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Patience is a Virtue When Training Your Cat
from:A friend of mine has a favorite saying that goes like this: "Patience is an over-rated virtue." Now, of course, she's a dynamic business woman who has developed a very successful, International Software company and in the world of business, she may have a point. However, there are times when being patient is not the best strategy and there are times when it's the only strategy that makes sense. When it comes to training a cat, the patience of an ace poker champion and the stamina of a marathon runner would best describe the characteristics needed to do this with any hope for success.
Some cat owner believe their feline friend is completely untrainable because of their cats independent nature. Not true. Sure, cats have a short attention span when it comes to anyone trying to regiment their lives, and yes, they really aren't all that interested in pleasing their owner, even though you're the hand that feeds them. However, this is where patience and stamina comes into play because if you don't train your cat proper toilet and litter box manners, you could have a mess on your hands.
So, how do you go about successfully training your cat? Well, certainly some things come more natural than others, but the main thing to remember is that a cat is not a dog when it comes to training. Therefore, different tactics must be applied. Understanding cat behaviour is the place to start.
First, cats have short attention spans, so it isn't likely you'll make much progress if you try to get your cat to participate in long training sessions. Keep it to 15 minutes or so for the best results and keep in mind that they will respond best when they're hungry, so just before mealtime is ideal.
That's because, as you've probably guessed, cats are pushovers when it comes to rewards. They respond very well to outright bribery and so make sure your bag of tricks includes kitty treats, affectionate pats and rubs, and a loving, gentle voice ... and did I mention patience and stamina?
So what exactly are you training your cat to do? Well, aside from toilet training, you may want to teach them how to be comfortable on a leash or you may just want to teach them to do a few tricks. Cats are actually quite teachable when it comes to doing tricks. Catch their attention by using words and phrases and distinct sounds and commands, but don't overuse them or they will lose their affect. Always remember that cats will not respond to loud shouting or beating or force, so be gentle and calm and tap into your cat's natural instincts ... oh, and did I mention kitty treats?
Another thing to keep in mind is to be consistent with your training methods. Cats have very good memories and will become familiar with the repetition and in time will go in the direction you're leading them.
Finally, cats really do have a sense for performing, but of course, they'll choose when they will perform. If you have friends over and want to show them the neat tricks you've taught your cat, don't be surprised if this is the exact time kitty decides she isn't into pleasing the crowd and wanders away to do more important things, such as discovering new and fascinating dark corners underneath your bed.
So, to sum up, when training your cat, be patient, be persistent, be consistent, be gentle and kind and keep your training sessions short. Bribery and rewards will always be the best tactics and before you know it, you'll have your cat jumping through flaming hoops and, if you're especially patient, cooking a four course dinner for the next family get together.
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Glenn Cutforth is a writer, eBook publisher and graphic designer.
Visit his websites at: The Complete Cat.com and How To Classics.com
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