Cat Info Center

Training Your Cats or Kittens With Positive Reinforcement

Pets make our home more complete by being there to greet you after a hard day at work or snuggling up to you while you sleep. Cats have been termed the most fickle of creatures; however, they are sweet lovable creatures if you raise them from infancy.  Most cats recognize their owners by the sound of their voice, the car they drive, and who spoils them the most. Like dogs, cats can be trained. A cat can be trained to come to your call, to bring their toys when they want to play, as well as more domestic issues such as using a litter box.  The key to training a cat or kitten is reinforcement.

Reinforcement starts at any age, but it is typically wise to start out with a kitten. Cats cannot distinguish words, but they are very astute in distinguishing tones of your voice.  They will know they have done something wrong just by the tone of voice you use. This is why it is important to use your upset voice when they have done something wrong, otherwise they will become confused.  Let us go back to reinforcement. Reinforcement is either positive or negative. Water is a negative reinforcement for a cat or kitten because they typically despise being wet. Some positive reinforcement can be hugs or fully body petting, treats, or play time.

To train your kitty to come to your call is to repeat their name while they are looking at you. Look them in the eye while you are using a nice tone of voice. Another way to call your cat is to have another sound, like snapping fingers, or clicking noises with your tongue. These typically gain the attention of your cat or kitten so they learn to come when you call.

Litter box training is perhaps the easiest part of having a kitty in your life. It is best to keep them confined to one room, the room you will have the litter box in to train them.  They will learn by you putting them in the box and allowing them to familiarize themselves with the smell. Cats by nature understand the feel of litter associating it with dirt. You may have to pick them up when they first begin to go if they do not understand the litter box and place them inside.  Occasionally a cat does not like the litter you use.  They show their displeasure by using the floor.  This is a time to try something new.  Most female adult cats will train their kittens so it is important they do not leave their mother’s care to quickly.  Food works in much the same way.  Once you show them where their food bowls are they will continue to go there. Cats are creatures of habit.

Habits are how you will train your kitty to bring you toys.  Some cats will simply meow when they want to play and casually bat their toy, however if you give them positive reinforcement every time they carry a toy mouse or stuffed toy they will continue to bring the toy without the reinforcement of a treat.  For an example my kitty, Spooky, is two.  She brings me a stuffed animal every afternoon or evening when she wants to play.  She lays it down near the end of my couch and meows until I recognize the good deed and begin to play with her.

Cats are trainable, perhaps not to the degree; a dog is trainable with voice commands, but they you can succeed in training them in some ways. Cats will enliven any home and given a lot of positive reinforcement, they can be just as much fun if not more fun than other pets. Especially when they give you comfort by stepping on to your lap kneading and purring. These moments can take away a bad day at work within a few seconds.

The Cruelty Of Claw Removal

Cats use their claws for various purposes.  The claws are important to cats, as they are an essential part of balancing.  If you’ve ever noticed a cat jumping and latching on to a high object, you’ve probably noticed that he uses his claws to pull himself up.  When climbing trees, cats tend to use their claws to latch onto the bark and climb towards their destination.

Cats also use their claws for stretching, walking, and running as well.  The claws are also a cat’s primary source of defense against other animals and humans as well.  Most cats keep their claws extremely sharp, as their claws and teeth are basically their only weapons.  The claws are also essential for using the bathroom as well, as cats use them to cover up their mess with dirt.

Cats also use their claws to scratch things, which mark their territory.  Their claws have glands, which contain a secretion.  When they leave their mark on something, the secretion is transferred to the area they scratched.  This is detectable to other cats although not to humans.  Sometimes, they will also scratch something to remove the older claw which will fall off and give them a brand new claw that resides underneath.

As sad as it is, a lot of pet owners choose to put their own possessions above their cat, such as their expensive furniture or carpets.  These cat owners are afraid that they cat will ruin their furniture or carpet, and therefore will choose to get their cat de-clawed.  Getting a cat’s claws removed is a surgical procedure, one that can only be performed by a veterinarian.  The owner will need a good reason though, as a vet won’t do the surgery just to keep one’s furniture or carpet protected.

If you’ve been thinking of getting your cat de-clawed, you should know that the process can totally change his personality.  Once the cat is de-clawed, he will be in pain and confused.  He may not be able to jump in the window or on the couch, and he may not be able to play like he once did.  Some cats, after being de-clawed, tend to get aggressive and bite with their teeth.  To make a long story short, the cat will be completely miserable – which is a tough thing to bear for those who love their cats.

Those who decide to own cats should know that a cat can scratch on occasion.  If someone isn’t prepared to deal with that fact, they shouldn’t own a cat in the first place.  Cats are great pets, although they do have claws and they will use them on occasion.  There are plenty of other great pets out there, if you aren’t up for handling a cat.  If you’re just worried about your furniture or carpet, there are ways that you can keep your cat from scratching on your belongings.

The first thing to do is to get your cat a scratching post and let him know where it is and how to use it.  You can also get a rush mat as well, which will help your cat with his instincts to scratch.  You may have to demonstrate how to use the mat or the post at first, although your cat should catch onto it quick.  Once you have shown him the ropes, he will scratch on the post or the mat – and not your furniture or your carpet.

Although many don’t realize it, there are other ways to protect your things other than getting your cat de-clawed.  Getting a cat’s claws removed is very painful and confusing to the cat, and may totally change his outlook on things.  Before you decide to take the inhumane path of getting your cat de-clawed, you should look into your other available options- your cat will like these options much better.

Kittens love to play and while we might not have unlimited time to devote to them there is nothing better than to spend the time playing and develop a relationship with them that they will keep for life.

At times when you won’t be able to spend the time playing, the kitten will need some toys to keep it amused.
Kittens love soft toys as they can get their claws into them easily and roll about on the floor without causing themselves any injury.

Other toys that will keep a kitten amused for hours will be anything that will roll along the floor such as a ball, as they can chase it around.
Anything that you get a kitten to play with needs to be safe and you really need to think in terms of having a young child where small objects can be chewed or swallowed and cause injury.
Also, anything that has sharp edges can cause injury and shouldn’t be given to a kitten to play with.

It is also a good idea to have a scratching pole that the kitten knows it can use to scratch as it will need to scratch something and you certainly don’t want that to be your furniture.
You can make your own scratching pole by attaching carpet to a wooden pole or alternatively there are some very good poles available that have various nooks and crannies in them that the kitten will enjoy playing in and climbing through.

Once the kitten is comfortable with it’s environment and knows where it’s home is it can be let outside to play and to make life a lot easier there is nothing better than the convenience of a cat door to let it come in and out of the house without you having to open and shut doors.

The only problem with a cat door is the fact that other cats can also come into the house and eat your cat’s food.
This can be solved by getting an electronic cat door that will only open when it registers that the cat coming through the door is your own and that is done by having your cat wear a specific collar that is linked to the operation of the door.

Fencing Your Cat In

Cats get up to a lot of mischief so it is a good idea to check their surroundings to see that they will be safe at all times. It’s a lot easier to do if the cat lives inside most of the time, but it will be necessary for it to get out in the fresh air and sunshine to remain healthy. If you’re living in an apartment then a balcony can be sufficient but you need to make sure that it won’t be able to fall off the balcony as sometimes when cats go into a deep sleep, lying in the sun, they can move without thinking and fall off the things they are resting on.

Having a yard fenced with a cat proof fence will give you peace of mind knowing that your cat can’t get out and other animals such as dogs won’t be able to get in an attack your pet.

You need to consider the fact that cats are very good climbers and will find it relatively easy to get over most fences so some form of barrier might need to be placed on top of the fence to stop this from happening.

If you do have a fenced property, then a cat door will give your cat the freedom to go in and out of the house and not feel like it is trapped inside all the time.

To keep your cat occupied, whether it is living inside or out, always have things that will give it an opportunity to climb and have secure lookouts over the property or house.

The happier your cat is with its environment the less likely it is to stray. Having said that, a happy cat will wander off to other properties, as cats are very inquisitive and like to go searching for adventure.

Getting a collar, or tattoo might be necessary if your cat tends to wander as this will help people to return it to its rightful home if it goes missing.

Cat Behavior Problems

Cat behavior problems are a lot more common than many people believe.

There is always a solution, but this can quite often take quite a lot of work, and the longer these behavioral problems are left the harder they are to correct.

It will take consistent effort and the use of the right techniques to get your cat to behave as expected. These behavioral problems can be anything from urinating inside the house to aggressive action towards you and other people.

Knowing what to do will eliminate a lot of the frustration that is involved in trying to train or retrain a cat, and will ensure that you get the desired results as fast as possible.

Not only will you be happier and have a happier household, but your cat will also have a happier life if it doesn’t have these behavioral problems because often they stem from problems that need to be addressed for your cat’s happiness.

Urinating and aggressive behavior can often be associated with your cat feeling insecure about itself and its surroundings. Consider whether there are other cats or threats to your pet and try to eliminate these first to see if they help to curb or cure the problem.

Often the elimination of any threats towards your cat will result in your pet being comfortable with its surroundings and not feel that it is necessary to mark its territory or to be aggressive towards other pets and people. Sometimes it can be a jealousy problem if there is more than one pet in the family and the cat with the problem feels like it is not getting enough attention.

Even as a change of location can affect stress levels for people, the same can happen to cats, so any changes in their environment can have a marked effect on the way that they act and time will need to be spent on them to ensure that they feel secure.

Domestic Cat Breeds

Have you always wanted a cat, but heard some breeds make better pets than others? Maybe you have always wanted a cat, but do not know anything about them? There are plenty of ways to learn about cats and what breeds fit your personality. The choice can come from having an indoor, outdoor or indoor and outdoor cat. The tough and smart survive in the out of doors. Small cats are often pray for birds and other wildlife and should be kept indoors. Tomcats, a mixed breed, are great at surviving outdoors and mousers. So let us look at a few breeds of cats and then you will be able to choose which one may be right for your lifestyle.

Siamese: The Siamese cat can be a fickle creature. They often require a lot of attention when they determine it is necessary. They tend to meow quite a bit and can tear up a home if left alone for too long. These are the downsides.  Siamese can be great pets, especially when raised from infancy. They are often white with brown ears and blue eyes.  You may recognize them from Lady and the Tramp? Those two were a little mean and not the typical portrayal of a Siamese. Siamese are generally very affectionate. They are also one of the most intelligent of the cat species. They tend to be very social, which is why they meow or “talk” a lot. A sign for attention is usually a very vocal meow much like a babies cry. Siamese typically bond to one person very strongly and are territorial of that person.

Persian:  The Persian cat breed is one of the oldest cats around. They are longhaired cats with beautiful shinny coats. They are very soft and friendly; however, they are prone to health problems such as allergies. The Persian does not always play as much as other breeds, but they do enjoy a bit of fun for exercise especially in a social situation. They love to have other cats around to play with as well as have a lap available when they are in need of a lap. Persians are a variety of colors from solid black, white or a mix of white and browns around the face. A popular Persian is the Himalayan.

Manx:  The Manx is known for its stubby tail or having no tail. The downside to Manx cats is the lack of tail. Often a Manx can suffer from worms and other parasites due to improper cleaning and not having the protection of a tail. This does not mean you should discount the Manx as a breed. The Manx breed is extremely intelligent and playful. They are a lot like dogs in the play area because they can fetch when you through toys and bring them back to you. They are very social animals and depend on human care. They don’t like to be left alone for too long, so it is wise to have other cats to play with when you are gone during the day. The best home for a Manx is one filled with children.

These are just three of the more popular breeds of cats. There are over a dozen cat breeds to choose from and finding the one to fit your lifestyle is important. Cats are very social and intelligent, but some breeds can be loners. Most often, a cat chooses when the time is right and what type of attention they want at the time. The phrase “you do not own a cat it owns you” is very true.

Cat Travel in a Vehicle

If you need to travel with your cat it will be necessary to do a little bit of preparation work beforehand to ensure that the trip is comfortable for your pet.

A cat can become quite excited the first time it travels in a vehicle and you need to do all that is possible to help it remain calm time as they will react differently when they become excited.

If it is a kitten or a younger cat then it might be necessary to put it inside a cage to stop it from running about the vehicle while it is traveling. It might be wise to take a litter box with you as sometimes when cats get excited they need to go to the toilet and if there is nothing available for it to use it is likely to hold on and feel sick or go somewhere that you don’t want it to go to the toilet.

Always carry water with you and stop regularly to see if it needs a drink, particularly in hot weather.
It is preferable the first few times it goes for a trip in a vehicle to have eaten nothing beforehand as food can sometimes make cats feel sick.

If the cat seems calm then it is possible to let it out of the cage provided it sits quietly on a seat. Don’t leave any windows open where it might be able to get out and particularly when you stop the vehicle make sure it doesn’t jump out the door and go somewhere where it could be endangered.

If you do have windows down make sure there are no drafts that could be affecting your cat and don’t let it sit up in the back window of vehicles in direct sunlight where it might get overheated and become ill.

Generally if the cat has been in a vehicle as a kitten it won’t mind travel all that much and it will generally only become frightened if it associates travel with some unpleasant event.

They can find comfort in having a favorite blanket or bed in the vehicle with them and also a comforting hand from the owner beside them. Consider their feelings and treat them as you would a young child and you shouldn’t have too many problems.

Cats Sense of Smell

Cats have approximately 19 million nerve endings in their nose that makes them especially sensitive to smell. While not having nearly as many as some breeds of dogs these nerve endings in the membranes of the nose are considerably more than the 5 million or so nerves that humans have.

This sense of smell helps the cat to determine whether food is suitable for eating as the nitrogen given off by the chemicals of rancid food is picked up by their highly developed sense of smell, stopping them from eating the food.

This is also one of the reasons why it can be quite difficult sometimes to give your cat pills or tablets. Due to their highly developed sense of smell they are aware of anything that has been added to their food and if they think it is something that they shouldn’t be eating they will leave that food entirely and the tablets that you’ve attempted to hide in it.

This applies to various different medications, herbal or otherwise, and the fact that we can’t smell or taste anything doesn’t mean that the cat is unaware of a foreign substance.

Often it is a lot easier to give the cat an injection of meditation rather than trying to get it to swallow a pill or tablet. If there is no alternative but to give it a pill, then you will need to tip its head back and get the pill as far back in it’s throat as possible then stroke it under the chin to help it swallow the pill. If you don’t do this they will often hold it in the mouth until they have been released then spit it out.

If you do need to give your cat medication by pills then follow it around for a short while after you think they have had the pill, because they can hold it in their mouth for a while, until they believe you are not looking before spitting it out resulting in them not getting the required meditation.

Cats and Children

If you have small children in the house and in particular those under the age of three then a cat might not be the best pet to have around.

This is taking into consideration both the child and the cat’s well-being. Cats love to snuggle into people for company and warmth and this can be particularly dangerous where cats have been known to get into bed with babies and smother them unintentionally.

Another problem can occur when young kittens like to play with children. Kittens have particularly sharp teeth and claws and when they play they can get overly excited and do a lot of damage to the tender skin of children. There is also the chance for the child to get scratched in the eye when playing with a kitten.

On the other hand, cats can get a hard life from children.  Young children often tend to be a little bit heavy-handed when handling cats, and this can lead to anxiety for the cat.

If there are cats and children in the family, then it is a wise decision to teach the children how to handle a cat correctly. Children need to be told how to pick up the cat and handle it carefully and also to become aware of when the cat doesn’t want to be handled any longer and would like to be left alone in peace.

Many cats also get quite stressed with loud noise and sudden action which is something that is quite common with young children.

It is good for children to learn to be considerate towards animals at a young age.  They will not only treat animals better but will also be more considerate towards other people, so having a pet in the family that the children can learn to respect can be excellent for developing better people.

Grooming Your Cat

Grooming your cat on a regular basis will remove any loose fur that could end up in the cat’s digestive system, causing constipation, fur balls, and discomfort that can also result in your cat throwing up on a regular basis.

As a cat grooms itself by licking its fur, quite a large amount of that fur ends up being swallowed and when this is combined with the food in its stomach fur balls develop that need to be eliminated one way or another.

Longer haired cats obviously have a bigger problem than those with short hair, and they will need a lot more grooming to remove loose hair.

In addition to removing the loose fur, grooming can also get rid of any fleas that might be on your cat.
While there are good flea formulations on the market, this regular grooming helps keep your cat in better condition and it also allows you to check if there are any other problems that might need attending to, particularly with tomcats as they get into fights with other cats that can lead to sores and infection.

If cats are living near farmland and they venture out into the fields they can get ticks in vast numbers in a very short time and grooming helps to remove a lot of these before they can cause too much trouble for your cat.

Grooming with a good cat comb also stops the fur from knotting. If left unattended for too long, and particularly with cats that have long hair, this knotting can get so matted that they need to have the fur cut to remove it. Knotted fur can form into hard lumps that can cause distress for the cat.

Regular grooming and good nutrition will ensure that your cat has a nice shiny coat, few problems with constipation and fur balls, and less chance of getting any other skin related problems.