Cat Training: Pointers To Help You Have A Good Kitty
Something to keep in mind while cat training or kitten training is that felines do not speak english. They do not understand what you're saying, even if you're yelling it at them. Litter box training can be very frustrating, but scolding will not often get you the goal you're after. Try positive reinforcement; encourage and reward your kitty when he or she gets it right.
What trainers actually do to explain good and bad behaviors to the cats is that to put the cat in the box and then forces him to stay inside the garbage so that he could see the results of his bad behavior and get eventually disciplined. As for the cat concerned, he goes through terrible experience and that garbage box becomes a nerve-racking hollow for him in this so-called cat training process.
It's hard to catch cats in the act of being bad. They don't like to be trapped, and of course they hate to be disciplined. Punishments should deter bad behavior, not simply convince your cat to only be bad when your not home.
Cats do not keep track of time like we do, so if you're punishing him for something he did an hour ago, he won't make the connection. It's been known that some cats will act up to get notice, which action leads to him continuing to be naughty.
If your new kitten came from a reputable breeder, it will surely have received "cat training" in how to use a litter box. In this event you will probably experience fewer "cat problems". Ordinarily kittens are taught by their mothers, and breeders simply reinforce the mother cat's natural teaching.
Consult with the breeder before bringing your kitten home, regarding the litter box. Introducing the kitten to a new brand, my make them shy away from using it. If there are changes to be made, make them gradually, so the kitten can accept it.
When cat training or kitten training, remember: berating pets is useless. Owners get frustrated when teaching cats about litter boxes; they can't catch cats doing wrong and scold. They try dragging cats to the box and scolding, but the cat learns the litter box is bad. It's hard to catch cats if being trapped is undesirable. They will misbehave when you're gone. If you discipline belatedly, the cat won't connect this with the offense. Some cats misbehave for attention. Kittens learn litter box use from their mothers. This is one of the cat problems to remedy before getting kittens. Ask breeders which litter box was used; get the same one.
Published July 13th, 2008