Training a Cat
Training cats involves patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviours. Unlike dogs, cats respond better to rewards such as treats, praise, or play rather than punishment.
The amount of training and exercise a cat needs varies considerably depending on the bred and where its home is.
A cat living in a city apartment may get little exercise, whereas cat in rural areas may be allowed to run free.
Apartment cats may need to be furnished with toys, cardboard tubes, or other play equipment to provide them with a means to exercise.
Owners of variable purebred or show cats may not want their animals to run free where they risk injury, loss, or unwanted litters.
Outdoor cats get plenty of exercise; however, they run a greater risk of injury from fights, of death or injury on the roadways and of contracting diseases and parasites. Cats living indoors should have a clean litter box and plenty of water.
Owners should be aware of plants that may be poisonous to their pets and of other dangers if the cat is left alone for long periods.
To protect the furniture, cats should be trained to use a scratching post.
Cats Scratch
Cat use this to sharpen their claws, to remove loose scales and fragments of dry skin, and to leave a mark for other cats.
Kittens should be trained to use a scratching post as soon as they are weaned. The kitten should be held near the post and its claws placed on the post.
The kitten will soon learn what to do and will usually continue to use the same post.
A cloth-covered post may offer the cat an alternative to clawing soft furniture and draperies.
Correct Toilet
Training is easier with cats than with dogs because cats naturally cover their urine and faeces.
If a mother cat does a good job of raising her litter, she will probably train them to use a litter box.
If a kitten does not know what the litter box is for, one can train it easily. Holding its front paws, the owner should show it how to scratch in the litter material.
Every time the kitten appears to be looking for a place to urinate or defecate, it should be placed in the litter box.
Urine Spraying
Urine spraying is a natural part of a cat‘s behaviour. The male cat will spraying walls and furniture to mark its territory.
If one can catch the cat in the act, spray it with a water pistol. Another alternative to try is to hang aluminum foil around the spraying area.
One can try feeding the cat in the target areas, because cats will usually not spray near feeding areas.
Some cats can be trained to sit, beg, jump through hoops, and do other tricks. Training should be similar to the methods used with a dog, with short training periods, firm verbal commands and instant rewards.
Whether a cat learns any tricks depends on its intelligence and whether it wants to oblige.
In any case, training should not be forced on a cat that does not appear interested.
