Cat Training

So you want to train your cat?

First you must ask: why? To many people, the appeal of cats is their character. Cat behavior by nature is very independent compared to other domestic animals, some would even say aloof. What we see in a cat's behavior is very often what we wish we could do. Unfortunately, if we behaved like cats, we'd probably be short of friends and considered antisocial; cats get away with it because they are so cuddly. That's why we don't mind if they come to us for attention when it suits them only to disappear when we seek the same.

Cats don't really want to become trained, they don't want to do as they are told -- they want to do their own thing. And that is fine by us, that's why we like them; if you want a pet to carry the newspaper or fetch a stick, then there is a dog for you somewhere.
So assuming you don't want your kitty to be jumping through hoops (we wouldn't support that), there is a lot you can do to train your cat. I think for most of us, training a cat means encouraging it to be a happy, welcome and rewarding family member.

Cats are similar to other animals in their behavior motivators. Generally, they will not want to repeat an act that causes them harm or distress and they will want to repeat acts that result in pleasure.
Think about that when your cat scratches at the bedroom door at 4am. You know kitty is a bit hungry or wants to play so, because you love the cat and you want a bit of peace and quiet, you get up, give kitty some attention, stagger downstairs and put some food out, right? Wrong. You've just given your cat the perfect reason to wake you up every night.
So how do you teach kitty not to do this. Well for a start, your bedroom is the place that you sleep, it is not the place your kitty goes for food or fun or attention. If you let kitty in sometimes, then don't be surprised when you are woken up at other times. Cats sleep for a lot of the day, and consequently they are active during the night. So get into the habit of giving kitty attention in the evening. Wear them out a bit and they'll sleep more; just like a child.

Of course, you can also encourage your cat to associate an unwanted act with displeasure. There's no need to be cruel about this, but a squirt of water or a whiff of citrus should soon get the message over. It is however, much better to work positively with kitty by rewarding good behavior rather than punishing for bad. And, whatever you do, never punish your cat unless you've caught it in the act. Kitty doesn't understand that it is being reprimanded for wetting the carpet 3 hours ago.