When people think of training animals, they typically think of training the animals to jump through hoops, do handstands on multi colored balls, or whatever else circus animals do. However, training animals involves much more than thrills and chills stunts. Training animals can also include potty training and a myriad of other behavioral changes that will make them more desirable in a domestic setting.

In that sense, people usually think of dogs as the training subjects. However, training cats can also be done. That’s right. Most people think of cats as completely independent. They typically run the house and they come only when they want to. But you can be successful at training cats, just like you can when training dogs, you just have to stick with it and make sure you positively reinforce the good behavior when it does occur.

Potty Training

The fact is, training cats to use the litter box is much easier than training dogs to go to the bathroom outside. All you have to do when training a cat to use the litter box is stick them in there, rub their paws in the litter and that’s about it. A cat’s instinct is to go to the bathroom in the litter box. Of course, they don’t have litter boxes in the wild, but a cat’s instinct is to cover up their urine and feces with dirt or other debris so that predators or other animals don’t know it’s there. So, you see, it’s natural for a cat to use a litter box. Just show your cat where the litter box is and you’re about done. That’s probably the easiest time you’ll ever have training an animal.

Scratch Posts

The hardest thing you’ll probably do while training your cat is teaching it not to scratch your good furniture. Cats love to stretch and dig their claws into fabric, wicker, or anything else that allows them to sharpen their claws. It’s funny, though, that they seem to always want to scratch your good furniture. This is what scratch posts are for. Scratch posts are for training your cat to use that instead of your furniture.

You have to get them used it the post, though. Put their paws on it and show them how to scratch it. Some of these posts can be expensive and some cats are particular to certain types of posts. That means, depending on your cat, you may have to try several posts before training your cat effectively. Once you find that scratch post your cat likes, however, you’ll see that they’ll enjoy using that instead of your good furniture.

There are other things you can do when training your cat but these two above examples are typically the most popular questions cat owners ask when trying to train their beloved pets.

Cats are very independent, they come only when they want to and they pretty much rule you instead of the other way around. Therefore, you probably think training a cat is an impossible task. That just isn’t so, however. Training a cat can be done, you just have to keep at it, show positive reinforcement and you have to show your cat that you mean business. It all depends on what you want to train a cat to do, but training a cat is no more difficult than training a dog or any other type of animal.

Circus Tricks

Now, if you’re looking to train a cat to jump through hoops, stand and balance on multi colored balls or whatever else circus cats do, yes, you’d have to be an expert at training a cat do train it to do those things. That would pretty much be impossible unless you know what you’re doing and have lots of experience. However, if you just want to train your cat to do domestic things so that it’s a good and loyal pet, that’s not impossible at all.

Domestic Training

To train a cat, you need to show it what you want it to do. Litter training is easy. To litter train a cat, you simply set it in the litter box and rub its paw in the litter. There, it’s litter trained. If it’s not, just do that a couple of times and your cat will get used to it. Then, when it does its business in the pan, give it a treat. This is called positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement can also be a pet and a comment that it’s a good cat. Give your cat love, show it what you want it to do and you’ll see that training a cat is easy.

Will It Come, Too?

Sure your cat will come if you show it what you want it to do and you positively reinforce it. Call its name and pat your thighs. When your cat does finally come, give it a treat or pet it and love it. Then, do it again and again. You must remain consistent and you must show it that it’s doing a good job. That’s all there is to training a cat.

So no matter what you want to train your cat to do, whether it’s to come when you call its name or something as simple as litter training, just make sure you stick with it and don’t give up. If you’re training your cat for the circus, however, good luck because you have a long and difficult road ahead of you.