Mary Allen
Stealing food from the plate, biting your hands while playing, and jumping onto the kitchen counter – these are all favorite pastimes for many cats. The owners let their velvet paws do as they please, after all, cats can’t be trained – or can they?!
Can you train cats?
Cats are considered independent and proud, they have their own mind and don’t let anyone tell them anything. But every social creature is able to learn from others and allows their actions to be influenced. Although cats hunt alone, they are otherwise quite social, contrary to their image as loners. They meet at least during the mating season or at their territorial boundaries, many strays form loose groups, and anyone who keeps two or more cats knows the close friendships between cats.
Unlike pack or herd animals, however, cats depend on cooperation to a much lesser extent. The most important thing for a dog is its pack, rules, and commands must be followed in order for it to function. Especially working dogs like German Shepherds have a great urge to please people and are happy about any kind of interaction.
It’s different with cats, they are independent hunters and much less dependent on humans. Also, the knowledge that they were worshiped as gods in ancient Egypt still seems to be present somewhere in every cat. But with positive reinforcement and consistency, cats can also be trained very well.
Is Cat Training Necessary?
Education is not synonymous with carrying out orders, it is the basis for a happy coexistence. Most cat owners will probably ask their cats to follow a few basic rules. This includes, for example, the cat holding back when eating and not dipping its tail in the soup or its paws in the butter dish. Other rules are for cat safety, such as keeping away from hot stovetops. Such basic “house rules” often do not require specific training.
It is so clear to humans that the cat has no place on their plate that they may even subconsciously prevent this behavior very clearly and consistently. If you have been living with a cat for a long time, consider the situations in which you may have raised them without realizing it. When a new cat moves in, learning the house rules is essential for a long, happy partnership, so training your cat is essential.
Maybe you want the cat to learn how to use a cat flap or you want to make it less afraid of certain noises. Or does your cat scratch the bedroom door at night and you want to break the habit? Such skills are advantageous for humans and animals and can be trained in a targeted manner. Last but not least, the interaction and joint training strengthen the bond. Learning tricks is great fun for many cats, it keeps them mentally busy and is good for their self-confidence.
Cats and their instincts
Every cat has certain natural needs that need to be satisfied and cannot be trained away. The prey drive is very pronounced in cats, small rodents, birds, and fish in the aquarium or garden pond will never be safe from them. There may be exceptions, but even then, sudden movement can trigger prey drive. On the other hand, living together with animals outside the category “prey” such as dogs, chickens or horses usually works very well.
Cats want to scratch. This not only serves to care for the claws, but also to mark the territory. In addition to the scratch marks that can be seen from afar, scents are emitted that can be read by other cats. Such scent glands are also located on the head, which indicate ownership when rubbing objects or beloved bipeds. The markings give the cat security and are constantly renewed. The place where the markers are placed also has meaning for cats. Releasers will select strategically important points and revisit and re-mark them.
Luckily, indoor cats are usually more flexible here and like to use the scratching opportunities that are offered. But here, too, it can happen that the cat absolutely has to mark a certain spot or a certain object for reasons only known to it. Sometimes, offering alternative scratching options won’t dissuade her from that spot at all.
Then it can help to offer her an alternative at exactly this point, for example a scratching board on the wall or a scratching barrel right next to the sofa. Deterrents only help to a limited extent and can even cause the cat to continue marking to cover up a new smell. These needs cannot be suppressed even through education. So instead of scolding the cat, consider why it is behaving in a certain way and look for alternatives.
“Certain natural needs cannot and should not be trained away. These include the prey drive and the sharpening of the claws.”
Training cats with positive reinforcement
Cat training only works with positive reinforcement. Cats will react bored, offended, or even scared to snappy commands, patience and sensitivity are required here. The basis is trust in people. When a new cat arrives in the household, the first step is building the relationship. You get to know each other, lose your shyness and trust grows.
To prevent bad habits from forming in the first place, house rules should be enforced from the start. Further training can wait a while so as not to overwhelm the newcomer. Desired behavior should always and immediately be rewarded. A reward can be treats, petting, a favorite game, or verbal praise.
Every cat has its preferences, some are happy about a happily squeaked “Feiiiiin” and wild games, other cats prefer to be spoken to calmly and scratch their ears. If you work with treats a lot, make sure that they are as healthy as possible and remove them from meals for cats that tend to be overweight. Jerky or small pieces of boiled or roasted meat are a good alternative to treats that are often high in sugar and grain.
If something doesn’t work as desired, question yourself. Maybe your cat just doesn’t understand what you want. Check your body language, the tone of your voice, your timing… How might this resonate with the cat?
Do punishments help in cat training?
Teaching desired behaviors is one thing, but how do you break unwanted behaviors from a cat? First, the cat has to understand that certain things are forbidden. For example, if the cat is not supposed to jump onto the kitchen counter, it should be put down again consistently and without much fuss from the very first time. If you persevere now and show more staying power than your cat, potential problems can be nipped in the bud. It makes sense to introduce a command like “No” and use it whenever you don’t want the cat to do something.
Cats usually understand this very quickly. However, understanding alone is usually not enough, because just because the human doesn’t want it doesn’t make it any less fun for the cat. On the contrary, many cats find particularly forbidden things extremely interesting and funny. And what’s next?
Violence is never a solution in raising animals. Unfortunately, tips are still circulating that unclean cats should be pressed into their droppings with their noses or shaken by the neck to punish them. Beatings or coercive measures will not last long, they unsettle the cat and she loses her trust in the owner.
“Violence has absolutely no place in cat training.”
The right time
If the neutral “No” doesn’t help, or if the cat is so upset that discipline is needed, the right timing is important. The reprimand must be immediate, otherwise, the cat will no longer associate it with the action. For example, if the cat jumped off the window sill with the flower pot and is now sitting on the couch, it will no longer associate the punishment with the flower pot, but with the couch or another circumstance.
This applies even more to subsequent punishment. If you only discover damage later and scold the cat, it won’t be able to make the connection. A sharp “no” or a quick clap can be used as a rebuke, but you should never yell or swear at length. By clearly ignoring them afterward, you show your cat that you don’t agree with their behavior.
The use of a water gun is often recommended because the cat will be startled and will not directly associate the punishment with the human. However, by the second or third time at the latest, the cat will reason logically or see that its human is behind the shower.
If you have any new problems or are unclean, always remember that your cat could also be ill and show pain or discomfort through its behavior. Going to the vet clears things up here. Changing circumstances, such as a new pet or rearranging furniture, can also lead to undesirable behavior.
Raising kittens
Kittens learn the basics of cat etiquette from their mother. They learn about eating solid food, hunting, and grooming. Using the litter box is also part of education. If you want to learn how to get kittens used to the litter box, Cat’s Best’s post will surely help you. There you will also find out which litter is best for kittens.
Kittens also learn how to interact with other cats from their mother and siblings. You will learn to recognize and use body language and how far you can go in the game. If kittens bite or scratch their siblings too much during play, they will squeak and interrupt play. The little ones learn to use their teeth and claws only discreetly when playing. This is why it is so important that cats are allowed to stay with their mother and siblings for at least 12 weeks.
Kittens love to play with their humans’ hands and feet. Even if this is extremely cute in small cats, it becomes painful and difficult to break the habit again in adult cats. Playing with hands and feet, even under the covers, should therefore be prevented from the start.
There are a number of suitable cat toys for playing together, where the kitten can live out its hunting and lurking instincts. Prey can be simulated well by throwing toys or with a cat rod, and hands can focus on stroking.
Training for emergencies
Training in unpleasant situations can make life easier for you and your cat and save you a lot of stress. For most cats and their owners, going to the vet is an unpleasant experience: First, the cat has to be put into the transport box, often with loud protests. The car ride is unfamiliar and increases the nervousness even further. Once at the vet, the cat has to be touched and examined by strangers, and maybe it will also get an injection.
Visiting the vet with all the trappings can be practiced at home. First there is the transport box: This is often in the closet and is only taken out for the vet visit. So it’s no wonder that the cat doesn’t particularly like the box and flees when it sees it. If you have the opportunity, integrate the box into your home. With a cozy insert, it can become a retreat and the cat feels safer even in unfamiliar surroundings.
Then practice putting the cat in the box or teach it to get in itself. Getting in can be trained very well with clicker training and using a target stick. At first, the cat only stays in the box for a very short time, the door stays open. Rewards and patience create security for the cat and you can continue to expand the training.
The door is only closed briefly at the beginning, then longer and longer until the cat tolerates this too. Then you can lift the box, then walk a few steps until you finally leave the apartment with the cat in the box. Small steps are important, the cat should not panic again.
You can build up your driving training on this: First, you walk to the car and go straight back, then the box comes on the seat. If everything works well, you can start the engine briefly in the next step, then longer, then a few meters drive, then do a lap around the block. If everything goes well, incorporate these exercises into your everyday life from time to time so that the box remains positively associated and is not soon associated with the vet again.
You can also practice handling at the vet: When stroking and grooming, you can touch the ears and paws, look in the ears or lift the lips. If your cat likes to be touched, you can sit it on a table and thus simulate the veterinarian.
You also get a good feeling for the health of your cat. This training greatly simplifies the administration of tablets, ointments or drops that may be required. The vet will also be grateful, because he can examine the calm cat better and the risk of injury from a panicked cat is significantly reduced.
Of course, not every cat does everything, there are also cats that would be completely overwhelmed by such training. Some shy or traumatized cats will certainly never allow themselves to sit exposed on a table without being afraid, and this should not be forced.
Raise a cat with clicker training
Clicker training is a great way to train cats. The special thing about clicker training is the conditioning to a specific sound that announces the reward. A clicker, which always produces the same sound, is traditionally used for this purpose. It also works with a marker word or other noise, but the clicker is particularly clear, the noise tends not to occur in everyday life and, unlike the voice, does not vary.
The cat learns that after the “click” there is a reward. This is the sign that she did something right. The reward can be given much more precisely than if a treat has to be found first. A so-called target stick is used to steer the cat in certain directions. The cat learns to touch the tip of the stick with its nose on command. Jumps or boxing training, for example, can be built on this.
Conclusion
With a few tips and tricks, it is very possible to educate cats. Every cat owner is free to decide whether to only teach their velvet paw the basic rules for harmonious coexistence or whether to go further and even practice tricks with the cat. However, every cat should have a certain amount of rules. It should be clear to everyone by now at the latest that cats are not as easy to train as dogs.
Punishment and violence have no place in cat training. They only cause the bond between the cat and the owner to be permanently disturbed. Cats are best trained with positive reinforcement, some skill, and a lot of patience. Then it is even possible to train the house cat away from fears, such as fear of the vacuum cleaner or fear of the vet. Clicker training is particularly good for this. If you want to teach your cat better behavior, it’s best to start today, you’ll see: it’s worth it!