Most people when they get a new puppy think about pet training, but cat owners typically do not think about training because they tend to think that cats can not be trained. This simply is not true. Cats can be trained and I am going to go over with you the types of cat behavior training, cat training tips, skills you should teach your cat, and training to eliminate bad behavior in your cat. Let’s begin.

Cat Behavior Training Tips

Before you begin the process of training your cat read through these tips to make the journey easier.

• Be sure to have plenty of treats on hand. Cats need motivation and need to know the training session will be worth it so have lots of their favorite tasty treats on hand.

• Train your cat at the optimal time – Cats are on a consistent schedule of playing, eating, grooming, and sleeping so it is best to train at the best time of their routine. Do not try to train your cat when he is sleepy or not engaged. The best time to train a cat is when they first awake from sleeping. This has two advantages. One is that your cat will have plenty of energy from napping and two your cat likely will be hungry and will want to work even harder to earn that treat!

• Train one skill at a time – Do not try to train your cat multiple skills at once. This will only frustrate your cat and cause him to not be engaged in the training session. Stick to one skill until your cat has mastered that skill then you can move on to the next.

• Keep the training sessions short – Cats just like small children have short attention spans so keep each training session to under 15 minutes. Remember your goal should progress each day.

• Keep your cat focused – Eliminate any possible distractions from your cat. Find a quiet place for you and your cat to train together.

• Use positive reinforcement – Focus on training your cat in the behavior you want him to do rather than the bad cat behavior you want to avoid. Yelling or spraying your cat for any unwanted behavior is not going to help.

• Be consistent – When using cues (either hand or voice) or signals to avoid confusion in your cat. It is important to use the same cue or signal for the command you want your cat to do.

• Practice patience – It takes time to learn a new skill or behavior. Be patient with your cat and give him the time he needs.

Types of Cat Behavior Training

Here is a list of people’s three most common cat training methods they use.

• Clicker training – This is a proven, effective training method for cats. It involves using a gentle clicking sound to associate with a reward. You can use your mouth, a pen, or a training clicker for this. Once your cat associates the clicking sound with receiving a treat then proceed to incorporate the desired behavior or a new skill. the use of a training clicker.

• Voice cues – Involves using certain words to indicate a command you wish the cat to do. The goal is to associate with the word whatever behavior and give your cat a reward once completed.

• Hand signals – Similar to the voice cues in that you would use certain hand gestures. Your goal is to have your cat associate the hand gesture with whatever command you are giving the cat to do. An example would be for your cat to sit down you can close your fist and give you a high five make an open palm.

Skills to Teach a Cat

Here are a few helpful skills you can teach your cat.

Cat Leash Training

• Why not take your cat for a walk? You can train a cat to walk on a leash. First, get your cat used to wearing the harness indoors without the cat leash. With the cat harness on give your cat a couple of treats then slowly remove the harness. Do not give any treats with the harness off. Repeat the process while slowly increasing the amount of time the cat wears the harness.

• Get your cat used to walking on the leash indoors – After the cat is fully comfortable wearing the harness you can attach the leash. Allow your cat to walk around the house with the leash loosely with you following. Repeat this process until your cat is comfortable with walking with the leash.

• Have your cat get used to the leash tension – Under supervision allow your cat to walk around with the leash on and become comfortable with some leash tension. Never leave your cat unattended with a leash or harness on.

• Walk the cat indoors – As in the previous step, allow your cat to walk with the leash except for this time gently leads your cat in another direction. Use treats to lure your cat to where you want him to go.

• Go outside – Now it is time to venture outside with your cat! On a nice day, open the door with the leash on your cat and encourage him to step outside with a treat. If your cat is the least bit hesitant or scared do not force him to go. Try on another day instead.

Carrier training

• Traveling with your cat is much easier when your cat is able to use a cat carrier. Carrier training teaches cats to know that carriers are safe and enables them to travel with you easier. There are several types of cat carriers depending on your needs

• Leave the cat carrier open so your cat can get used to it. Leave one of their favorite treats or toys inside to encourage your cat to walk inside the carrier. Once your cat has entered his cat carrier give plenty of praise. Once it seems your cat is comfortable go ahead and close the door. Leave the door closed for just a few seconds and repeat the process increasing the time of the door being closed.

• After your cat has adjusted to the door being closed you can begin by lifting the carrier up and placing it in another place. Do this several times and soon your cat will be able to go on trips with you in the car.

Litter Box Training

An important cat training skill is litter box training. Most cats and kittens already instinctively know how to use the litter box. Most generally you just need to show them where the litter box is but for those cats who need an extra hand try these litter box training tips.

Be sure the litter box is in a quiet place in the house and is clean. Once your cat is finished eating, place him in the litter box and take his paws, and gently scratch against the litter. After your cat eliminates in the litter box give your cat praise and a treat. Be consistent with your cat and soon he will begin using the litter box on his own.

If your cat out of nowhere begins to eliminate outside of the litter box this could be a sign of a medical issue. You should consult with your vet if you suspect any type of medical issue with your feline.

Training Cats To Do Tricks

If you have ever wanted to know some tricks to teach your cat to read on because I am going to share with you a few common commands you can give your cat. Cats can be taught tricks like sitting, coming, and giving a high five as long as you have enough patience and motivation.

• Teach cat to sit – Sit or stand in front of your cat and when your cat goes to sit down, reward this behavior by giving your cat a treat. Now start to use the sit command after they have been sitting as they will anticipate receiving a treat. Soon they will associate the sit command with the behavior of sitting down.

• Teach cat to come – You must decide what you are going to call your cat. Are you going to just use the word come, your cat’s name plus the word come or your cat’s name. Whatever you use be consistent in using the same thing.

• With your cat standing next to you call your cat, make a noise with the bag treat to get your cat’s attention and follow this with a treat. Your cat now will associate the call with a treat. Now it is time to distance yourself by moving farther away from your cat. Once you have moved farther away call your cat and crinkle the bag. Once your cat comes you can then reward him with a treat.

• You can slowly increase the distance between your cat to other rooms of the house. If your cat is leash trained you can practice this skill outside if you like.

Stopping Bad Cat Behavior

There are some cat behaviors that are unwanted. Are you tired of your cat scratching your furniture or your cat biting you? Read on for these tips:

Eating household plants – Be sure to avoid having any toxic plants for cats in your home. To discourage your cat from getting into any of your plants you can put citrus peels, pine cones, rocks, or broken-up scented candles in the soil around the plants.

Scratching furniture – Scratching is a perfectly normal cat behavior but of course, for you, it is highly annoying. To prevent your kitty from scratching your furniture give him an alternative such as a scratching post. Another good tip is to keep a routine of cat grooming especially when it comes to trimming your cat’s claws.

Biting and kicking – To stop your cat from biting first you need to ignore this behavior. Do not give your cat any attention. Step back and stay calm. Next, redirect your cat’s attention with a cat toy. Repeat if necessary.

Getting on countertops – Cats love heights and love to climb up on countertops. Some cats love jumping on countertops for different reasons. You will need to determine the reason why your cat is jumping onto the countertop for the most effective solution.

Some cats are drawn by the smells that linger on the countertop from food that was prepared. While others simply like the feel of being up high or like to get a drink of water from the dripping faucet. Here are a few solutions you can try to detract your cat from jumping on the counter.

• Put a piece of crinkled-up foil on the counter. The noise and feel of the foil will deter cats from climbing back up on the counter.

• Attach a sticky piece of tape along the edge – Cats do not like the feel of the sticky tape. This will discourage them from jumping back up but you will have to keep putting the sticky tape back on.

• Provide an alternative – Give your cat something high to climb on instead of the countertop. Invest in some cat furniture such as a cat climbing tower or cat climbing tree. You can also make it more enticing for your cat by placing a treat at the top. This will encourage your cat to climb up the cat tower instead of your counters.

• Try clicker training – Cats respond best to positive reinforcement instead of punishment. So the next time you see your cat on the counter looking for food, entice your cat down by throwing a toy on the floor near the counter. Once your cat jumps down reward him with a treat and use the clicker sound. In time your cat will associate the counter with the clicker sound. Subsequent times you will be able to use the clicking sound alone.

• If your cat is getting a drink of water from the faucet see if there is something wrong with their water bowl. Is it near their litter box? Is it in a high-traffic area of the home? Perhaps your cat likes the cold water better from the faucet? If so be sure to give your cat fresh, cold water several times a day.

Destructive chewing – To stop your cats from chewing on cords try using carpet or furniture to block access to the cords. If you are unable to do this, another solution is to use scents such as lemon, rosemary, or cayenne to deter your cat from biting.

Cat yowling – The best thing to do when your cat is yowling is to ignore him. I know sometimes this can be hard especially when cat yowling is at night and is keeping you from sleeping. Give your cat as little attention as possible when he is yowling. Or if you must you can try giving your cat a toy to give his attention to play on his own.