Basic Cat Training

Cats have the aptitude to learn and is important that the owner knows which are the topics which the education must be reinforced. There are two big topics where it is necessary to orientate or teach a cat:

• Critical points of living together: Use of the sanitary tray, use of scrapers, cleanliness in general (brushing, bathing, nail cutting), nutrition
• Safety factors: dangers in the house, avoid drifting, going out with the owner.

What we have to accomplish
With the education we provide them, what we are looking for is to regulate their actions. For example:

• There are some behaviors that cats will learn and do on their own (like using the sanitary tray).
• There are other behaviors that consist of prohibiting certain actions (like wandering).
• And other behaviors that we must inculcate so it can be a mutual participation (like bathing).

Giving orders
Before continuing their education, we must known how to give the orders correctly. For that:

• First, you must have patience and repeat what you want them to do several times.
• Short and sonorous vocals, same as dogs, are used to give orders: come, down, no. You have to repeat it in every occasion necessary, a lot of times until they obey.
• If they do something you don't like, you must tell them really loud and clear NO. Remember they don't understand long phrases.
• Your tone of voice must be energetic and different to the one you normally use. They have to understand that it is an order and you are the boss.
• When you give them an order, look at it directly to their eyes. They must know you are talking to them.
• When they do something good, congratulated it with caresses or with some candy. Preferably try just to use caresses, if not you are determining only to behave good just for food and if you don't give them any, they can go back to their previous behavior.
• Last, remember orders have to be repeated several times so they can understand it.