Cat Training: The Earlier The Better

<h1>Cat Training: The Earlier The Better</h1>Author: <a title="Kathrynn Kelley" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/kathrynn-kelley/132477.htm">Kathrynn Kelley</a> As any experienced cat lover knows, cats are wonderful, but they aren't easy. Cats are independent and live life on their terms. They'll give their human plenty affection and love, but in their own way and only in their own time. If you want attention and obedience when you ask for it, get a dog. Scratching is part of a cat's nature, and no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to stop a cat from scratching. Some people try to prevent scratching damage by having a cat declawed, but declawing is never a solution. In many states declawing is illegal, and even where it isn't, it is inhumane and causes the cat much pain. To stop your cat from scratching, it helps to understand why they do scratch. Cats do not just scratch to sharpen their nails. They scratch so that they mark their territory. They want to let other cats that might come along know that this area is "taken". They also scratch for exercise, as you'll notice that they always stretch as they scratch. In addition, scratching helps the cats to remove older layers of their nails, so don't panic if you find pieces of nails around the house. This is quite normal. When training a cat, the sooner you start, the better. Cat training is most effective with kittens, since older cats may have already formed bad habits. If you have an older cat who has not been trained, just start as soon as you can and hope for the best. If you want your cat to stop scratching your furniture and rugs you must give them something different to scratch. Pet stores carry a large selection of scratching post and mats. Choose a type according to whether your cat prefers to scratch up high, or out flat. It is important while cat training that you show your cat the new scratching area. Sprinkle it with catnip and place your kitty in front of it. If he scratches, give him some praise or a tasty treat. Be patient, it takes time to train a cat. Training a cat goes beyond trying to get cats to use the fancy new scratching area that you've set up. At least equally important is getting the cat not to scratch where you don't want him to. One successful technique has been to cover areas you don't want scratched with aluminum foil or soda cans with pennies; the rattling of the foil or the falling cans will frighten your cat into not scratching there again. Above all, the most important rule of cat training is to always show your furry friend that you love him. Never make him fear you. And remember, you can never, ever, make a cat do something he doesn't want to do.About the Author: Cats make wonderful pets, but many potential cat owners are put off by the instinct cats have to scratch. They scratch partly to sharpen their claws and remove the older layers of nail, but mostly to mark their territories. To <a href="http://www.secretsofcats.com/" target="_blank">train a cat</a> most effectively, start early. <a href="http://www.secretsofcats.com/" target="_blank">Kitten training</a> is easier, as they have not developed bad habits. Cats must scratch; it's instinctual. Give the cat something attractive to scratch, and make scratching furniture or rugs unappealing with aversive tactics. <a href="http://www.secretsofcats.com/" target="_blank">Cat training</a> takes patience and affection, but it is worth the trouble to have both a loving feline companion and a home free of claw-marks.Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/cat-training-the-earlier-the-better-822734.html" title="Cat Training: The Earlier The Better">Cat Training: The Earlier The Better</a>

As any experienced cat lover knows, cats are wonderful, but they aren't easy. Cats are independent and live life on their terms. They'll give their human plenty affection and love, but in their own way and only in their own time. If you want attention and obedience when you ask for it, get a dog.

Scratching is part of a cat's nature, and no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to stop a cat from scratching. Some people try to prevent scratching damage by having a cat declawed, but declawing is never a solution. In many states declawing is illegal, and even where it isn't, it is inhumane and causes the cat much pain.

To stop your cat from scratching, it helps to understand why they do scratch. Cats do not just scratch to sharpen their nails. They scratch so that they mark their territory. They want to let other cats that might come along know that this area is "taken".

They also scratch for exercise, as you'll notice that they always stretch as they scratch. In addition, scratching helps the cats to remove older layers of their nails, so don't panic if you find pieces of nails around the house. This is quite normal.

When training a cat, the sooner you start, the better. Cat training is most effective with kittens, since older cats may have already formed bad habits. If you have an older cat who has not been trained, just start as soon as you can and hope for the best.

If you want your cat to stop scratching your furniture and rugs you must give them something different to scratch. Pet stores carry a large selection of scratching post and mats. Choose a type according to whether your cat prefers to scratch up high, or out flat.

It is important while cat training that you show your cat the new scratching area. Sprinkle it with catnip and place your kitty in front of it. If he scratches, give him some praise or a tasty treat. Be patient, it takes time to train a cat.

Training a cat goes beyond trying to get cats to use the fancy new scratching area that you've set up. At least equally important is getting the cat not to scratch where you don't want him to. One successful technique has been to cover areas you don't want scratched with aluminum foil or soda cans with pennies; the rattling of the foil or the falling cans will frighten your cat into not scratching there again.

Above all, the most important rule of cat training is to always show your furry friend that you love him. Never make him fear you. And remember, you can never, ever, make a cat do something he doesn't want to do.

Cats make wonderful pets, but many potential cat owners are put off by the instinct cats have to scratch. They scratch partly to sharpen their claws and remove the older layers of nail, but mostly to mark their territories. To train a cat most effectively, start early. Kitten training is easier, as they have not developed bad habits. Cats must scratch; it's instinctual. Give the cat something attractive to scratch, and make scratching furniture or rugs unappealing with aversive tactics. Cat training takes patience and affection, but it is worth the trouble to have both a loving feline companion and a home free of claw-marks.

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/cat-training-the-earlier-the-better-822734.html

Article Tags: Cat Training, Cat Behavior, Pet Training, Cat Behavior Problems, Cat Behavior Problem, Kitten Training, Train Your Cat, Train A Cat

Related Articles
Related Q&A

Latest Pets Articles
More from Kathrynn Kelley

Build a Backyard Chicken Coop - 7 Tips To Make a Real Home for Your Chickens

By: Dean James | 29/11/2009
7 tips on how to build a backyard chicken coop to create a safe and comfortable home for your flock of chickens

How To Make A Chicken Coop That Works And Won't Cost The Earth

By: Dean James | 29/11/2009
Tips on how to make a chicken coop and save money on your diy project as well as guidelines for building your coop

Dog Beds For Large Dogs - Select The Right One So That " You" Can Get Some Rest!

By: V.Witt | 28/11/2009
Everyone deserves a good night's sleep, but that's not always possible when your BIG dog is hogging all the room on your bed. You didn't mind when he was a little puppy, but now your only hope for some shuteye is to find an irresistible dog bed for your large dog!

House Training A Dog Without a Crate

By: John Hedge | 28/11/2009
House training an adult dog if you have had no previous experience potty training dogs before, can be difficult but it can be done. You do not have to crate a dog in order to have it toilet trained, though popular opinion says that crate training is an important part of the house training program for your dog.

Dog Chewing Problems - My One Year Old Dog Cannot Stop Chewing

By: John Hedge | 28/11/2009
Perhaps this is your dog. At one year old, she cannot seem to stop chewing things. She has toys, and chews them up soon after she is given them. You give her dog bones, but she eats them and sits waiting for the next one, it does not solve the problem she has. If you carry on giving her things while you do not know why she is chewing, it is just throwing money away.

My Dogs Is Digging Up The Garden - How Do I Stop Him?

By: John Hedge | 28/11/2009
Sometimes your dog can start digging and it is difficult at the time to know why he is doing what he is doing. If he is digging up your back garden, for instance, piece by piece, over a period of time, you want to stop him but do not know how to change his behaviour.

How to Stop an Adult Dog Peeing in the House

By: John Hedge | 28/11/2009
The first question you might have is, can you stop and adult dog peeing in the house? For instance, can an adult dog of four years old be house trained? Yes it can.

Your Tibetan Mastiff Training

By: Brett Cobb | 28/11/2009
For centuries Tibetans have assumed that one sort of dog, the Tibetan Mastiff, is holy. Tibetan Mastiffs have big heads and long hair.. Their big bodies give them the appearance of a lion. Dogs guard the animal herds and guard non-public property, and also predict tremors and avalanches. Tibetans also believe that the Mastiff carried Buddha to reincarnation. The Tibetan Mastiff is legendary for its commitment, big body, and assertive personality. But the Mastiff was not bor...

5 Top Reasons Your Cat Stresses Out

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 17/06/2009 | Pets
Whether it's our finances, job, or other problems that cause it, we all get stressed out at one time or another, but did you know that your cat can get stressed out as well? Every animal on the planet (including humans and cats) can get stressed out due to various internal and external factors. If you're cat is stressed and you don't know why, here is a list of some of the most common causes.

How to Easily Toilet Train Your Cat

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 17/06/2009 | Pets
Everyone's heard of cats out there using a toilet rather than a litter box. Most of us probably just think that those cats must be specially trained in the same manner you would train a circus elephant or an animal that's used on a movie set, i.e. it is way over our heads. The fact of the matter is that these cats have simply been trained by their owners using consistent training methods. Anyone can do it.

The Top 5 Ways to Cope with Your Cat's Scratching

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 17/06/2009 | Pets
Almost all cat owners know that cat scratching is just a natural part of cat behavior, but what most cat owners are not ready to deal with the issue of cats scratching up their home. So to prepare, and educate cat owners here are 5 methods to coping with your cats scratching problem:

How to Crate Your Cat

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 17/06/2009 | Pets
There are many people out there that believe there is no way to train a cat, but this is not the case. These same people believe that cats are too independent and stubborn to listen to their owners commands. This is also not true. Cats are trainable, and it's actually quite easy to do. You just have to know how they think, because they do not learn the same way as dogs do. One thing that a lot of cat owners would like to know how to do is crate train their cat.

Cat Aggression: What Can You Do?

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 17/06/2009 | Pets
No matter how long mankind has been domesticating animals, they are still at their core the wild creatures we took out of their native habitats long ago. All it takes is a perceived threat from any direction to set your cat off. The problem that many cat owners have is that they tend to anthropomorphize (apply human traits to) their cats. No matter what you think or do, your cat is a cat, not a human, and you cannot understand exactly what they are feeling if you try to apply human rationale to

How Cat Training Can Fix Your Cat's Behavior Problems

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 12/06/2009 | Pets
Many people believe that it's only dogs that need to be trained. This is just a myth. Cats behavior improves greatly and your relationship strengthens with you and your cat once you have employed a little cat training. Plus, cat training sessions give your cat something to focus their energy on. Many cats become destructive if they naturally have a lot of energy and they do not burn it off.

How To Eliminate Cat Aggression

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 13/05/2009 | Pets
Many people do not understand why one minute our cats can be loving, affection, and playful, and then the next minute our cats are biting, hissing, and pouncing us. What causes them to behave this way? Is it something we did? Can it be stopped? Well, of course it can. We simply need to understand our feline friends a little better.

Crate-Training Your Cat

By: Kathrynn Kelley | 13/05/2009 | Pets
It is said that 'dogs have owners, cats have staff'. Cats are world-renowned for their independent streak and their propensity for completely ignoring their owners until they need them to do something for them.