Is It Possible to Train a Cat?

Cat training has become more popular with people that have cats because it results in a better relationship between owners and cats. Living with cat can be challenging, as they have unique behaviors. Cat training is possible, can be easy and without frustration.

One of the fist steps in successfully training your cat is to understand their primary nature. Instinct is what drives most cats, with survival tactics running a close second. Inquisitiveness and sensitivity are key traits of a cat.

Litter box training is typically the most important goal of a cat owner when they bring their new kitty home. A kitten is sometimes trained by the mother cat by watching her use the litter box.When this doesn’t happen, human intervention is necessary by the new kitten owner. The litter box needs to be placed in open area that is private but easy to get to but away from other pets. Clean the litter box everyday as cats are very fastidious creatures and will not use it if it is dirty or smelly.

A habit that is very distressing for cat owners is find their cat using the furniture for a scratching post. Scratching is a basic need in cats and they will do it in the house wherever and whenever they get the urge to do so. It allows them to stretch, sharpen their claws and mark their territory. Smells in certain areas of the house promote scratching behavior and if you change the smells in one area of the house it can change where the scratching occurs. The best solution is to provide several scratching posts in different areas of the house so the cat will use them instead of the furniture or forbidden items. If the cat continues to scratch on furniture rather than using the scratching post you can use a citrus-based spray on the areas that are off limits. Cats detest the smell of citrus and will avoid those areas that are sprayed.

Jumping on tables and countertops is another annoying habit the cat seems to enjoy. The “clicker method” is way of training cats to stay off of these areas. Clickers emit a loud noise that cats hate. Whenever your cats jumps up on to one of these areas you can use a clicker or other loud noise to make them jump down from the table or countertop. You can also use a spray water bottle or squirt gun but don’t use on items that are not waterproof, as it does make a mess. A third option is using aluminum foil or two-sided tape over the area that you do not want to have the cat jump on.

Your veterinarian might have some good ideas about training your cat, particularly for behaviors that are unique to your cat. Patience and time is necessary to train your cat but results in peace and quiet in your home for everybody to enjoy.