How Can I Train My Cat?
Dear Diary,
If you have a dog, one of the fun things to do is to train them and teach them little tricks.
But what about cats?
Can you train them too?
The short answer is yes.
But…
Unlike dogs, it’s a little more complicated. In general, cats don’t want to please their owners. After all, they do have their own mind and can be very stubborn.
To raise your success rate, it’s best to start training them as a kitten.
I’ve definitely missed the deadline with Jamie here…
He won’t even come when I call his name. He only (sometimes) answers to “honeybun”. Better than nothing, I guess.
Apart from that, he knows only two other words, the most important one being “food.” He never misses on that one. And he also reacts to “brushing,” which makes him go to where his brush is in purring anticipation of a nice massage.
But, back to the question of how you train your cat.
How to train your cat
The key to success is positive reinforcement, which means rewarding them for the correct behaviour. And you also need a lot of patience on your side.
It’s a step-by-step process. Basically, you break down the action into smaller bits. Eventually, with a lot of praise and treats, you get them to behave the way you want them to. Most of the time, anyways …
Say you want your cat to get in their carrier by themselves. Which is quite handy, as I always have to shovel in Jamie.
This is how you could break it down:
A reward for looking in the direction of the carrier
A reward for approaching the carrier.
A reward for sniffing it.
A reward for entering the carrier.
You can also combine the treat with clicker training. For this, you first need to teach them that a click means they get a treat. Repeat several times to make sure they start expecting the treat once they hear the sound.
Then, always make sure to click the moment they perform the desired behaviour, followed by a treat.
Cat training tips
Here are some more tips for a successful training session:
Start with something simple, like answering when you call them
Keep the session short, 3-5 minutes
Give them the treat straight away, or they won’t associate the reward with their behaviour
Don’t punish bad behaviour
Be consistent with your commands
Find the right reward to motivate your cat
As with every training, it’s all about repetition.
So, maybe it’s not all lost with Jamie, yet…
By the way, you can teach cats to high-five; very cute!