It’s a common myth that cats can’t be trained like dogs. People think cats don’t listen, or have any interest in pleasing their owner. Sometimes, that’s definitely true (at least with my cat). But cats can be trained. They can learn commands, tricks, even how to use the toilet! You can eliminate hostile behavior, and all that scratching of your furniture. If you have the patience you can train your cat to be better behaved and may even be able to eliminate the litter box!
General Cat Training Tips
The biggest thing to remember when training a cat is your patience. Cats can be trained, but they will want to do it on their own time. You have to look for the right opportunities, or when your cat is in the mood. You may be ignored at first, or the cat may be eager. It just depends on the individual animals. Take your time and don’t get frustrated if at first you don’t succeed. Make training sessions short, only a few minutes, to help keep the attention of the cat.
Cats, even more than dogs, react to positivity. Cats do not, however, react well to negative consequences. Punishing your cat will have the reverse effect, the cat will run away, become less trust-worthy of you, and won’t learn a thing. Cats who are punished will also be more stressed, which could lead to more bad behavior. Instead reward good actions with snacks that the cat loves most.
For “bad behavior” training try to use things cats hate to help them learn to avoid bad actions. If the cat is scratching the furniture, for example, spray with citrus scents, which cats hate. Put some catnip on the cat’s scratching post to attract it to using that for scratching. Use toys to distract the cat (as well as get it some exercise).
Training Cats to Use the Toilet
Training your cat to use the toilet is a process but well worth it. First move the cat’s litter box into the bathroom and place it right next to the toilet. It’s helpful if you have an extra bathroom or half bath that you don’t use. Gradually move the litter box closer to the top of the toilet seat by using a step stool wide enough to accommodate the litter box (pet stores may have versions of these specifically for this activity). Once the litter box is on top of the toilet you can replace it with one that fits the toilet bowl (again pet stores are a good resource). Over time use less and less litter and, when ready, remove the litter box all together.
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