Can you train your cat?

You might be surprised by the answer!

When we think of animal or pet training, we tend to think of dogs but our furry feline friends can be trained too! 

Surprise! You may even be training them already without even realising it! 

We know cats are independent and live life by their own rules, however, they can be taught certain behaviours that will benefit both kitty and their assistant…aka the owner. 

What we may not realise is that we are already training them but not in the best way! 

How often do you run over to your cat when they jump on the kitchen counter and scoop them off, only for them to do it again and again? There’s a reason they aren’t learning the lesson. In a cats mind, any attention is better than no attention. By rushing over and scooping up your kitty, you are giving them attention and in their minds a reward, for their less than ideal behaviour. This encourages the behaviour and they go on to repeat it. So how do you combat this?

Ignore the behaviours you don’t like and reward the behaviours that you do like! 

This might be difficult at first, especially as they try harder to get your attention, but you must remain consistent. For example, if your kitty often meows for a midnight feed, ignoring them consistently will see this behaviour stop over time. Rewarding the good behaviour, such as when they come when called, will see them responding to you better over time. 

Keep it simple and start easy by training them to come to you when called and build up to more challenging and more useful behaviours such as sitting in their pet carrier or tolerating nail trims. 

Ready to get to work?

Remember:

• Break the behaviour or task down into small steps 
• Train in short sessions
• Use food such as dry cat biscuits, soft treats, bits of canned food (cut down on their regular meals to prevent weight gain)

Training your cat will not only make some tasks easier but also build your relationship! 

Read more about cat training here:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/animals-cats-training-pets