Cat Training Tricks & Treats
One of the most prominent questions new cat parents are faced with is what are the tricks to teach cats? People assume training cats is a myth, given their sassy cattitude, irregular cat communication, and frequent power naps. However, as mysterious and secretive cats are, our feline friends can be well-trained very quickly. They are very bright creatures and can be unexpectedly cooperative while training and pick up several cat tricks. Cats training is better effective if you start during their kittenhood. Training your kitten can be a good excuse to spend quality time with it and develop a close connection from a young age.
5 tips to train your cat
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Start early
Starting your feline’s training at kittenhood gives you more time to train them. It also helps you to learn cat communication so you can mould their personality through training. Additionally, kittens tend to learn more quicker and better. Adult cats tend to have more distractions and mood swings, and hence can be harder to train. However, in both cases as a cat parent, you will need to have patience and treat your furry with care to get the desired results.
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Training Tools
Training using tools is a popular and efficient way to train cats. And with so many training tools available to choose from, you can easily pick the one that is most convenient for you and get to the tricks to teach cats effective cat communication! Some great cat training tools are clickers, target sticks, food pouches, and the regular mat that you can use to train your feline fur baby when and where to sit.
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Lessons into Small Steps
There is virtually no end to how many clever cat tricks your fur baby can pick up! While there are many tricks that you can teach your kitty, it is better to keep a cool head instead of overwhelming your bundle of fur with complicated tricks to teach your cat. Start with something easy and achievable. Plan the training lessons into small, baby steps so that your kitty is clearly aware of what to do without losing morale.
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Give them Space
Giving adequate space is key in any interaction, and the same holds true for your cat! Some cats are introverts and prefer to be left alone instead of frequent cat communication. Cats are intelligent creatures and training them does not require obsessively policing them all the time Instead you can fix a designated training time and leave them be for the rest of the time. You can use this time to be actively involved with their training sessions.
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Accentuate their Positive
Cats are not born with the knowledge of human commands. So, you must be patient and loving through the entire period of the training process and cat communication. It can pay off well to be mindful of the mistakes they make, and treat them gently. Additionally, rewarding their positive accomplishments can also be a big help! Make sure to encourage and treat your ball of fur to some delicious cat training treats for every trick they learn.
Functional Tips Teach Your Cat
Some functional tricks you can teach your cat are:
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Sit
Sitting is one of the simplest tricks to teach your cat. Since it is an action that they are used to performing, you can mark the moment and immediately reward it with cat training treats. Gradually, your cat will learn to identify the word with its action and pick it up as a part of its training. You can use the verbal instruction “sit” or a clicker for the cat to understand the command.
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Come
A cat can be extremely moody. This is why Teaching the ‘come’ command can be beneficial to ensure your fur baby answers when you call them. The ‘come’ command is easy to teach and extremely straightforward. It involves offering cat training treats every time your cat comes to you when you use the voice command ‘come’ or the clicker. Soon, your feline friend will grow eager to come running to you whenever you use the command.
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Find it
This might require you to toss the best cat treats for training to introduce the phrase ‘find it’. Make sure to use a treat that can be easily traced by its smell, for cats mostly rely on their olfactory senses to hunt. Cats with good hunting and tracking instincts will be able to pick up this voice common in no time! One of the most impressive tricks to teach your cat, it can be very useful when playing fetch.
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Pick Up
Dogs bringing their owners newspapers is an extremely endearing sight to watch. Just like dogs, cats also pick up and fetch things for their owners. However, when it comes to your furry munchkin, you might need a little perseverance before they learn to pick up things on command. They might not be able to fetch big parcels, but when it comes to smaller objects like newspapers and car keys, go for this wonderful trick to train your cat!
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In the Box or Carrier
Cats have a mysterious affinity for boxes. Most cats can stay very happily inside their boxes for hours. However, sometimes they chew the boxes, tearing them up. Training the cat to go inside a box will reduce your workload of making sure the box is not viciously torn apart and also will teach them a very vital behavioural etiquette. This command can prove beneficial for you to get your feline friend into their carriers while going to the vet!
Frequently Asked Questions
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What age is best to train cats?
The best age to start training a cat is 8-13 weeks. This is the age when they undergo rapid brain development and are most receptive to training and can learn very quickly.
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How do you start training a cat?
The best way to start training cats is through sounds and noises. However, try not to use loud noises or hisses which might frighten them. Instead, use the neutral sound of clickers. And plan training sessions in small schedules.
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What is the easiest way to train a cat?
If you start from an early age, training cats is easier than you think. The easiest way would be stocking up on a lot of delicious treats as motivators every time they make a prominent improvement during the training sessions.
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Are cats easy to train?
Trained cats who know cat tricks are less seen than dogs because most cat parents don’t take the initiative. However, cats are intelligent and can pick up voice commands easily. Start early and see your cat learn new cat tricks.