When you try and train your cat, you can feel like you’re going crazy. Cats only listen when they want to, they only come when they feel like it and getting them to do tricks is nearly impossible. Training your cat can be done however, as can be seen if you’ve ever seen cats doing tricks at the circus. Chances are, however, that you don’t want your cat to jump through hoops or stand up on multi colored balls; you just want your cat to use its litter box, to stay off your furniture, to come when called and to stop scratching all your nice stuff. You can train your cat easily and effortlessly with one thing that all cats love: cat treats.

Which Treats to Buy

Cats are particular animals. Your cat may like a certain type of cat treat while another cat might like something different. The only way to know for sure is to try out different types of cat treats. Keep in mind, however, that when training your cat, or attempting to, don’t feed it too many cat treats. Too many treats can upset your cat’s stomach and you’ll only have little piles of cat vomit everywhere. So if you’re trying to train your cat with cat treats, it’s best to try a little at a time until your cat finally gets it.

Cat Classes

If you’re not sure how to train your cat with cat treats, it’s not that difficult. Just show your cat what it’s supposed to do and, when he or she does it, give it a cat treat. If you seem to be getting nowhere fast, however, try taking your cat to a cat training class. A cat training class will teach you how to train your cat with cat treats. You’ll get a lot of great tips and you’ll probably learn to train your cat to do things you never thought possible; like coming to you when you call its name.

Read Up On Cat Training

There are many good books when it comes to training cats with cat treats. Cats love treats so they’ll do pretty much whatever it takes to get them. However, cats are also stubborn, so these books can help you learn how to break that stubborn behavior. Just remember, whether you’re getting the tips from a book, from a class, or you’re just winging it, remember that training your cat, even with cat treats, is going to take time, it’s going to take patience and it’s going to take a lot of love. That’s the only way to successfully train your cat to do anything.

Yes, it is possible to train a cat to do certain behaviors.  However, these behaviors will be done by the cat in the cat’s own good time.  Cats do not recognize any sense of urgency on the part of anything or anyone else in the universe.  Never expect a cat to act like a person or a dog.  That’s the most basic of commonsense cat training tips that all of the others will be based on.

What’s In It For Me?

Another commonsense cat training tip is to use a reward method of training.  There are methods of training that punishes bad behavior.  You don’t want to do that.  Not only is it cruel, but it just doesn’t work.  Your job in being a cat trainer is to make the cat do what you want the cat to do – yet make the cat think it was all the cat’s own idea.  Cats need a predictable reward in order to have their behavior modified in any way. Another commonsense cat training tip is to ALWAYS reward for good behavior.

Instead of punishing bad behavior with a smack or hitting with a rolled up newspaper, just hiss like a cat.  Even clapping your hands sharply will get your cat’s attention.  When you have your cat’s attention, then you can gently encourage the cat to do some other desired behavior.  For example, if you see your cat about to squat in your shoes, pick up the cat and plop them in the litter box.  Never hit them.  If you can remember no other commonsense cat training tips than that, just follow that one.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Other commonsense cat training tips are to begin training any behavior you want inside with as few distractions as possible.  You also need to work with your cat.  Don’t initiate a training session when the cat is sleeping, eating or sick. The only thing you will accomplish is really ticking off your cat.

Perhaps you are trying to get your cat to not eat certain house plants.  You would then want to train your cat not to eat the plants.  Things will go a lot easier for you if you remove the plants from the reach of the cat’s mouth.  Don’t just leave the plants where they are and expect the cat not to touch them.

Cats are not people and do not do things out of spite.  But if you are stupid enough to leave temptation within their reach, then don’t be surprised when they act like a cat.