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 Cat Training: Is it Even Possible?  
Most cat owners will say that cats have a strong independent streak and do not try to please their owners the way that dogs do. Consequently, training cats takes more work, as the techniques that work in training dogs do not work with cats.

By Kathrynn Kelley

Cats are very smart and they will respond quickly to training. The subject of cat training is important, because cats are very popular pets. They are both affectionate and smart, and can suit many different lifestyles, including living inside, outside or some combination of the two. Training them is a definite possibility.

If you ask around, most cat owners will say that cats have a strong independent streak and do not try to please their owners the way that dogs do. Consequently, training cats takes more work, as the techniques that work in training dogs do not work with cats.

Your success at cat training will depend on a couple of variables. The first one is when you begin to train your cat. Kittens are more receptive and more adaptable to new behaviors than older cats. It is a good idea to start kitten training as soon as your new pet comes home. Next, you need to think about what the term 'cat training' means to you. What do you hope to get out of it? Do you want to train your cat to use the litter-box, and/or to come when called? It should be easy to do.

A good tactic is to use praise to get your cat to obey you. Call your cat, and then use a kind tone of voice while petting it. The cat will eventually learn to connect your call with kindness and petting. Be sure to be consistent; if you change your behavior in the middle of training, it will greatly confuse your pet.

When litter-box training your cat, be prepared for it to take awhile. The smell of cat urine is certainly not something you want lingering in your house, but it pays to be patient. There are various methods available to you - research to find one that looks like it will work for your situation. However, as I mentioned above, be consistent. Once you choose an approach, stick with it, so that your cat knows what you expect from it.

A different form of cat training is the elimination of bad habits that your cat picks up in daily life. Occasionally, a cat will start a habit of not using the litter-box. This will result in urination under beds, in corners, and other spots. Often this is just a bad habit, but sometimes it can be medical in nature. Before you begin any changes, be sure to take your cat to the vet. If nothing is medically wrong, then a good strategy to break this habit is to put cayenne pepper in the areas where the cat frequents. Cats do not like cayenne, therefore it will dampen the cat's urge to urinate where the pepper is.

If you are patient, sensible, and consistent, you will find the task of cat training to be an easy task. It creates a close bond with your favorite pet by eliminating unwanted behaviors, and it can be fun and exciting to teach your cat something new.

About the Author:

Cats are extremely popular pets for very good reasons; they are smart, loving, and satisfied living indoors. Cat training (www.secretsofcats.com/) is very complex, even though in theory, training should be easy due to their high intelligence. Article Source: 1st Rate Articles - http://1stRateArticles.com


  Article added 02/27/08.

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