Cat upbringing and training

Raising a cat - tips

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to teach your cat some useful activities. Cats can be taught to recognize their name as well as to come on command. And the sooner you start training, the sooner you will be successful. Cats are individualists and each of them will approach training differently. Some will ignore you or look at you as crazy, while others will be very interesting and cooperative. Remember that you will have to be patient - and careful: because in fact your cat will train you to properly respond to his signals.

How to start training a cat?

Before starting training, it is a good idea to have your cat examined by a veterinarian to ensure that there are no hidden health issues that could become apparent as a result of the training.

The process of effective learning involves acquiring skills and then repeating them. You should strengthen the skills your cat has acquired through rewarding repetition. However, remember to keep the sessions short and focus on practicing one skill at a time. Cats should be rewarded each time they properly complete a new task. After teaching your pet a skill, reward him only from time to time. You can use the animal's favorite food as a reward or something else, as a special treat or treat. The perfect solution will be tiny, crispy snacks for cats Purina® Felix® Crispies, which, like any snack, should not exceed 10% of your cat's diet.

What is positive instrumental reinforcement?? [click to view

The association of serving a food reward with an unusual audible signal: for example, a bell or a clicker, or even clapping with the tongue - this is called instrumental conditioning. For cats, special silent clickers are used, and you can even use a loud pen. Once the cat learns to associate the sound with the reward, over time it is enough to reward it with the sound itself, always used when it performs the expected activity. Regularity and discipline lead to perfect repeatability, and your cat will be happy to follow the instructions, feeling satisfaction.

Remember to amplify the voice commands. Always precede a command with the cat's name. When it correctly carries out the command and is rewarded, continue repeating the command in a positive way: for example: 'Sit down, okay, sit down '. If your cat is not acquiring the desired behavior, you may be trying to get results too quickly. Go back to the previous task so you can reward him.

Teaching an adult cat to clean

Cats that do notoriously take care of their needs outside of the litter box should be gently moved to the litter box once or twice a day. If they take advantage of it, they should be rewarded. You can also try placing the litter box where the cat is walking to make it associate the litter box with the activity. If your cat walks in very unusual places, try sticking strips of double-sided adhesive tape there. However, it is crucial that you thoroughly clean the stained area with special agents that break down the smell of cat droppings. You can also reach for special repellants - "repellants " from the pet store, the smell of which cats will find repulsive. If your cat chooses your bedroom for his toilet, simply restrict access to it, leaving the door closed.

Whenever there is a problem with cleaning up, increase the number of litter boxes by at least one, and use at least 2 different types of litter. Remember that the litter box may be too small (or covered - many cats don't want to enter them) and the amount of litter is not enough. If your cat is very obese, it may have a problem getting into the litter box, and if it has oversensitive feet it may not like sticking litter or, for example,. wooden tease with essential oils of conifers. Always consult your cat's health status with a veterinarian, and when you are not coping with the problem, invite a cat behavior specialist to help you find the cause of this behavior and change it.

How to teach a cat to ring the doorbell

It's easy. Fasten sufficiently low in front of the entrance

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Bell. Cats walking out to get home can be frustrating and sometimes even destructive. When you hang a small but loud bell on a string at the eye level of your cat, you will learn to use it fairly quickly. You can also install a button with an electric bell. When your cat tries to get home, ignore meowing, scratching, and any other attempts to get your attention. Show your cat that you open the door when the bell rings or he touches a button with his paw. When your cat finally touches the doorbell and makes it ring, then you can open the door. If this happens several times, your cat will learn to ring the bell on purpose in a short time.

5 golden rules for training a cat

1. Train your cat before meals, as the reward of food would not be so tempting on a full stomach. Remember, however, that you must not starve the cat, let alone make it learn more eagerly: a hungry cat will quickly become an irritated cat.

2.   When you start training, eliminate any distracting sounds from the TV or radio as this can make the whole process almost impossible to carry out. If you have more animals, try to enter new tasks individually.

3.   Keep training sessions short, and finish them before your cat becomes bored or tired. Ten minutes is the ideal time for a session, your 'student' won't get tired.

4.   Don't make changes to the training sessions - teacher, commands, signals and rewards must always be the same. Regular training time will make your cat wait for them.

5.   Try to spend at least 10-15 minutes each day, or at least every other day. Training your cat once a month will not work.