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Continued from page 1
1. Stop all reprimands. Concentrate on making your relationship fun, rewarding, playful
and interesting. Sometimes this change alone will solve your problem. Cats are known to
become overly active and destructive when bored. Daily play sessions and relaxing
massages help calm kitty down. Cats that feel neglected will often stop using their
litter box. If you schedule regular sessions to give kitty your undivided attention and to
play games with him, even litter box problems can disappear almost overnight.
2. The most effective method of cat training is through rewards, so the second step is setting
up the cat's environment so he can succeed. This will give you the opportunity to reward
and praise him for good behavior.
Let's take a look at litter box training as an example. A cat's physical system is very regular.
If you control the input, you are also in control of the output. Kitty should be on a regular
feeding schedule so he will have a corresponding regular output schedule. Adjust his
feeding time so you can be present when he needs to go. About 15 minutes prior to when
you know he will need to go, take him to his litter box room. Because you and kitty are
locked in the litter box room, he doesn't have the option of going on the carpet in the hall
or on your bed. His only choice is the litter box. When he uses it, praise the daylights out
of him! Give him a juicy chunk of salmon or another treat that is reserved for this
wonderful performance. Until you're sure that litter box training is successful, don't
give him free access to the rest of your home when you know his bladder and bowels are
full. Read more on litter box training.
3. The third step is setting up the cat's environment so that his misbehavior is not a
rewarding experience. Let's take a look at furniture scratching as an example. While
making kitty's scratching post fun, rewarding and exciting, the training process also requires you to
make the furniture unattractive as a clawing item. Instead of you telling the cat to avoid
the furniture, let the furniture itself tell the cat to stay away. It's up to you to find
something your cat does not like. Each cat is different. However, most cats don't like to
snag their claws when scratching, so you might try draping some netting or tulle over the
furniture. Some cats don't like the feel of aluminum foil or two-sided sticky tape. A mild
menthol or citrus scent repels some cats. Once your cat realizes that these places are not
fun to scratch or sit on, and she regularly has wonderful times at her scratching post, the
problem of inappropriate scratching will disappear. Read more on destructive behavior.
Maybe you are into training your cat to jump through a hoop; maybe you just want him to
stop climbing the drapes. Whatever the case, remember that cats learn best through the
use of rewards, praise and positive reinforcement. Set kitty up to succeed. Set yourself up
to succeed with your cat. It works. And it's a lot more fun when training succeeds for both of you.
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