Get The Best Out Of Your Cat

Written by Jennifer Firth Thursday, 21 April 2011 06:16

What Basic Training Does Your Cat Need? Cats are animals. Humans are animals as well but supposedly of a higher order. In order to live together in a companionable and happy relationship there are some things that your cat needs to learn. Owning an animal of any sort should be more pleasure than pain, but there will be considerable pain if the animal is in control of the household.

What Basic Training Does Your Cat Need? Cats are animals. Humans are animals as well but supposedly of a higher order. In order to live together in a companionable and happy relationship there are some things that your cat needs to learn. Owning an animal of any sort should be more pleasure than pain, but there will be considerable pain if the animal is in control of the household.

may need to train your cat to lead so that you can take him outside. If you live in the country, this may not be necessary. If you live close to major traffic, but have a backyard, you may need to train your cat to keep away from the road, otherwise he is likely to get run over.

order to live together in a companionable and happy relationship there are some things

How to Gain the Respect of Your Cat Whenever we humans decide to keep an animal as a pet, there are some ground rules that should be established. Remember that your territory is not your pet's natural territory and that all animals still behave as animals no matter where they live. Trying to change your cat's bad behavior requires consistency and patience.

You need to let him know who is boss while still gaining his trust and affection. This means that he must be rewarded positively with treats and cuddles when he does things that you approve of. But when he insists on doing things he knows you don't

One way to do this is to carry the kitten around by the scruff of his neck occasionally. This is the way in which his mother would have moved him.

Make sure your kitty has plenty of play and stimulation so that he is not bored and he will be a better-behaved cat, too. Soft and squeaky toys will keep his attention focused on play instead of mischief. Even a cardboard box or large paper bag to creep into will entertain him for hours.

kind of soft medium to go to the toilet. This behavior is still strong in domesticated cats, which makes it easier to train them. When cats have access to a

First, there is toilet training. There would be nothing worse than to come home from a

litter tray. Sand could be used in the tray, but commercial cat-litter is best due to its high absorbency. And cats seem to love using it. If you have a new kitten, it is not too early to start training him to use the litter box

where to go to the toilet is one of the most important things to train your cat or kitten.

One of the worst cat behaviors is scratching; that is, scratching humans. Cats' claws can inflict rather nasty scratches, so this is one behavior that should be discouraged as much as possible. It won't be possible to eliminate it entirely as it is a cat's nature to scratch and it does so to protect itself. Making sure your cat is not frightened and never feels threatened will go a long way to preventing scratching you or others in the family.

Jumping onto high places is also normal cat behavior, but it may not fit in with your lifestyle if you have antique vases sitting on shelves. Neither is it healthy to have kitty on the counter while you are preparing food for the children. Cats can be a danger to themselves as well as to others when they jump unexpectedly onto places that may not support them.

A bell on his collar will help to prevent kitty from killing too many birds. It's not a very nice thing to be cuddled up to kitty only to have him unexpectedly sink his teeth into your arm. Yet biting is also a natural cat behavior. If your cat is a biter, discourage him by placing him on the floor immediately when he bites. It may be that he had finished with cuddling anyway and this was his way of letting you know.ve. If you live in an apartment, you

Cats hate having water in their faces. There is only one problem with this; your furniture may be French-polished and so watermark very easily.

If your cat puts out his claws when you are petting him, gently push at them until he retracts them. In this way you'll teach him that claws out while being petted on laps is unacceptable behavior. Copyright All Rights Reserved 11 How to Prevent Your Cat Eating Houseplants Many people grow lovely houseplants that add to the ambience of their home.

There are two main reasons that cats eat plants. One is that green food is part of their diet. If your kitty has not been given any vegetables or greenery to eat, he could be simply following his instinct for survival. In this case, make sure kitty gets to go outside frequently so he can eat the grasses of his choice. Eating grass will also help to remove fur balls that can catch in his throat. If you cannot let your cat outside, then grow some special cat grass in a pot and allow him free access to it. A good pet shop will provide the right kind of seed.

It may suffice to place the plant upon a low table, or you may need a higher shelf for it. Of course, once kitty has had a wonderful time destroying that plant you loved so much, he might decide he wants to do it all the time. In this case, you may have to live without indoor plants, or keep kitty confined to a room where there are none while you are out of the house. On the other hand, it may have been sheer boredom that

How to Stop Your Cat Jumping on Counters and Tables One important thing in training your cat is to stop him jumping up on the table or counter. You may think its no big deal to have kitty on the counter - in fact some people may think it rather cute. But stop and consider. Kitty doesn't really know what he is going to land on when he makes that big leap from floor to counter. Do you really want him to land on those cookies that are just ready to go into the oven? Or he could easily knock something hot or breakable onto the floor not to mention that it is unsanitary.

furniture. Cats love to scratch and it is their nature to sharpen their claws. A bottle filled with pebbles could also be used, but the noise is slightly muted by the plastic or could be dangerous in glass. Another idea is to roll a few sheets of

One good way to train your kitty is to enlist the aid of another person to stand just outside the door. Then you can open it and as soon as your kitten pokes his nose out, have the other person squirt him with a spray bottle or water gun.

This can be useful at other times, too. He may be outside in the yard and you suddenly notice he's about to jump over the fence. To call him back in a voice of alarm will save him from getting lost or chased by a dog or even another

A cat or kitten also needs to learn to come when called. This makes is easier to get him out of danger if he has wandered away and it also makes feeding time more organized. If you need to go out and the cat must be shut in, you need to be able to call him and have him turn up in a reasonable time-frame or you'll be late for work or wherever you were off to.

Cats also need to learn not to be destructive. It's a cat's nature to sharpen his claws and to hunt and jump. These behaviors are not so welcome in the home, so the cat must learn where he is allowed to scratch and what he can jump on safely. He doesn't know that the stove will burn him if he jumps onto it, nor does he realize that he might knock down your antique vase if he jumps up on that shelf. These are the sorts of things a cat needs to learn.

How to Teach Your Cat to Come When Called It's important to train your cat to come when it is called for a variety of reasons. You may need to go out suddenly and you don't wish to leave your cat outside where he may be in danger of other prowling cats or dogs chasing him.

Say it loudly enough to be heard above the rattling spoon. Very often a high-pitched 'kitty-kitty-kitty' will do the trick. He will get used to the rattling spoon meaning food, and the sound of your voice will be associated with the rattling spoon, so that very soon he will come bounding up when you simply call without rattling the spoon.

How to Walk Your Cat on a Leash It is not the most usual thing to see a cat being walked on a leash. Traditionally, it is dogs that have leads and cats that roam free. However, these days, with so many small birds and animals on the verge of extinction, you may want to consider training your cat or kitten to walk on a leash.

This will prevent him from hunting down and killing butterflies or small birds. It will keep him from climbing trees to take baby birds from their nests. It will also keep him out of danger, as you will be monitoring his whereabouts in a responsible manner. Rather than just using a collar and leash to walk your cat, think about using a harness.at travel cage should

Respect your cat's need to rest when you are walking him. It's a good thing to stop and smell the roses yourself. Let your walk be in a calm and stress-free environment. Your cat will likely be afraid of loud traffic or skateboarders zooming past his tail.