Your new cat will be a lovely addition to the family, but are they already being problematic? Cats need to be trained too, just like dogs and other pets. They need to get used to their surroundings. If we have our lovely little cat, he may or may not be finding the transition difficult into a new home and family. So here are some ways that you can make him/her feel more comfortable.
Is cat training similar to dog training? Yes and no.
Because cats are highly independent animals, they may show a lack of interest or a desire to obey your commands. This does not necessarily mean that you will not be able to navigate and influence their behavior. If you are consistent and patient, the puppy or adult cat will undergo successful training soon.
What is the purpose of training and what actions do we train?
The first step is to decide what we want to teach the cat to do so that we can build an action plan with daily stages of progress. Before beginning the process, choose which commands or behaviors you want to teach them. How to use the sandbox, how to teach them to stay calm at the vet, how to prevent the destruction and scratching of carpets and furniture, these are all things the cat can learn. If they are scratching at things frequently you should consider reading this guide from Carefree Cat Co.
Each lesson should be purposeful and in a natural environment. Once we have decided what the purpose of the training is, it is important to remember that the cat’s attention span is short and therefore should be focused for a short period of time. The length of the lesson will be determined by the degree of concentration and interest of the cat.
Some cats will learn how to use the toilet quickly and some will even know how to do it after watching their mother, however it is important to lead the cats to the toilet in their new home in order to refresh their memory and show them where they are. If you are teaching them how to play with toys or with you, the lessons should be more gradual. They like to approach and play with toys after examining them carefully and they will approach them in their free time, it is important to give them time and space to do so at their own pace. When they get used to playing with a certain object, you can enter the story and play with them with a toy.
Start slowly and from the ground up
It is important to make a separation and teach the cat something different each time without making things too complex. If you try to teach them everything at once you will distance yourself from the ultimate goal. Once the cat has acquired a certain skill in a good way, one can move on to the following exercises. For example, when bringing a new kitten home, we want to first teach him to use the toilet and after he has done so successfully we will teach him to get along and spend time with other animals, stay calm during the grooming and cleaning routine, etc.
Practice on command in a variety of places
Once the cat has learned a particular command or behavior, it is important to practice it in different environments at home. For example, if you have accustomed the kitten to meeting people or other animals only in the living room, he may be mistaken and think that they exist only in the living room and not outside it and therefore will treat them differently if he encounters them outside the living room. Training for certain behaviors requires the use of different areas in the house, only then can we teach cats what the desired behavior is and that it is not limited to specific areas in the house for example not to scratch furniture throughout the house and not just furniture in a single room.
If possible, involve the rest of the household in the process. If you live with other people, share with them about the training and instruct them on how to behave and teach the cat so that they know that this behavior is expected of them not only that you are around but among all the members of the household. On top of that you want them to learn to be sociable, so if you live alone, it is important to expose the cat to other people, invite friends to visit you so the cat can meet them. It is important that guests do not pounce or force themselves on the cat and give him time to watch. Eventually he should come on his own or allow them to approach him gently.
Give prizes for good behavior
Rewards help reinforce and encourage good behavior and increase the cat’s motivation during training. There are two main types of reward, verbal reward of words of encouragement and happy (happy and positive tone) combined with pleasant caresses and scratches. The second type is tasty snacks for cats, give them a snack after a successful operation! You should combine snacks with the noise of a click from a clicker for training, so that you can gradually stop with the snacks and the noise of the clicker will burn in the cat’s consciousness as something positive and encouraging that indicates a successful action.
What do you do if the training does not work?
It is important to remember that you need patience and cats do not learn everything in one day, sometimes they will make mistakes. Cats do not respond well to punishment, they will not always understand why they are being punished and this is especially true for young kittens. Punishments can lead to regression and the opposite result of fixing the unwanted behavior. If you are trying to correct unwanted behavior like scratching furniture, try to make a sharp and noisy noise quickly, the goal is to slightly frighten the cat, to attract his attention and distract him from the action. It takes time and patience to help a cat learn, but it is possible! Start today!
