Why Do We Train Cats?
Why do we train cats? Training cats is usually done for one of four reasons:- To housebreak the cat
- To tame a feral cat
- To correct objectionable (bad) behavior developed in the cat
- To make the cat perform
Housebreaking includes litter box, sleeping arrangements, counters and furniture, scratching posts, other pets and family members, feeding times.
Usually, a kitten learns the acceptable behaviors "by osmosis" as it grows up in the home. Most people have little difficulty with this. However; when you adopt an adult cat, your cat has different house rules than you do; and this cause friction. The cat must be retrained.
A Feral Cat must be tamed before housebreaking can occur. Taming a feral cat includes developing trust. This is not the easiest thing to do after a cat has been trapped, altered and given vaccinations. The poor thing is probably delirious with fear. Patience is the key. Let the cat lead this dance. If you plan to tame the cat, do not let it loose again after the trapping and vet visit. The cat will not be taken in again.
Correcting Objectionable Behavior calls into play a lot of training and behavioral scienceknowledge. Operant Conditioning is outlined and discussed. Each behavior needs to be addressed separately, and the measures used to correct one behavior may exacerbate another. The specifics of this are discussed. Clicker training is promoted, as this is the easiest way to train your cat. However, not all cats respond positively to the clicker, and you can ask the Cat Whisperer for help with these cats.
Training to Perform is a simple cycle of the task or trick, mark, reward and repeat. The hardest part is getting the cat to do the behavior the first time. The more often you associate the word or action on your part with the action desired from the cat, the more ingrained the behavior will be. Read the Operant Conditioning page for more information.
Every pet owner knows that if you and your pet have the same rules, the household is much happier. For this, we use basic cat training. For instance, is there a place you do not want your cats? Perhaps the kitchen counter? What about those plants that could be harmful to your cat? So, to help with getting the rules straight for everyone, here are some ideas:
1. Using clean water in a squirt bottle from a distance, spray kitty during the course of his wrong doing. Combine with an audible cue like the word "No" or "Stop."
2. Homemade booby traps that make noise when kitty is doing or getting ready to do something you don't want him to do. For Example, stack empty cans around the plants.
3. A very small blast of canned air at the hiney. Use air cans made to clean pc's.
4. A shaker made to create a scary sound whenever kitty attempts to do wrong. For example, a few bottle caps in a baby food jar or pennies in an empty soda can.
5. I have even gone as far as wrapping the sofa in bubble wrap when introducing a new kitty into the house. They scratch, it pops, they jump! Granted...one cat actually thought it was amusing to pop the wrap.
6. A simple touch on the kitties nose with the word "no." Cats hate to have their noses tapped.
Before you discipline your cat, be sure the behavior would be objectionable in another circumstance. For instance: if your cat is digging in the potted plant to go potty, check the litter box as it may need to be cleaned. Get into the mind of your cat and be sure that the objectionable behavior is truly objectionable. If not, re-direct the cat's attention to something it can do instead. This takes creativity on your part, and your cat may be stubborn, but keep at it. Eventually, your cat will get the idea and move on to a more acceptable behavior.
So, how do you start? Speak the same word with the same emphasis on the same syllable each time. Use all of you to talk to your cat. I use pictures in my head of the desired behavior along with the words. For some reason this seems to get the idea across to the cat more easily. Try this:Your cat is on the counter or table where he or she gets all the time and is not supposed to be! Got it?
For more Info on cats visit:http://www.for-the-love-of-cats.com/index.html
That means that cats are much smarter than people pound for pound! And you thought kitty was just another pretty furry thing...
Correcting Objectionable Behavior calls into play a lot of training and behavioral scienceknowledge. Operant Conditioning is outlined and discussed. Each behavior needs to be addressed separately, and the measures used to correct one behavior may exacerbate another. The specifics of this are discussed. Clicker training is promoted, as this is the easiest way to train your cat. However, not all cats respond positively to the clicker, and you can ask the Cat Whisperer for help with these cats.
Training to Perform is a simple cycle of the task or trick, mark, reward and repeat. The hardest part is getting the cat to do the behavior the first time. The more often you associate the word or action on your part with the action desired from the cat, the more ingrained the behavior will be. Read the Operant Conditioning page for more information.
Occasionally, we all need a less expensive or more expedient item to discipline our cats. Also, not everyone wants to be a full-time cat trainer. So, in response to this, here are some ideas and tools you can use.
Basic Cat Training
- Decide where your cat is definately not allowed to be.
- Obstacles. Use items that will disturb the stealth qualities your cat naturally exhibits, like a stack of empty soda cans around a plant or bells hung from the lower limbs and leaves. By breaking your cat's concentration and making a noise, these measures can be quite effective.
- Deterrents. Use things that are unpleasant to your cat. Double-sided tape or Sticky Paws are effective. There are also Best Behavior by Nature's Miracle chemical treatments that can be used.
- Re-direct attention. When you catch your kitty doing something you don't want it to do, redirect the cat's attention by giving it something it is permitted to have or play with. A string, ball or other toy.
- Removal. Take your cat away from the area or take the item away from your cat.
- Rewards. Give a Treat for good behavior along with a "good cat" or other endearing talk. Try not to reward expected behavior like using the litter box; but if this is a problem, a couple of reinforcements won't hurt.
- Withdraw attention. If your cat is doing something you don't want it to do, but the behavior is more annoying than dangerous, withdraw your attention. Many cats will do things because you laugh or pay attention to them when they exhibit the behavior. By withdrawing your attention, the cat will find something else. Most likely, however, the cat wants your attention and will continue to act out until you play with it or cuddle it.
- Tell your cat "no." Simply tellling your cat to stop may be effective in many instances. I find that by telling my cats to get down or saying "no," they behave nicely. Many cats understand human speech to an extent, and can put together the sounds they hear with the behavior that is required. The longer you live with your cat, the more pronounced this will become.
- Calling your cat to you. Over time, as the cat comes to know and trust you, you may be able to call your cat to you. A scratch behind the ears should always be given. My cats come when called, expecting a cuddle or treat. I can then pick them up and give them medicine or groom them. The cuddle is the trick.
- Never, ever hit or strike your cat! Not only is this cruel, but the cat learns that you are not to be trusted. They come to fear you and may start other objectionable behaviors, either in retaliation or out of fear and anxiety. Even a raised voice can cause this reaction cycle. The cat may leave your home given the chance, to find a more pleasing one.
Sometimes gadgets can help, so here are a few suggestions. Keep in mind that you don't overdo anything here...you want to teach the cat not scare him.
And don't use these ideas in any way to entertain yourself
2. Homemade booby traps that make noise when kitty is doing or getting ready to do something you don't want him to do. For Example, stack empty cans around the plants.
3. A very small blast of canned air at the hiney. Use air cans made to clean pc's.
4. A shaker made to create a scary sound whenever kitty attempts to do wrong. For example, a few bottle caps in a baby food jar or pennies in an empty soda can.
5. I have even gone as far as wrapping the sofa in bubble wrap when introducing a new kitty into the house. They scratch, it pops, they jump! Granted...one cat actually thought it was amusing to pop the wrap.
6. A simple touch on the kitties nose with the word "no." Cats hate to have their noses tapped.
Before you discipline your cat, be sure the behavior would be objectionable in another circumstance. For instance: if your cat is digging in the potted plant to go potty, check the litter box as it may need to be cleaned. Get into the mind of your cat and be sure that the objectionable behavior is truly objectionable. If not, re-direct the cat's attention to something it can do instead. This takes creativity on your part, and your cat may be stubborn, but keep at it. Eventually, your cat will get the idea and move on to a more acceptable behavior.
How to Talk to Your Cat
I believe that cats are more intelligent than most of us humans. I've seen some amazing behaviors in my relations with them. But they seem to be limited by speech. In particular - our speech. We slur, whistle, use accents and slang, scream the words so that even humans can't understand what we are saying, get emotional and put too much force behind our communication - so it's got to be difficult for a cat to understand us. Yet, they seem to "catch on" with time. They can build an impressive vocabulary of 15,000 words or more. That's more words than the typical 5 year old child! With training, the number of words goes up.So, how do you start? Speak the same word with the same emphasis on the same syllable each time. Use all of you to talk to your cat. I use pictures in my head of the desired behavior along with the words. For some reason this seems to get the idea across to the cat more easily. Try this:Your cat is on the counter or table where he or she gets all the time and is not supposed to be! Got it?
For more Info on cats visit:http://www.for-the-love-of-cats.com/index.html
Fun Fact:
A cats brain and intelligence level is at the ratio of 4:1 where a human is 50:1. A measuring comparison is to take the brain weight to the length of the spinal cord. This shows how much gray matter controls the body.That means that cats are much smarter than people pound for pound! And you thought kitty was just another pretty furry thing...
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