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 http://www.pet-medication-supplies.net. 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.
best value cleaning service Mundelein ...Dogs are a fantastic edition to any family but like... Read More
A respiratory tract ailment can be fatal to your parrot... Read More
As overwhelming as picking out a pet bird can be,... Read More
If you have ever tried to take a picture of... Read More
Dog obedience training begins with the owner. There are several... Read More
Dear Fellow Dog Lover,I assume you love your dog, or... Read More
The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on... Read More
Grooming means taking care of the physical maintenance of the... Read More
Show an uninformed dog lover a photo of a Westie,... Read More
You might think the most important bit of dog health... Read More
If you have a hard time in summer imagine how... Read More
Are you just starting to research the BARF diet for... Read More
Did you know that pets outnumber people in the United... Read More
Hopefully no one is pulling the leash. The ideal situation... Read More
Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important... Read More
There is nothing more adorable than a new puppy. Large... Read More
Unfortunately, accidents can - and DO happen, so it's always... Read More
A dog crate is a necessity for your dog, through... Read More
Why paint your cat? After all cats are beautiful creatures... Read More
Some sources seem to indicate that living with a serval... Read More
Choosing a dog is a fun adventure. The search for... Read More
Large dogs and extra large dogs require more thought and... Read More
From the first day of life on a leash, most... Read More
Stingrays will eat a wide variety of foods. Maintaining a... Read More
There are many places to find Westie merchandise, but before... Read More
recurring housekeeping Northbrook ...Before we talk about using the essential oils, we first... Read More
Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according... Read More
Whether you're a new dog owner or have had dogs... Read More
Beautiful as they are, Boston Terriers have some genetic traits... Read More
Some people say they are exclusively "cat people," meaning they... Read More
Pilling a cat can be a "nightmarish" experience. Cats don't... Read More
How can my child benefit from having a pet?1.Social skills... Read More
Attempting to train your dog to walk on a leash... Read More
A few years ago, before I decided to stay home... Read More
Betta fish, also called Siamese fighting fish are one of... Read More
In the animal kingdom there is a pecking order. Richard... Read More
On the surface playing Frisbee with your dog may seem... Read More
Well first of all I was always a cat owner,... Read More
IntroductionA long time ago, before evolution turned the primate into... Read More
A German Shepherd puppy can become a very welcome member... Read More
Believe it or not boutiques for dogs are everywhere. Nowadays,... Read More
Dog grooming is relatively simple for most dogs. I have... Read More
Of course, we humans use shoes to protect our feet.... Read More
In a recent discussion about pet safety, the services provided... Read More
Animal welfare organizations and humane societies have been very successful... Read More
I really do not hope your are eating something, but... Read More
You are ready to bring your Boxer home? First, you... Read More
Dogs are descendent of wolves. To study the psychology of... Read More
Do you have at least one framed photo of your... Read More
Could a horse trainer, born about 154 years ago, teach... Read More
Pet |