10 Must Have Cat Training Tips

If you own a cat or cats, then you are definitely in the market for some quick and easy training tips. Most situations that you’re going to encounter are going to be covered by this list of tips and techniques.  After reading these tips, you will no doubt come up with your own ideas.

Being very consistent in training your new cat is the key. Whatever way you choose to train or discipline your cat, do it the same way each time or they will receive mixed signals. That will only make training your cat harder for the both of you.  In the next ten minutes you can forget about cat training.

The ten tips below will get your through your initial training phase.

1. Cats don’t mind being punished, actually they could care less. Unlike dogs, whose behavior changes with discipline, it affect a cat at all. Don’t waste your time or theirs, even if you punish our cat they will just sit there and purr, all the while doing it all over again.

2. Corporal Punishment works with dogs, but with cats its out of the question. Cats have a delicate body which prevents being spanked like you would a dog. You must match wits with your cat, its easier than it sounds. There are such things as cat clicker training aids, but they are not recommended.

3. Use positive reinforcement as a means of discipline. Seasoned cat owners realize that its very hard to teach a cat what the actual crime is.  It’s a lot easier to reward your cat for good behavior than punish them for bad.   You should always have treats on had for this. Feed your cat one when she is using the litter box or scratching post, this will help reinforce good actions.

4. Keeping toys either ones you bought or ones you made around will tend to keep them out of trouble. Cats get bored, and this is the leading cause of bad behavior. Cats are predators by nature. Remember Disney, The Lion King, the part where Simba gets lessons in pouncing.  When you think that your cat is bouncing off the walls and tearing up the house, they are only practicing their predatory skills.  Giving your cat toys to play with will help him calm down, well at least a little bit.

5. Keeping your pet busy while your away is essential. If you cat is used to your company, they could be come bored and be destructive while your at work or visiting friends or family. A television timer is a great idea.  Have it set to turn your television on at different times through out the day. Make sure it tunes into animal friendly broadcasts such as the Animal Channel.  Cats can see images on the screen.  The noise will attract them and they will sit there and watch the show for a little while at least.

6. Get a spray bottle and learn the advantage of having one.  In most cases a little harmless spray from a water bottle can get their attention and stop any bad behavior.  The same type of bottle that you use to water your plants will work fine. When the cat is behaving badly, just a little squirt and soon he will learn that its not a good idea.

7. Blowing harmless puffs of air at your pets face. I know, it sounds mean, but it works. When you want your space and he is in your face give it a shot. Simply blowing air into his face will startle and puzzle him. Eventually he will associate the two actions and you wont be bothered with the annoying attention that he is giving.

8. Make sure your cat can see everything.  Curiosity killed the cat, that’s what the saying is.   If your cat gets bored, you could become irate and go berserk. Curiosity is the cause for a lot of bad behavior in felines. Make sure you have a ledge or window sill that you cat can sit on and watch the birds and other animals in your yard.  You can buy window sill extensions or if your handy, they are easy to make.

9. Giving your cat plenty of quality attention. It’s always good to spend quality time with your pet.  This may sound different or a little weird. But it’s really a great idea. The more time you guys spend together the better your communication will be. Cats a ways to communicate, this involves more than just talking but body behavior also. You will learn to know when she is thinking about a behavior which is unacceptable and she will know that its not accepted just by your body movements.

10. Put the aggressive cats into kitty prison. Comfort the victim. Do you have more than one cat? If so then you probably have had or will have the occasional cat fight. Cats are territorial animals.  They will get into fights now and then; this is their way to defend their domain.  If you witness the fight, the first thing you should do is break it up, using the water bottle method. Spray the aggressive one, while trying to avoid spraying the victim. After you break up the fight, put the aggressor in a less attractive space. While you got the aggressive cat put away, reward the victim.   Giver her free roam of the house maybe a treat or two. When you let the bully out, supervision is required, at least at first.

The tips and techniques discussed here are just the beginning in cat training. As you and your cat become more comfortable with each other, you will develop a language of your own. It could be verbal, through you speaking and her meowing. But it’s probably going to be through body language. You will soon learn this form of communication and teaching your cat proper behavior will be easier than you could ever imagine.