Cats are not small dogs, and as a result training a cat isn’t exactly the same as training a dog. Generally speaking, the process of training a cat is more challenging for people accustomed to training dogs or other animals because kittens are much more independent and less interested in the opinions of humans than other house pets. However, with the proper techniques and lots of patience, you can train your kitten to be a happy, healthy, and mostly obedient companion.
Socialize Your Kitten From the Get-Go
Just like humans, cats learn by modeling the behaviors around them. In order for your kitten to develop positive behaviors they can carry into their old age, you should start socializing them from two weeks old.
Every day, ideally for 5 – 10 minutes at least twice a day – the more often the better.ou should also introduce them to a variety of people to accustom them to human interaction. Making a habit of playing with your kitten will also provide them an opportunity to productively channel their boisterous behavior.
During this process, You cannot force a kitten or cat to do anything, and so your weapons are patience and providing positive rewards when the kitten is around so they begin to link you to nice experiences,and don’t punish your kitten for acting up.
Train Your Kitten to Follow Your Commands
Training your cat to follow your commands will not only make your time as an owner more fun, it will also support your cat’s mental and physical development. That’s not to mention the benefits which come with bringing up a cat who is obedient and receptive to you.
Incentivisation and positive reinforcement will be your secret weapons in this step. If, for example, you want to teach your cat to sit and stay on a stool, guide and encourage your cat through the process by using food as an incentive.
Another tried and tested way to train your cat is to use a clicker in conjunction with food. Your cat will begin to associate the link between the clicking sound, positive behavior, and the promise of a reward.
Teach Your Kitten to Use the Litter Box
This step is one of the most important – and hardest. Fortunately, it all comes down to perseverance on your end, and incentivization on your cat’s. Take the positioning of the litter box. If you want your cat to use it, you need to give them a reason to.
Place the litter tray in a quiet place, ideally in the corner of a room. This is a good location because the kitten feels vulnerable when going to the bathroom. By having a wall on either side, the cat only has to watch for predators approaching from the front.avoid putting the litter tray next to a washing machine or any device that makes a sudden noise or movement. If the machine goes into spin cycle while the kitten is on the tray, and the kitten gets a fright, it will discourage him or her from using the tray in the future.
Another effective trick is to place your kitten in its litter box every time it wakes up or finishes eating. Even more important is to do so when you notice signs that it’s ready to go to the toilet. How do you achieve such a feat? Start observing your cat as much as possible. This will help reduce accidents, and make litter box training less of a headache.
Encourage Good Behavior with Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement both helps encourage healthy behavior and curb bad behavior. This is crucial to remember when your cat acts up, as you may find yourself resorting to punishing it.
The thing is, punishing your cat does the exact opposite of what you hope to achieve! It fails to teach your cat what they’ve done wrong, increases its stress and anxiety, and may even destabilize the positive relationship you’ve worked so hard to build. Conversely, positive reinforcement demonstrates that good behavior is recognized and rewarded, and therein sets your cat up for success.
Training your kitten may seem a laborious task at first, but it will become second nature once you get into the swing of things.Let’s play Remember, your kitten wants to play with you, not just toys, so be sure to set aside time for regular, safe and interactive play sessions.
