mokajava Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I was wondering if you can really train a cat? I mean, teaching it to not go on the bed for example, or be still and quiet when visit comes. I've heard some ppl saying you can, but others saying no, because cats are very independent and not like dogs. Have you been able to "educate" your cat? If so, what are some of the tricks they've learned? Link to comment
Sunny1607307996 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 If you can train it to use a litterbox, I'm sure there's some sort of technique to train cats... I've heard spraybottles with water work well. Link to comment
arwen Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 You can train it by 'punishing' them directly if they do the thing you don't want them to do. The most friendly way is a waterspray or a loud clap of the hands. I doubt you will be able to train them to be quiet around visitors- it has to be very clear to the cat what you are punishing them for. The bed is a clear place they can't be on, like our couch is the Forbidden Place to scratch nails. It's funny how our cats are, they will be good for a looong while and then see if they can try and get away with it again. Today I had to give our Anna a bit of a shower- she scratched the couch for the first time in 6 months. Link to comment
shes2smart Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 My cat walks on a leash, like a dog. His previous owner taught him. They can be trained....otherwise you'd never see a cat in a commercial or tv show or movies. Link to comment
COtuner Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I was wondering if you can really train a cat? I mean, teaching it to not go on the bed for example, or be still and quiet when visit comes. I've heard some ppl saying you can, but others saying no, because cats are very independent and not like dogs. Have you been able to "educate" your cat? If so, what are some of the tricks they've learned? Yep - mine thinks he's a dog sometimes. He used to "fetch" and I could ask him to roll over and shake hands. A man named Dominique in Key West has a whole show of trained housecats. Link to comment
Cognitive_Canine Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 If you are worried about company, I think the best thing to do is to put the cat in another room. Many people are allergic to cats anyway and if your cat is very friendly and likes to rub on strangers, this could cause problems for those allergic. I agree with the others about using a spray bottle to keep the kitty off the bed. Cats are very smart animals and they'll catch on quickly. Link to comment
diamond78 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Cats can be trained, but you definitely have to be PERSISTENT....they are very stubborn and independent creatures. I taught my cat how to 'sit' on demand and what places are not appropriate to jump. Someone posted how they can do the correct thing for a long time and then all of a sudden try to get away with it....very true! The hardest thing I have trouble controlling is my cat's meowing...she loves to talk and sometimes it's really annoying!!! The spray bottle is a good tool...and rewarding your cat with treats when they do something right. I would love to train my cat to walk on a leash. She'll tolerate it for awhile if we are inside and if i distract her with toys....but i'm still afraid to take her outside with the leash.. Link to comment
itsallgrand Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 For things I don't want them to do I've taught them by correcting them consistently until they learn. They do have the ability to learn. They also have very short attention spans so I have used kitty time-outs; literally lift her away from what she is doing and putting her in another room until she forgets. If she does it again, she is removed again. Not for long; something else will catch her attention if she isn't allowed to do one thing. It becomes not worth the effort to try (guess this is the idea behind the water bottle too but my cats love water and think that is play time!). As far as training, I've got some tricks with mine based on the theory that you don't so much train a cat what to do as you can positively reinforce what they naturally do, to get them to do it over and over again in different situations. You can mix to make it look more impressive and complex. Take what is instinctual and what she likes and work with that. It's all mostly the illusion that they are doing one thing when in reality it's mostly "setting the stage". Like the leash thing - or give a paw or give kisses - it's just reinforcing what you like by repetition and practice. As for when I'd like my cats to be calm for a certain time: I just give them a good thorough play-time before so they are tired! lol. They have animal friends that help wear them out besides me. Link to comment
BellaDonna Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Cats can be trained- they just like you to think that they can't be. The best trick is the water bottle- however, don't let the cat know that you are the one spraying it -otherwise they will just follow the rules when you are there, and then do that they want when you are not there. When you spray them, look the other way, and don't even say "no". Instead, make it seem like water will mysteriously come out of nowhere spray them whenever they jump on the bed. Another thing you can do is line your bed with aluminum foil for a week or so- when you are not using it. Cats HATE the way foil feels under their paws and they hate the way it sounds if they jump and land on it. I used foil to train my cat not to jump in my sons crib before he was born. She tried 3 times and hated the noise and the crinkle of it- and never went near the crib again. Link to comment
itsallgrand Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 hey, I didn't know about the foil. Good tip to know. Link to comment
thejigsup Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 My cats are members of my family and I love them. Why would you not want your cats on the bed? I don't understand that at all! I agree with keeping them away from company because some people are allergic to them, that is a given. But if my cats aren't a welcome member of my family, I wouldn't have them in the first place. Link to comment
BellaDonna Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Why would you not want your cats on the bed? I don't understand that at all! Me either. My cat is allowed on and in my bed, and she sleeps with me just about every night. But everyone is different. Link to comment
mokajava Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 when you all say spray bottle - do you mean water in it? Link to comment
BellaDonna Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Yes, a plastic bottle that you can spray water with- like the kind that hairdressers use. Link to comment
Sami Sue Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Cats can be trained- they just like you to think that they can't be. The best trick is the water bottle- however, don't let the cat know that you are the one spraying it -otherwise they will just follow the rules when you are there, and then do that they want when you are not there. When you spray them, look the other way, and don't even say "no". Instead, make it seem like water will mysteriously come out of nowhere spray them whenever they jump on the bed. This is so true - and absolutely hilarious. Yes, use the Mysterious Water Bottle. Link to comment
jennamajig Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 My cat LOVES tin foil, so this would never work for her. When I have tin foil out in the kitchen, she is up in my face trying to paw at it. She loves the noise it makes and likes to chew it. (Anyone else have a cat like that?) And the spray bottle was effective when she was smaller, but now, no way. And she is stubborn - she may stay away from things when I'm home, but when I'm away, she is right back there. She does know what is wrong, though, and while home she and I will stare and I just say her name and she sulks off I've also learned the art of ignoring...kinda like ignoring the kid who is having a tantrum in a grocery store. He does for attention and if he gets none, he stops (in theory). This has worked for my cat in certain functions, like insistent licking (my cat LOVES to lick me) and trying to eat my food. I just shift from her, not even scolding or acknowledging and she deems it too hard and quickly gives up. My ex tried to "train" my cat and frankly, it only did damage I think. But, to be honest, he was forceful to the point of being mean. He would smack her (he once tried to hit her when I was holding her and missed and hit me, hard, so I can imagine how much she liked it!) and pick her up and kinda "throw" her into the bathroom when she misbehaved. And he didn't want her anywhere...he was allergic, so no bedroom, hated her in the bathroom and the kitchen. We lived together at the time, so she only had our tiny apartment living room to call "hers." She'd slept with me previously and when we broke up and I moved out, she went back to sleeping with me. And oddly enough, became a much better behaved cat... Link to comment
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