Pet owners shouldn't over look cat training. Common pesky cat behaviors, such as clawing furniture and climbing curtains, should not lead to hundreds of dollars in new items or painful, expensive declawing procedures.
Cat training techniques are effective. In addition, most cats learn quickly and master approved behaviors in a matter of days. Learn about the different cat training techniques and tools to turn your rambunctious feline in a well-behaved pet.
Cat Training Using a Clicker
Like dogs, cats respond to sharp, sudden noises. To teach your cat acceptable behavior with a clicker, always keep tempting rewards in your pocket and keep the clicker on you at all times. Do not punish the cat when he's doing something wrong. Instead, when he's acting correctly, hit the clicker and give him a treat. If he does something wrong, no clicks and no treats.
The problem with clicker training is that you have to be around to reinforce the good behavior. If you're at work and the cat digs at your sofa, there's really no way to reward him for walking by the sofa without touching it. Without consistent training, the cat may not get the message.
Cat clicker training is best for commons like sit and come. After the cat associates the click with a treat, use a command like sit, down or come to acquaint the pet to an action word.
Spraying a Cat with a Water Bottle
A spray of water makes a cat quickly stop whatever he's doing and can be an effective cat training method. If he's scratching the sofa or door frame and you hit him with water, he's going to leave the area immediately. With enough water-related cat training, the cat will avoid the behavior.
Problems with the squirt bottle include always having to catch the cat in the act. While you're at work or running errands, the cat will be able to act as he pleases. It's often more effective to put a cardboard scratch pad in an open area and cover it with some catnip. Reward the cat every time you see him using the cardboard scratch pad and problematic scratching ends.
Crate Training Your Cat
Cat training using a crate is commonly overlooked. Having a cat that is not fearful of a cat carrier is always a good idea. If there's a fire, gas leak or other emergency that requires your cat to quickly go into a crate to evacuate the house, crate training helps immensely.
Cats respond well to crate training if you start using a crate from kittenhood. It's important to offer a good selection of toys in the crate to prevent boredom. Turn the crate into a secluded area where the cat can have time to himself.
Toys to add to a crate include cardboard scratch pads, catnip mice and jingly balls. A small pile of catnip will relieve any stress your cat may feel while you're gone.
Make sure that the cat is never kept in a crate when you are home. The crate should only be used when you will be at work or gone for an extended period of time.