Can You Teach a Cat to Stay off the Furniture?

Most of us not only want to share our homes with our cat, we also want to share our entire lives with them as well. They are frequently given a privileged place in the household and there is much extended in their direction that sometimes is not even extended in the direction of the human members of the household. That being said, there are also some behaviors that many cats take part in that are not necessarily going to be a welcome part of your household. Climbing onto the furniture may be one of those factors.

Teaching a cat to stay off of the furniture is more than just a convenience for many families. It also helps to protect the furniture, regardless of whether it is your living room sofa, your dining room table or even your bed. When your cat is not permitted up on the furniture, it helps to reduce the number of scratches and claw marks that you may see in those areas. It can also help to reduce how much cat hair ends up on the furniture as well.

If you have been trying to keep your cat off of the furniture with little success, there are a few things to do that can solve the problem for you. Typically, it involves either using something to repel the cat from the area or training the cat using clicker training

The first step in repelling the cats from the furniture is to make it less appealing to the animal. If the furniture is near a window, keep the blinds closed so that they are not tempted to lay in the sun. You should also take any excess padding off of the furniture to make it less comfortable. If your cat tends to get up on the kitchen countertops, keep them free of food and other items that the cat might like.

Lining the furniture with tinfoil is also another option, as is using double-sided tape on a large piece of paper. It makes the furniture less appealing, and keeps them from jumping up into the area. You may also want to try a repellent spray that is for that specific purpose. Before you do so, test it on an inconspicuous area of the furniture.

Finally, you may be able to teach your cat to stay off of the furniture by using some positive reinforcement and a clicker. This is done by teaching the cat to follow a stick, choosing a command and then following through by guiding the feline off the furniture when you give the command. It may take some time to change old habits but they can be broken with effort on your part.

Teaching Your Cat to Walk on a Leash

Many people who own a dog love the fact that they can put a leash on the dog, walk outside and take a nice, brisk walk around the block or through the woods. For those that own a cat, they often find that they are leaving the cat at home while they go out to enjoy the great outdoors. In reality, you can take your cat with you and with a little bit of work on your part, you can leash train a cat so that they walk quite nicely by your side.

There are many benefits to leash training a cat and those benefits are not only for you, they are for your cats as well. Walking your cat is great exercise and they will be healthier, as will you. In addition, it gives your cat the opportunity to get outdoors and to see what is actually taking place in the world around them. Unfortunately, many cats are stuck indoors and they never have the opportunity to see the outside for themselves.

If you do want to teach your cat how to walk on a leash, you need to have something more than a leash on and a collar. You need a harness that is designed specifically for cats. Don’t expect that you will simply put it on your cat and they will start walking immediately. It is going to take some time for them to grow accustomed to it so allow them to wear it around the home as they are in a supervised position.

It is best if you wait until the cat has grown accustomed to the harness before you take things to the next level. You want them to be comfortable and calm when you take them out on the leash for the first time, so doing it too soon could cause them to be in somewhat of a panic.

It is also important to walk your cat in an area where they are comfortable. It can be stressful for them to walk in the downtown area with all of the traffic and other people walking around. Try to get them out in more of a rural setting, choosing a quiet area where they won’t face the additional stress that could be counterproductive.

Above all, make sure that you work on your cat’s terms until they become fully accustomed to walking on a leash. They may not be comfortable with the process at first but with enough work and time on your part, they will soon be walking along with you, stride for stride.

The Basics of Cat Clicker Training

Most of us would agree that it is possible to teach a cat to do various tricks. With persistence and the proper timing on your part, you may be able to get them to come on command, sit or perhaps even get down off of the furniture when you tell them to do so. Like training a dog, it is important to have a reward system in place so that they recognize they are not doing these things without benefit.

The most common reward system for training a cat is going to be some type of a tasty treat. You can purchase these at your local pet store or you can simply cut up some small pieces of chicken and keep them on hand during the training process. It is also interesting to recognize that you can train a cat using a clicker. What is a clicker and how can you take part in this type of training?

A clicker is a small, hand-held device that makes a gentle clicking sound when you press it. It is typically used for dog training but it is also possible to train a cat to respond to a clicker as well. Not everybody agrees with this type of training but when you do it regularly, the animal will respond readily to the sound the clicker makes.

The real key is to use the clicker in conjunction with any treat that you are giving the cat. It should be done at the same time so that the cat will soon associate getting a treat with the sound that they are hearing. Like Pavlov’s dogs, the cat will also make the association and they will feel as if they are getting a treat when they hear that noise.

Clicker training a cat has many benefits but perhaps the top benefit is the fact that it trains your cat to respond to the commands you give them. This is going to be more than something that is fun to do when you have friends over. Having a well-trained cat that responds to your commands can actually safeguard their lives under certain circumstances. In addition, you can use the clicker eventually without the treats, and that is a healthier choice for your feline.

If you have ever clicker trained a dog, you know that they respond to it very quickly in the training process. You should not expect the same from your cat. They will respond to it and most cats will be clicker trained quickly but you do need to be patient during the process. If you work with them regularly, you can see progress.

Teaching Your Cat Sign Language

When you get involved with training an animal, you begin to recognize that there is more to it then giving a verbal command and expecting an immediate response. Typically, those verbal commands are only going to work when you are within earshot of the animal and there are going to be times when you want to have the animal listen to what you want them to do, even when you aren’t saying thing. That is when you want your pet to understand a form of sign language.

Many people are familiar with the sign commands that are given to dogs, such as raising your hand straight over your head to have them sit or waving your hand in front of their face to have them wait. It may come as a surprise to you that it is not only possible to teach a dog this type of sign language, it is also possible to teach cats a similar form of sign language as well.

It is important to understand that, when I talk about teaching your cat sign language, I’m not talking about teaching them how to communicate with you through sign. I’m talking about teaching the cats specific signs that they will understand, such as those associated with commands, such as sit, come or stay.

Of course, it is also necessary for you to teach your cat those verbal commands if you expect them to understand the associated signs as well. Rather than teaching them the verbal commands and then adding the signs in later, you can do so simultaneously. The cats will be able to distinguish the two from each other and will end up responding, regardless of whether you are using a verbal command or a sign.

As far as the amount of time that you spend training at cat, this is going to be different than how much time you would spend training the dog. You could spend hours with a dog but cats have a limited attention span when it comes to doing what you want them to do. Limit each training session to approximately five minutes and maybe do them twice a day, rather than doing them only once per day.

If there is one thing that you will need when teaching your cat sign language, it’s persistence. Your cat is not going to understand right away but with patience on your part, you would be surprised what they will learn to do.

Training a Cat to Come on Command

If there is one thing that most of us recognize about our cats, it’s the fact that they can be somewhat independent. Even if you have a cat that seems to follow you around the home and lays in your lap any time you sit down, they will still show a streak of independence because they are only doing these things “because they want to do them.” That is why some people feel as if training a cat to come on command is practically impossible.

Although it can be difficult to train a cat, especially in comparison to training a dog, it is by no means out of the question. What it will take, however, is some patience and time. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you might be surprised to find that teaching your cat to come to you on command is not all that difficult after all.

The first, and perhaps most important thing to recognize about training a cat is the fact that they will get bored of the training sessions very quickly. Typically, you can expect to train your cat for anywhere from five minutes up to 10 minutes at a time. If you go beyond their tolerance level, it is going to be counterproductive to continue. It is much better for you to keep your training sessions short and do them frequently throughout the day, perhaps even four or five times.

The easiest way to train a cat to come to you on command is to use a treat. A number of cat training tools can be used, including a clicker, but most cats will respond to a treat. You can use store-bought treats that are specific for this purpose or you can cut up tiny pieces of chicken to offer to them. Make sure it is tasty and fits in well with what your cat enjoys eating. If they enjoy the rewards, teaching them to come to you will be much easier.

The real key is to get the cat to learn your vocal cues and then have them run in your direction. Start by having a cat a short distance away from you, use the command and offer the treat to them. If they are close enough to see the treat, they will come for it and eventually, will understand the connection between your vocal cue and getting something pleasurable. As you continue to work with your cat, start out a longer distance and eventually, they will come to you anytime they hear the cue.

It is possible to use a clicker for this type of training rather than a vocal cue. Just keep in mind, you may not always have the clicker with you but it is always possible to call out when you want your cat to come running.

Basic Cat Training – What You Need to Know

There is a common belief that cats are difficult to train but that simply isn’t true. Teaching your cat may be somewhat different than teaching your dog but it certainly is possible to modify their behavior and even to teach them a trick or two. If you are planning on training your cat and would like the opportunity to do so in the best way possible, here are some tips to help get you started.

First of all, it is unlikely that you are going to teach your cat any tricks that will keep you amused. Although there are some exceptions to the rule, most cats will not be trained to do things such as chase a frisbee, bring you the newspaper or grab your slippers. They can, however, be trained to do some pretty amazing things and to be a more welcome part of your household.

Perhaps the most common type of cat training is litter box training. Many people who do not own a cat think that they naturally go into the litter box and take care of their business. In reality, it takes some training on your part but with a little bit of effort, you will see success.

The first step in the process is to put the litter box and your cat in an area that is somewhat confined. Make sure that your cat is comfortable and try to put them there when it is more likely for them to relieve themselves, such as when they get up from a nap or if they just got finished playing or eating. Your cats will relieve themselves in a confined area and hopefully, they will do so in the litter box. If they do go to the bathroom outside of the litter box, put the waste in the box to encourage them to use it. They will typically start using it within a day or two.

It is also possible to modify the behavior of a cat if they are doing something that you would rather they not do. Some of the natural inclinations of felines can make it difficult to have them in the home. This will include the clawing instinct that they usually take out on your furniture.

If you do decide to try to teach your cat some parlor tricks, you are going to need to take it very slow. Not only will a cat get bored with the training very quickly, they will also get annoyed if you try and take things too far. Your best choice is to buy some yummy cat treats, train them several times per day for a few minutes each and hope for the best.

Never let anyone tell you that cats can’t be trained. The fact of the matter is, they are highly intelligent and training is only really a matter of time and patience. If you take the time with your cat, you will find that they are trainable and you are getting closer to each other in the process.

Training Your Cat to Stop Scratching

Cats are wonderful animals and many of us love having them around the home. There is nothing quite like the experience of having a loving cat by your side and it is something that you will come to appreciate more and more as the bond between the two of you grows. Unfortunately, there are also some issues that may occur when you have a cat in the home and one of those is their tendency to want to scratch the furniture.

If you have a cat that seems to have a knack for tearing up the furniture with their claws, there are some things you can do to get them to stop. It is going to take some time but with the right knowledge and some patience, you may just find that the issue disappears and never reappears again. Of course, this is a natural instinct for felines so it is not necessarily their fault when they are sharpening their claws on your new sofa. That being said, it is something that we would want to keep them from doing.

One thing that may just work, and it has worked well for many cat owners, is to use the art of distraction. It can be difficult to teach your cat stop scratching, because it is something that they naturally do. What you can do, however, is provide them with the opportunity to scratch in an area that is acceptable.

First of all, pay attention to when they seem to scratch, because most of them will show a noticeable pattern. For some, it is a matter of scratching right after they wake up from a nap but for others, it may occur shortly after you or your family members come home. Cats may also enjoy a specific surface to scratch, and that can give you some insight into the next step you need to take.

The next step is to buy a scratching post. There are many different types available, including some that are going to be very similar to the areas where your cat enjoys scratching. The closer you are able to mimic those areas with a scratching post, the more likely it is that your efforts are going to meet with success. Consider the size, fabric and surface area.

The next step is to put the post in an area where they tend to scratch. For example, if they like to scratch after waking up from a nap, be sure that the scratching post is nearby to their napping area. You may even want to buy a couple of scratching posts to have them available.

Finally, it is time for you to do a little behavior modification. When you catch your cat scratching on something they shouldn’t, you may need to make a loud noise, such as clapping or you might need to use a spray bottle full of water. At the same time, reward good behavior. It may take some time, but the rewards are awesome.

Can You Train Your Cat to Become a Lap Cat?

There is nothing quite like the experience of having a loving cat curl up on your lap and purr itself to sleep while you gently pet it. Many cat owners enjoy this experience on a regular basis but not all cats are the same. Some are going to be naturally disposed to jumping up on your lap and getting scratched behind the ears but others may be somewhat resistant to it. There are even some felines that would rather do anything other than sit on your lap.

If you are a cat owner who would like to have more alone time with your feline, there may be some ways to turn them into a lap cat. In fact, doing so may be easier than what you had ever imagined possible. Even if you have a cat that tends to be very resistant to being around humans, there are some ways to convince them that it is the best thing they could ever do. All it requires on your part is a little bit of patience and understanding the right moves to make.

First of all, you need to be very cautious about making any sudden movements or moving in an aggressive manner toward the cat. Cats tend to feel rather threatened when they experience that type of behavior. It doesn’t matter if you have been around the cat for years or not, be sure that you are always calm around them, especially if you want them to be calm around you.

Most of us love our cats and we love looking at them because they are beautiful. This could also present a problem, because cats may feel that staring at them is a bad type of behavior. When you are looking at your cat, be careful not to do so with a blank stare. Slowly blink your eyes and they may just return the favor.

If you groom your cat on a regular basis, it may also be an opportunity to get closer to them. Cats tend to groom themselves regularly and they may consider the grooming session to be a social session. Be gentle, calm and slow when grooming them and speak to them with a calm voice. Pay close attention to the way your cat is reacting and you may just find that they are calming down and naturally want to be around you more often.

If all else fails, you might need to resort to some bribery. Go to the store and buy some pungent cat treats and carry them with you in your pocket when you are near your feline. When your cat comes in for a treat, reward them and continue to allow them to get closer until eventually, they are sitting on your lap.

Above all, avoid the temptation to force the issue. It may take some time but with patience on your part, your cat can learn to love your lap.

Litter Training a New Kitten

Having a new kitten at home is something that many cat lovers really treasure. There is nothing like that little bundle of joy and it seems as if they find a way into our heart from the moment they find a way into our home. Although there are many pleasant things associated with having a new kitten, there are also some responsibilities that will make them a welcome and wonderful member of the household.

One of the things that many cat owners will need to do at this stage is to teach their new feline how to use a litter box. The litter box is, unfortunately, a rather frightening area for many new cats. Not only is it rather large in comparison with their small size, it may also be in areas of the home where they may not naturally go. With a little bit of work on your part, however, you can train your new kitten to use the litter box easily. Here are a few steps to help you along the way.

First of all, avoid the temptation to try and teach a new kitten how to use a litter box in the same way that you train a dog how to go outside. There are certain differences, and most kittens will require a specific type of training. Perhaps the most important factor to consider in the first place is the location of the litter box. If you put it in an out-of-the-way area that is too difficult for the kitten to reach, it is unlikely they will make the trek when they have to relieve themselves. Be sure that you keep the box in a convenient location and preferably, in an area where they would normally use the bathroom.

Timing is everything when it comes to teaching a new kitten how to use a litter box. Most cats will relieve themselves at certain times of the day and if you are watchful, you can make short order of litter training the kitten. Most cats will want to relieve themselves when they first start moving around in the morning and if they take a nap, be aware of when they wake up. Another time that kittens will usually use the litter box is after eating a meal. Take the kitten to the litter box immediately when any of these times arise. Give them a little privacy, and let them take care of the rest.

In most cases, kittens will make the transition to using the litter box without any real issues. From time to time, however, accidents are going to occur. Punishing a cat when an accident takes place may confuse it and could cause unexpected behavior, such as them sneaking away to relieve themselves in out-of-the-way corners. Simply work with your cat and be patient, the transition to using the litter box will happen fairly quickly.

All About the American Bobtail Cat Breed

Although the domestic cat has been domesticated for millennia, many people still consider them to be somewhat of a wild animal. This is not only true in the way that some cat breeds tend to act, it may also be in the way that they look as well. That certainly is true of the American Bobtail, who have a look as if they just stepped out of the wild and into your home. They may have a wild look, but they are an excellent pet.

There are genetic mutations involved in the short tail that is associated with any bobtail cat. They have been seen throughout the ages, including centuries ago in Japan and in other faraway places. At times, these bobtail cats may gain some attention of those who are interested in breeding and before you know it, a new breed is brought to life. That seems to be what happened with the American Bobtail, which came about as a result of a short tailed kitten that was bred with other cats in Iowa. It is a relative newcomer to the scene and it didn’t even gain recognition until 2002. Since that time, however, it has become one of the most popular breeds of cats.

If you ever have a difficulty choosing between a cat the dog, the American Bobtail may just be the compromise that you are looking for. They tend to be very outgoing and puppy like, with plenty of energy and enough size to make them feel like a dog in the home. Of course, it is the personality that really shines through with this breed because they are smart as a whip and absolutely love being around people. They also tend to train quite well, and it is not uncommon to see one of these cats being walked on a leash.

One of the considerations for any type of cat is the health of the breed. You will be happy to know that the American Bobtail is relatively free of any issues that are associated with the breed directly. Individual cats may have a variety of health problems but for the most part, you will not have any difficulties with this feline.

The coat of the American Bobtail may tangle from time to time but as long as you brush it on a regular basis, you will be able to avoid this type of problem. In addition, the cat may tend to throw its coat during the spring and fall, so try to brush them more frequently during those times of the year to avoid excessive shedding.

The American Bobtail is a wonderful breed and it is one that certainly deserves some recognition for being an excellent family pet.