Sunday, March 23, 2008

You might have heard that it's impossible to train a cat. While it can certainly be difficult, and is a lot different from training a dog, it can be done. You just have to learn to be one step ahead of your cat. Here are 10 cat training tips that can make house training your cat in 10 minutes a possibility.

cat training in 10 minutes might sound hard to believe, but you can pick up all the basics you need right away. Then, you just keep reinforcing the right behaviors and following the basic rules of cat training.

1. Never punish your cat. By the time you discover what your cat has done, chances are that he or she has forgotten all about it. Punishments can be confusing, and might even be associated with something else.

2. Reinforcing good behavior, instead of punishing bad behavior, is one of the most important of the 10 cat training tips. If you see your cat doing something good, give him or her a reward right away. This can be a treat, or some other pleasant thing, like a pat on the head, or a little bit of catnip.

3. Most cats prefer to be on a schedule. That's why you might get woken up at six am for feeding time, even on the weekends. Feed your cat at the same time every day, and try not to make too many changes in the environment. If you have to do something different, keep an eye on your cat to make sure that he or she isn't too stressed out. Stress from environment and schedule changes can cause "bad" behavior.

4. Even a good cat can't always say no to temptation, whether it's in the form of playing with your best suit or knocking things over. Treat cat proofing the house like baby proofing the house, but remember that this baby can climb up on shelves and tables if there's something interesting up there.

5. Bored kitties are ones that want to get into and knock over things. Make sure there are lots of toys and other things to keep your cat entertained, especially if you're away.

6. Always be consistent. If you change your behavior, your cat training isn't going to stick. The cat won't absorb the lesson if you keep changing it.

7. Make sure you spend time with your cat. If you're constantly away, you won't get to know your cat, and bonding won't happen. When you know your pet well, you'll easily be able to read the body language that says a bad behavior is on the way.

8. Make sure your cat gets good care. While this doesn't seem like a cat training tip, it really is. If your cat isn't getting the right food, health care, and other environmental things he or she needs, this can result in less effective training.

9. Make bad behavior unappealing. This isn't the same as punishment. If you arrange your home so that scratching the couch is more difficult than using a scratching post, or other bad behavior is difficult, your cat is less likely to do it.

10. Love your cat. Sounds silly, doesn't it? However, a cat you don't really love is one you'll have a hard time connecting with enough to train. If you and the cat aren't really getting along, it might be time to change something.

While training your cat can be a daunting process, these 10 cat training tips should help point you in the right direction. You can find more detailed help on subjects such as house training your cat at the website listed below. I hope these tips helped you het on your way to a happy and healthy pet.

Thomas Kellerman has been a cat owner for more than 20 years, for more information on Cat Training in 10 Minutes. please visit: http://www.ourcatsecrets.com/10-must-have-cat-training-tips.html

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