How To Prepare Your Cat in 5 Straightforward Steps (Written by an Animal Behaviorist)

An increasing number of cat lovers are seeing that not solely is cat coaching simple, it’s additionally a enjoyable exercise for all members of the family. For indoor cats that don’t get sufficient enrichment, time spent coaching will turn out to be a spotlight of their day and preserve them from harmful behaviors as a consequence of boredom.

Coaching your cat will educate them enjoyable tips and sensible expertise whereas assembly their each day wants for constructive human-cat social interplay.

1. Get a Clicker

Cat clicker coaching depends on constructive reinforcement rules; we give the cat a deal with for a job effectively accomplished, and so they study to supply behaviors in alternate for rewards. A clicker is a useful gizmo to supply clear coaching directions.f

The clicker is a small handheld gadget that makes a clicking sound when pressed. We educate the cat that one click on equals one deal with, and the press sound turns into a marker that tells your cat they did one thing proper and a deal with is coming.

Consider a clicker like taking a snapshot of the motion you need to reward. For instance, when educating a cat to excessive 5, you’ll click on on the break up second they increase their paw, in order that they know they obtained rewarded for that particular motion.

As soon as the cat learns that lifting their paw is the specified habits, they’ll repeat the paw raise to maintain this recreation going. So long as you keep in mind that habits that will get rewarded will get repeated, you might be effectively in your solution to changing into a grasp at coaching your cat.

2. Discover Meals Rewards That Your Cat Loves

For clicker coaching to work, we have to discover a reward that your cat values. For cat homeowners, this may be essentially the most difficult step within the course of as a result of many cats eat from a bowl of cat meals omitted all day, which decreases the worth of the meals – there’s a cause folks receives a commission AFTER they do the work, not earlier than!

You’ll be able to reinforce your cat’s good habits with their meals supplied that it’s not omitted all day for them to free-feed. Introduce small, scheduled meals to construct your cat’s meals motivation.

Earlier than your cat’s mealtime, use a portion of their meals for coaching. In the event you feed your cat moist or uncooked meals, the reward is usually a few licks of their meals off a spoon. In the event you give your cat kibble, you need to use a handful of the items as rewards.

After coaching, put the remainder of their meal down like a jackpot for all their arduous work. The extra rewards you’ve gotten on your cat, the better coaching will likely be. Many cats may also work for wholesome cat treats, reminiscent of little items of freeze-dried rooster.

Working for meals is a superb approach on your cat to expend power and enrich their life.



3. Seize a Conduct – Educate Your Cat To Sit

Upon getting a reward that your cat likes, choose a talent you need to work on and see how one can create a state of affairs to encourage your cat to supply that habits so you may “seize” it with the clicker. Educating sit is a straightforward trick to coach as a result of most cats will sit all through the day, supplying you with a wonderful alternative to observe utilizing the clicker.

Seize your clicker and wait till your cat sits. Click on as quickly as their bum hits the bottom and toss them a deal with. Your cat will shortly catch on that the press sound predicts a deal with. As a result of habits that will get rewarded will get repeated, it is best to see your cat take a look at you and provide the sit to earn rewards.

4. Add a Sign

When your cat is doing a sit reliably, you may put the habits “on cue.” A cue is usually a hand sign or a verbal sign to point to your cat that you’re prepared to “pay” for the habits. For sit, you would possibly select so as to add the verbal cue, “Sit.”

To show the verbal cue, say the phrase simply as you see your cat transfer into the place. Observe pairing the verbal sign with the habits over a number of repetitions till you see your cat begin to answer the phrase while you say it.

The ultimate step is to solely reward your cat for sitting while you say, “Sit.”

5. Have Enjoyable Coaching!

Utilizing the capturing methodology, you may educate plenty of cute tips and behaviors. Does your cat wish to roll over or go up on their again paws? Seize your clicker and see what you may seize. To maintain your cat’s consideration, coaching periods must be enjoyable, simple and quick, like 3 to five minutes.

Cease That! How To Enhance Your Cat’s Conduct

What about utilizing coaching to STOP your cat from doing one thing, for instance, leaping on the kitchen counter?

Most individuals concentrate on educating their cat to answer a verbal command like “No,” however this isn’t the very best strategy as a result of it doesn’t educate your cat what you need them to do as an alternative. Think about arriving at a cocktail party the place there’s a giant desk with place settings for ten folks, you choose a spot and sit down, and the host says, “don’t sit there.” You stand up and transfer to a different seat, and once more the host asks you to maneuver.

Now you might be beginning to marvel, the place CAN you sit. Think about how your cat feels while you say “NO!” Your cat has no clue what you need them to do.

From their perspective, they’re both hungry or on the lookout for your consideration, and while you inform them NO, it doesn’t resolve the underlying cause why they’re doing the habits within the first place. It’s quite a bit simpler for people and cats when directions are clear: “Have a seat on this spot, and I’ll deliver you a snack.”

Educate your cat the place you need them to go, after which reward them quite a bit! Bear in mind to make the brand new spot simply as interesting as their beforehand beloved spot.

Again to our feast instance – if the host places you off to the aspect on the child’s desk while you need to hang around with the adults, you gained’t be pleased. Likewise, should you attempt to create a brand new “parking spot” on your cat on the ground and so they need to have a transparent view of every part you might be doing within the kitchen, this isn’t going to work as a result of it doesn’t fulfill your cat’s wants.

Assist Your Cat Overcome Fears

What in case you have bother brushing your cat or clipping their nails?

We now have to modify gears and use a unique coaching methodology, known as desensitization and counter-conditioning. The desensitization half is the place we current the item or expertise your cat doesn’t like at a stage that they will tolerate.

Let’s say you might be afraid of moving into an elevator since you really feel claustrophobic in a small house. In that case, I would like that can assist you really feel snug in a small enclosed space first earlier than we will get you snug in a shifting elevator.

We’d spend the primary session the place all you do is go out and in of a stationary elevator. At this stage, you would possibly solely have the ability to enter the elevator for one second earlier than it’s too scary.

Over a number of periods of stepping out and in of a stationary elevator, we will work as much as ten seconds after which ultimately a minute. The purpose of desensitization is to introduce the scary factor in a approach that it’s doable.

The counter-conditioning a part of the method helps you reply positively to being within the elevator. I might do this by making one thing good occur while you go into the elevator. Let’s say you like chocolate, and I offer you a chunk of chocolate each time you step into the elevator.

Two issues are occurring on this coaching: you might be studying that the elevator isn’t scary and that while you go within the elevator, you get chocolate, one thing you like. So long as we don’t rush the coaching, you may study that the elevator is protected and pleasing (due to chocolate!).

In case your cat HATES while you contact their paws, you’ll need to the touch them at a spot they will tolerate (perhaps the highest of their leg or their chest) after which current them with a scrumptious deal with. Glide your hand from the physique half the place your cat is snug with the contact to the world that they will tolerate (they discover you touching the brand new zone and are involved however not fearful, i.e., strolling away) and current the meals they love.

Think about the elevator instance and the way simple I made the desensitization course of. If I had you go in a shifting elevator proper from the beginning, I might have anticipated an excessive amount of. To enhance your cat’s response to nail trims and dealing with, it helps to have a complete coaching plan written out by a feline behaviorist.

Assist Your Cat Put Their Finest Paw Ahead

Mix each of those coaching strategies (clicker coaching and desensitization/counter-conditioning) to realize all of your coaching objectives.

Clicker coaching teaches your cat they’re in command of their surroundings. It’s your cat’s option to take part within the exercise and provide the actions. For instance, in case you are educating your cat to remain in a service, with clicker coaching, your cat is in command of how lengthy they keep in there – it’s their option to go in and keep in to earn rewards.

Such a coaching creates a contented and assured cat. Desensitization and counter-conditioning assist your cat at an emotional stage to beat fears. If you wish to speed up progress, it pays to mix each of those strategies.

For instance, for nail trim coaching, you may present your cat that touching their paws isn’t scary AND educate them that supplying you with low-fives and paw shakes equals treats and a spotlight.

Whether or not you need to educate your feline buddy expertise and tips, assist them go within the litter field, redirect their sofa scratching to a scratching publish, bettering your cat’s habits is 100% doable, and each older cats and kittens can study. Give attention to enjoyable coaching and constructive strategies to set your cat up for a profitable studying expertise.

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