Cat Training: Practical Tips

Cats are known for their fastidious cleanliness. They groom themselves by licking their fur, employing their hooked papillae and saliva. Their saliva is a powerful cleaning agent and deodorant. Many cats also enjoy grooming humans or other cats. Sometimes the act of grooming another cat is initiated as an assertion of superior position in the pecking order of a group. It can also be trained to obey simple commands. Individual cats have also been known to learn on their own to manipulate simple mechanisms, such as doorknobs. Cats use a variety of vocalizations and types of body language for communicatio, including meowing, purring, hissing, growling, squeaking, chirping, clicking, and grunting. With 69 million of them present in American homes, cats are the most or the second most popular pets.

Below are practical tips for training your cats:

• Remember to be patient. Your cat is an individual, with his own abilities and preferences. He will pick up some tricks quickly, but may struggle with others. Make allowances for his personality, and don't lose your temper if it doesn't go exactly according to schedule.
• If you're free-feeding your cat (leaving food out at all times for him to eat as and when he feels like it), stop doing this. Enforcing a feeding schedule has two main benefits: it increases the reward-value of food treats as training devices, and also introduces a semblance of routine into your cat's life (which, believe it or not, most cats actually prefer.)
• Train smart. If you're using food treats (which is highly recommended to achieve the desired results) then schedule training sessions for just before mealtimes: your cat's natural desire for food at his regular mealtime will sharpen his focus and increase his desire to obey you (so he can get a treat.)
• Take baby steps. When training your cat, it's best to build up a solid foundation of the basics before attempting to expand his repertoire.
• Cats have pretty short attention spans, and low boredom thresholds. Keep lessons short and interesting - and always try to end on a positive note.

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