Cat Behavior Training

Cats make great pets. They're cute, they're clean, they're smart, and they have an independent streak that you just won't find in a dog. Unfortunately, cats can also exhibit notoriously difficult behavior. They may destroy furniture, constantly meow and whine, and even claim territory all over your house. If one or more of these things start happening, it might be in your best interest to start cat behavior training.

Contrary to popular belief - and what you yourself may have been told - cat behavior training is possible. Cats aren't so independent that they'll refuse any and all efforts to train them. In fact, they can be quite responsive, so long as you use the right techniques.

Keep in mind that cats aren't quite like any other animal, and they're certainly not the same as dogs. Some methods of behavior training that will work with other household pets will utterly fail with your cat.

What's the most important thing to keep in mind when training your cat? You absolutely need to know and accept that reacting physically won't help a thing. Cats don't respond to being swatted with a newspaper or having their noses rubbed in their own urine - on the contrary, they'll only resent you for it. They won't understand why you've done what you have, they'll only be frustrated and upset with you.

In fact, trying to train your cat through physical punishment can completely ruin your relationship with him. He won't trust you, he won't understand why you're punishing him, and his behavior certainly won't improve.

Training your cat requires you to talk to him, using positive words and tones combined with rewards of food or new toys when he's done something good, and the opposite when he's done something wrong.

You also need to maintain a stable environment, as cats are very sensitive to any and all changes going on around them. Have you moved recently? Have you introduced a new pet into your home? Have you moved your cat's litter box? Any of these things have the potential to negatively influence your cat's behavior.

Perhaps above all, you need patience. Cat behavior training is not exactly a walk in the park. It takes time, it takes effort, and it takes dedication. With some perseverance on your part, however, and the right techniques, there's no doubting the fact that you will be able to improve your cat's behavior, which makes for a better relationship between you and your pet.

How to Stop Your Cat from Chewing on Electrical Cords and Other Objects

Chewing on electrical cords can burn or shock your cat causing respiratory problems, cardiac arrest and even death. Cats' sharp teeth and their inquisitive nature can put your cat at high risk. This is especially an issue with kittens.

Here's what to do to:

1. Tape cords to the wall with electrical tape to help prevent your pet from gaining access to them.

2. Stow excess lengths of cord behind furniture or appliances, hidden from your cat's view. Cats are attracted to dangling cords and may think they are toys.

3. Block access to visible cords by wrapping flexible safety cable (available at hardware stores) around them. Tin foil works well too, or even a thicker model or extension cord (that is too big for a cat to chew on)

4. Place contact paper, sticky side up, in the general area of electrical cords to discourage your pet from approaching them.

5. Apply unpleasant-tasting substances to exposed cords. These could include bitter apple spray, menthol, toothpaste, mouthwash or lemon juice. Experiment with different flavors, since cats' taste aversions vary. You can also use Crittercord... It's a cord cover with a deterrent infused in it. Be sure to use a product for Cats though- similar products are available for killing rats so be careful what you buy!

6. Have favorite toys available to distract your pet from the cords, and rotate toys every few days to prevent boredom.

7. Keep your pet out of any room with exposed electrical cords until your furry friend loses interest in chewing on them.

My favorite solution is rubbing the cords with a bar of soap.

Moisten the soap, it makes application easier. The soap will last longer than the Bitter Apple sprays and is more effective than hot sauce (even habanero, which incidentally can get in the cat's eyes and be really painful). This works so well that you will probably see a reluctance to even reach for untreated cords, like a mouse or keyboard cord, where the same cat consistently would bite these before.

You need to understand that cats are smart creatures though they are also creatures of instinct. If you have something dangling around, such as a cord for a fan, your cat will naturally want to swat at it. She may even chew on it as it moves (literally moving your cat around like in old cartoons, just a bit slower).

Every interaction with your cat trains her. If she does something you don't like, and you pick her up and tell her she's naughty and put her in another room etc she's actually learning that if she does that bad behavior, she'll get attention from you! Which means she'll do the bad behavior more and more.

It's far better to ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior. To stop bad behavior interrupt her pattern with a squirt of water or use the above methods to make the experience not as pleasant as she thought it would be. (For example, chewing on cords might look like fun, but if they taste terrible, she'll soon learn that it's better to chew other things).

You should also know that problem behavior in cats is often a sign of stress, boredom or bad socializing when they were a kitten. To deal with stress and boredom provide lots toys, perches and places she can get away and relax and remember that love is the best medicine so give her plenty of attention.

If your cat is out of control due to bad socializing when she was a kitten, you can fix her behavior, though it may take longer. For example, giving her attention needs to be on HER terms...you may only be able to pat her for a small amount of time in one go, though over a few months she'll gradually allow you to pat her more and more as she gets used to it.

It's better to give her some attention and leave her wanting more then over doing it and only stopping when she scratches you and runs away.

Cats are amazing creatures, and once you understand their psychology, you'll get along with them like never before, enjoying perfect behavior from them and an even deeper bond.

Training Your Cat to Sit

While there are many reasons to love your cat, obedience is probably not one of them. We all love watching our cats bounce around and play, but have you ever wished that you could get them to sit still? It's easier than you might think; cats can be trained, just like dogs can, but it can take a bit longer and be a little more work. It can certainly be done, however, and you may be surprised by the results.

There are many benefits to training your cat to sit. First, it's just nice to be able to get a little stillness from a cat that's making you tired just from watching him run around. Second, if someone like a vet needs to take a look at him, the vet will appreciate a cat that knows how to sit still. Third, when your cat starts sitting, there's a good chance he'll stay sitting, and there's nothing relaxing as nice as your cat purring in your lap, after all.

As with most cat training, this starts with a bribe. Make sure your cat is aware that you have one of his favorite treats in your hand. When he shows interest, slowly raise the treat over his head and slightly behind it, not high enough that he has to reach up. This should make your cat crane his head up and back.

The moment your cat is in a sitting posture, reward him with the treat and give him lots of praise. This is the first step to getting your cat to make the link between the command and the treat.

The key to this exercise is isolation of the command and repetition. Don't reward the cat whenever he shows up, sits down and looks up at you expectantly; you're training him, not the other way around! Don't try to force your cat into this activity if he's not interested in the treat. This will probably just annoy him and make him hide, and it is important to keep the good association in his head.

Try to get family members and friends into the act. This can especially help in making shyer cats used to other people and encourage them to socialize rather than hide.

After a few sessions, your cat will learn to sit when your hand alone is in the right position above his head. While you don't need to use to the treat to get his attention anymore, do continue to reward him. As you may have noticed, cats tend not to do things for free. Soon enough though, you should be able to eliminate the treat entirely, though it is still very much worth it to reward your cat for good behavior from time to time.

Remember not to use the word "sit" too early, because if the cat has not yet learned to associate the motion with the verbal command, you may confuse him. After all, you don't want your cat to start believing that "sit" means "look at my owner in confusion before walking away.