Image:
Flickr.com/Cats arenโt
as easy to train as dogs, in fact many believe that cats canโt be trained at all. While they may not be the easiest to train, they can be taught basic commands and tricks. Letโs take a look at 3 of the most basic commands that your cat needs to learn and how to train your cat to obey the.
Using the litter boxThe first thing to do when you bring a cat home is to train it to excrete in the right place. To teach your cat to use the litter box, place it in a quiet location that is not too far from the cat. Cats like to do the deed in peace so a relaxed environment is preferred. Place the cat in the litter box shortly after meals and wait till it poops. If it does poop, you can reward it with treats and petting. If your cat is still young, it might poop outside the box sometimes, do not punish it when it does so. Instead, take it near the litter box and let it finish there. As a last resort, you can keep your cat in a separate room with the litter box until it poops. Cats will eventually pick up scent cues to understand where to excrete.
Stop Biting and ScratchingCats bite and scratch you, either as a defense mechanism or during play. If your cat is too aggressive while scratching then you can play dead or feign injury to make it understand that biting hurts you. As for scratching, buying a scratch post for your cat helps. If your cat scratches you when you pick it up, it might be a sign that it doesnโt want to be picked up. Respect your catโs boundaries and do not make it feel too uncomfortable. Often, forceful affection will just lead to more aggression. If your cat still scratches or bites, you can use the spraying method to make it stop. No matter how bad the problem gets, never declaw your cats. Declawing will have lasting damage on the cats.
Staying Off the counterCats have the habit of jumping on surfaces where theyโre not supposed to. The first thing to do is remove food from the counter and keep cat food on the floor. You can also buy a cat tower to stop it from climbing on counters. If your kitty still doesnโt get the message create an unpleasant, but harmless stimuli on the counter. An example of this would be applying double-sided tape on some areas of the counter. You can also lock your cat outside the room to teach it a lesson.