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It is a common misbelief that cats cannot be trained. Despite the evidence of circus cat acts and TV commercial performers, many
people remain under the mistaken impression that cats are arrogant, moody creatures who do only what they want. People usually
think that cats could obey but choose not to. Although cats do sometimes ignore commands, many times they don't obey simply
because they don't understand. It's getting them to understand and obey that cat training is about.
Use Positive Reinforcement
Those who have experience training dogs will find that training a cat generally takes more time and patience. With cats,
positive reinforcement works better than negative reinforcement. If you punish them, they'll just wait until you aren't looking
to misbehave. It is better to try to ignore unwanted responses and to lavish praise on your cat when he responds correctly.
Ideally, you should start training your cat when he is about 8 to 10 weeks old. Older cats can also be trained,
though. While it may be a little harder to teach them, still, old cats can learn new tricks.
The Training Environment
The best way to begin training your cat is by teaching him to come when called, just as you would with a puppy.
Begin your session by making sure your cat is feeling well rested and fairly happy, and that you have a supply of his favorite
treats on hand. If noise and turmoil are a problem, move to a quieter area, so your cat won't be distracted. Before beginning,
decide on a single command and always use it consistently. Commands should be short and easy to say, like "Come kitty" or "Here
kitty."
Limit Length Of Training Sessions
When you've decided on a command, you are ready to start training your kitten. Get down to her level by sitting
or kneeling on the floor and call him to you using the command. Sounding excited and happy will attract him to you. When your
kitten comes to you, reward him with a treat and lavish praise. Next, either wait for the kitten to move away from you, or stand
up and move to another part of the room. Repeat the "come" command.
Cat training sessions should not be too long -- say, 10 minutes at a time. Anytime your cat seems to be growing
bored or frustrated, take a break. 2 or 3 training sessions a day for 1 week should be enough to train your cat to come. Once you
are sure your kitten has grasped the meaning of the come command, you can start to teach him other commands, such as "no" or
"stay."
Leash Training
For your cat's own well-being there are a few other things you should teach him. He needs to learn to tolerate a
harness and leash in case you have to travel long distances with him or take him to the veterinarian. He should learn to use a
crate for the same reason.
Training your kitten to use a harness and leash begins with putting the harness on him. Once the harness is in
place, allow him to roam free. Reward him once again with praise and his favorite treat. After he is accustomed to the harness,
attach the leash and let him lead you around a bit. Then, persuade him into following you by offering more treats and praise.
Although few cats can be trained to heel on the leash like a dog, your cat should, at a minimum, learn not to panic or struggle
when he is wearing his leash.
Crate Training
Crate training your kitten is a bit easier. Furnish the crate with his favorite blanket and toy. Praise him
extravagantly as you place him inside the crate. Leave him inside for 2 or 3 minutes, then release him. When you let him out of
the crate, do not make a production out of it; instead, always reward him for going in. Increase your kitten's crate time
gradually, until he is comfortable staying in his crate for an hour or 2.
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