Cats Training Tips

1. Use Treats — The Right Kind

For many cats, who generally tend to be more selective about what they

eat than their canine counterparts, it takes something more special than

regular kibble to get them motivated. Diced turkey, shredded pieces of

chicken, or premium cat treats will prove more effective. It’s just a matter of

finding out what your cat likes best.

2. Condition Your Kitten

Cats are naturally smart animals. Try starting slowly with a simple trick just

to show your cat what sort of good things (i.e. treats) can occur during

these initially confusing training sessions. Remember to always hold the

treat up to your cat’s nose so he or she can get a good sniff and know a

reward is at stake. Continue holding the treat in your cat’s line of vision

until whatever command you’ve issued has been performed. Once it has,

immediately reward your cat. With serious repetition, this will establish a

relationship between behavior and reward in your kitty’s mind.

3. Practice Makes Perfect

Repeat training processes until your cat makes a connection, but take care

not to overwork your feline friend, as they get worn out quite easily. Start

by teaching just one command at a time, and limit training sessions to 10 to

15 minutes maximum. Repeat the routine daily, however, as your cat might

forget all it has learned otherwise.

4. Try Using a “Clicker” to Teach Your Cat

Animal trainers have long used distinctive sounds such as whistles and

clicks as reinforcers of good behavior. Today, plastic “clicker” kits are a

popular way of conditioning animals. Initiating a click right after a

successfully executed behavior, then immediately giving your cat a treat

will eventually lead your pet to automatically associate the click with an

imminent reward, meaning as soon as the click is heard, he or she will

know they’ve done the right thing. Eventually, you won’t even need a treat

every single time.

5. Never Discipline

Cats respond extremely poorly to punishment; instead of making any

constructive association between a bad behavior and the resulting

scolding, a cat will typically just run away in confusion and fear.

Additionally, punishment creates stress, which is one of the most common

catalysts for problematic behavior in cats. Even more so than with dogs,

it’s imperative you reward your cats for their positive behavior rather than

condemning them for their negative behavior.