How to Make Your Cats Life, and YOUR Life, Happier - Training Your Cat
Imagine that you are scolding your cat for scratching at your new furniture, and Kitty is sitting staring at you. Suddenly you realize how silly you look and how futile your scolding is. So how do you train your cat to respect your home? All cats can be trained and should have some training from their owners. You will need to train your cat to use her litter box, sharpen her claws on the scratching post instead of your couch, and to stop negative behavior when you say "no." Cats can also learn to do "tricks," and the mental stimulation of learning is good for them. Cats learn the same way dogs and people learn; they repeat behaviors that have a pleasurable result. The best way to train your cat is to reward her when she does something right. The reward might be a small piece of a special food, or lots of praise from you in a happy, high-pitched voice. Training to change negative behaviors requires you to catch your cat "in the act." For example, if your cat uses your stereo speakers as a scratching post, wait until she is about to put claw to fabric, then firmly say "NO." The moment she freezes and turns towards you, switch to the happy voice and praise her. Move towards her to distract her away from the inappropriate object. If she makes any movement towards you praise her even more. Timing and repetition are the keys to success here. You must catch her as she moves to act inappropriately, and praise her the exact moment she stops. Things to remember if your cat scratches your furniture * Understand your cat's need to scratch. * Forget punishment - it doesn't work. * Provide a suitable place for your cat to scratch such as a scratching post * Make the scratching post attractive to Kitty * Make the place she's been scratching unattractive - physical or scent related deterrents will work * Whenever possible, start cats young. * You may want to trim your cat's claws. Training simple tricks can be incorporated into daily playtime. Always keep some cat treats in a pocket during training time. To teach your cat to "shake hands," begin by saying "shake," then touching your hand to the underside of one of her front paws. Praise her for letting you touch there, and give her a treat. Repeat this over and over again. Eventually, you can lay your hand flat on the floor just in front of her paw. Say "shake" and wait. If she even moves her paw towards you praise her and give her a treat. Little by little, she'll catch on that every time she touches your hand with her paw she can get you to give her a treat. Once she willingly touches your hand, you can start to raise your hand off of the floor a little bit at a time. Keep training fun. Stop the session before she loses interest, and always end on a positive note with a reward. You can use the same one-small-step-at-a-time technique to teach your cat to walk on a leash. This allows you to take your cat outside for fresh air and sensory stimulation without having to worry about her running off. Purchase a cat harness from a pet supply store. Before you even try putting it on your cat, simply leave it lying by her bed for a day or two. When she is used to seeing and smelling it, loosely put it on her just before her normal mealtime. Hand-feed her food to distract her from the harness and to make wearing it a pleasurable experience. Remove it when the food is gone. After a few days, you can let her wear the harness around the house. Let the leash drag behind, but watch to make sure it doesn't become tangled around furniture. When she seems comfortable with the harness and leash, pick up your end and walk with her, letting her lead the way. Eventually she will walk willingly beside you, and you can both venture outdoors. Pet Medication Supplies [http://www.pet-medication-supplies.net] can help you get the best possible supplies for your pet. Advantix, Arthramine, Cosequin, Frontline, Heartgard - find the best deals in pet medication for flea and tick control, arthritis and lyme disease. Upto 50% discount everyday on brand names.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Five Cat Food Factors That Discourage Feline UTD
One of the most common causes of Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) is what your cat eats. A feline diet that is too high in carbohydrates and magnesium, and low in protein can lead to FLUTD. When their cat is initially diagnosed with FLUTD, feline owners will usually first try to get their kitty to eat the prescription food recommended by their vet.
Loyal Companions Promote Longevity
Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks, or if he dreams? Canine companions, by far, are amazing creatures of habit. If you've ever adopted one, your life has been enriched by the spirited side of nature.
Bast, The Beloved Protector of Cats
She is the protector of cats, women and children. The ancient Egyptians celebrated her feastday on October 31 with convivial merry making, music, dancing in the streets and drinking with friends - the sort of holiday we would recognise instantly.
First Aid for Felines - How to Keep Your Car Safe from Harm
Cats are known for their curious and adventurous nature. Curiosity doesn't always kill the cat, but can often cause injury. The owner will likely have to get the cat stabilized before taking it to the veterinarian. Any home with a cat should have a feline first aid kit assembled and handy.
Healthy Diet for Your Parrot
Is your bird a seed only eater? Did you know in that wild seeds form only a small portion of the natural diet? While seeds are an important part of a pet parrot's daily diet they should not comprise all of it.
West Highand WhiteTerriers - Westies Dogs - Footcare Health Tips
Westies dogs' owners delight in the companionship their dogs give them during long and leisurely walks. But this activity should be one that brings pleasure to both.
Scottish Terrier Rescue - For the Love of Scotties
Purebred dogs of all breeds can be found in shelters, and volunteers can be found in every state to seek them out. Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, and even breeds considered rare, all pass through shelters every year. Those who perform Scottish Terrier rescue are committed to matching homeless terriers with loving new owners.
You Dont Get a Second Chance!
I'm sure you're aware of the bad reputation Pitbulls have. That reputation is mostly based on ignorance and irresponsible owners that don't take the time to learn about the breeds special needs.
How Are You Treating Your Pet?
Can you comprehend a time when dog food, cat food, or pet treats did not even exist?
Cancer and Your Pet
Just say the word cancer and any of a host of undesirable thoughts will pop in your mind- and with good reason. Cancer is one of the most common of diseases among pets and increases as the pet ages. In dogs, the frequency of getting cancer is equivalent to that of a human being getting cancer. Additionally, it accounts for close to half the deaths of pets over the
age of 10.
Take that Junk out of your Trunk
Your local grocery store is chock full of food and treats that are stuffed with bad quality ingredients. It is a real shock that the shelves do not simply collapse under the weight of all that rubbish. Here are some bad protein items you will want avoid like the bubonic plague:
Soybean meal, wheat or wheat middlings, corn gluten meal, corn meal, whole/crushed corn, and maize are all too often often used for their protein because they cost a heck of a lot less to include in a treat or food than their real-meat protein counterparts such as chicken.
Food coloring can also be a big concern with regard to pet food and treats: it is not too unusual, for example, for biscuits to be dyed in order to make them look like fresh meat or vegetables. This would not be a huge thing if we were still the fifties, back when when food dyes were still based on plant-based compounds of one sort or another. But in order for pet food manufacturers to save money and increase longevity,
they began producing food colorings largely from chemicals. All too many studies show that chemical food coloring makes hyperactive kids more so, and some dog trainers sat the same applies to hyperactive dogs as well.
This artificial food coloring is still widely today despite the reality that they are entirely unnecessary and have been linked to certain medical problems. It is believed by large number in the medical field that if an ingredient is not organic to the body (such as chemical coloring), the body reacts to it and can create a lot of health issues. Pets care about taste, not color, so food dyes are more for people than for them.
Mabeke: Gorilla Teacher
Mabeke is a young gorilla who was born in captivity and then returned to the wild with several other gorillas of similar birth. I had an opportunity to meet Mabeke during one of the workshops I teach in Telepathic Communication with Animals.
Winterizing Your Dog
It's beginning to get cooler and as such it is also time to plan for all your outside animals' safety. As with all mammals, the winter months pose a particular disadvantage -most especially to those outside pets many of us have.
Training Your Dog For A Happy Healthy Life
Adopting a dog is a lot of fun, but it can also add a lot of responsibilities to your life. When you become a dog owner, you take on the responsibility to make sure your pet has everything he needs, a safe environment to live in, proper care, and everything he needs for a happy and healthy life! It's a big step to care for a dog, but you'll be rewarded with a loving companion.
The Birds and the Bees for Adults (Parrots, That Is!)
The days are getting longer, and if you have a sexually mature parrot, there may be some major sexual stuff going on - and you might not even know it!
Questions to Ask When Choosing a Dog for Family Life
Dog's come in all shapes and sizes ? out of all the dogs you've ever met you've probably been more attracted to some breeds than others. Perhaps you had a dog when you were growing up and want the same breed for your children. But more needs to be determined than breed or size when choosing a family dog.
Indoor Dogfishing ? Fun Way To Exercise A Small Or Medium Size Dog
When I had a Toy Poodle, I used a small beanie baby toy tied to a twenty foot long cord to exercise him for at least ten minutes at a time, twice a day. I'd throw it across the room and he'd run after it to snatch it up, fueled by canine fantasies of ripping it apart.
Give a Homeless Cat or Dog a Gift of Good Cheer
The holidays are a wonderful time of year, full of excitement , expectation, and celebration.
Electric Dog Fences: Keep You Pet in the Yard and Out of Places You Dont Want Them to Be
Electric Dog Fences
The Story Of My Amazing Dog Shandy
This is the story of my dog called Shandy. He was my favourite pet and he was very lively, lots of fun and very obedient. His main passion in life was to be taken for a long walk, culminating with a big run out in his favourite park.
|
