogs are quite amiable creatures. Much like our human counterparts,... Read More
The most common dog problems:Dog Owner's commonly ask me the... Read More
So you just loved that sweet little puppy that you... Read More
Cats are becoming increasingly popular as pets these days, and... Read More
When I first started my interest in reptiles I was... Read More
To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? That's become the burning... Read More
Stroking your cat can be good for your health! It... Read More
A puppy wanting to chew makes you want to scream!... Read More
Nutrition and Your Dog's Behavior Proper nutrition is the fundamental... Read More
By Jeffrey Rolocopyright 2004 AlphaHorseIn the dating world many men... Read More
Is your dog up to dirty no good again? Did... Read More
Most of the diseases that threaten goldfish can be cured.... Read More
Do you want a long and healthy life for your... Read More
Part1: There is Actually a "Wrong" Way to Crate TrainCrate... Read More
Has your pet recently been coughing, eating less, or being... Read More
There are three important litter box considerations to account for... Read More
Can cats and dogs live together without constantly being at... Read More
In the animal kingdom there is a pecking order. Richard... Read More
Kittens are and have always been adorable creatures. Of course,... Read More
Let me introduce my dogs. I have 3, Nikki and... Read More
There are thousands of local and online Pet Stores but... Read More
In a world of computer games, the Internet and shopping... Read More
Boxer dogs are an all around great breed, especially skilled... Read More
Pet |