Other than being incredibly adorable, cats are notorious for committing mischief. While dogs are certainly more active, cats, on the contrary, are more accessible when inside the house. They strive to reach places where you store food and leap kitchen counters, making it necessary to teach your cat some manners. Unfortunately, these were just a few bad examples, as cats always have a series of tricks up their sleeve.
Therefore, if your feline companion is driving you nuts with his persistence, have you ever considered training him? When we think of training, our mind fires up the thought process and automatically makes you think of dogs. Dogs have it different; you can train them to detect drugs, import items, and become obedient. On the other hand, training does not create the vision of a cat obeying your every sentence. Still, you can train cats.
So, what does it take to teach my cat some manners? Not much! However, it will take some time before your naughty cat decides to take the path of obedience. For now, the following six good habits will instantly make the I-have-a-cat scenario bearable and pleasant. Let’s begin.
1. WHEN THE BOWEL MOVEMENTS ARE TRIGGERED, DIRECT YOUR CAT TO THE LITTER BOX
The foremost step to keeping a cat is taking care of his hygiene, and bathing your cat after every two days won’t do. Sometimes your cat needs to take a whiz or even poop, and for that,cat litter boxes are mandatory. Now, training your cat to use the litter box takes a lot of work, but think of the benefits: you can enjoy a cleaner home. Prefer to place the litter box near your cat’s den (or, in cat language, throne) and, well, do not lose it. It is best to use positive reinforcement because all animals do well with it. Provide praise when cats use the litter box correctly.
Even if the cat uses an area outside the litter box, immediately disinfect it to avoid scent and soaking. In every situation, you must have patience.
2. KEEP THE ATTENTION TO THE MINIMUM
It may seem funny, but even a child gets his way every time due to being stubborn and heady. Therefore, when you bring your cat home, start setting a few boundaries and rules. You may not know this, but your cat understands your commands based on the tone you use.
When you don’t want your cat to do a particular thing, use a dominant tone, and say “NO!”.Don’t worry; it will understand that you are not happy with what is happening and never want a recurrence. However, if you keep letting your cat have its way, you will be raising a cruel cat.
3. DEMONSTRATE YOUR CAT TO STAY AWAY FROM THE FURNITURE
It is an expensive problem, so how do you stop it? The only way to keep your cat away from the furniture is to provide them with an alternative. Cats love to scratch the furniture, so do yourself a favor and buy a scratching post for your feline. If your cat persists with the habit, pick him, look him the eyes, say NO, and bring him to the scratching post.
4. THROWING STUFF OFF THE COUNTER – THAT HAS TO STOP!
Cats are agile and cannot stand an obstacle in their way, so they throw them. Strangely, it is done on purpose, only to alert the human and bring them by their side. Cats that are jaded or think their diet is overdue may also do this to get attention. The most fantastic way to prevent this problem is by giving your cat toys to keep him engaged and less-grumpy.
These toys will keep them off the counter and onto something much more enjoyable. Kitty towers are perhaps the perfect example of this, allowing the cat to lounge and wiggle their way through the caves and boxes.
5. CHEER YOUR CAT WHENEVER IT DOES SOMETHING GOOD
Another workable way to teach your good cat manners is to applaud it whenever it follows your instructions. Your primary should not be on reprimanding your cat every time it does something wrong. Learn how to praise your pet when it does something nice. Since we already know that cats do not know the difference between good or bad behavior, it is up to you to show them!
Trust us; the silent treatment doesn’t work with cats; you have to show them your reaction. For instance, if they do something wrong, take action. But, praise them and pet them if they do something good. That way, they will realize a difference in your responses depending on what they do.
6. GET YOUR CAT NEUTERED
If you have no further plans to raise your cat’s babies, prefer to have it neutered six months old. This decision will go a long way and keep your cat safe from unwanted visitors (if you know what we mean).Moreover, it will also develop a sense of patience in your cat, and it will stay within boundaries.
THE TAKEAWAY
Turning a not-so-obedient cat into a well-groomed and sophisticated feline is no joke. The only way to achieve a fruitful outcome is to be patient with your cat, as cats do not respond well to impulsive or harsh behavior. Therefore, take one step at a time, and before you know it, your cat is chilling on its bed, wondering how lucky it is to have you as its human!
