You might be forgiven for thinking that all cats do is lie around all day and expect to be waited on. After all, as the adage goes ‘dogs have owners and cats have staff’.
And really, maybe that just goes to show that cats are smarter than dogs simply because it is us doing their bidding and not the other way around. Apparently, they have us well trained.
But did you know that kitties are, in fact, quite trainable if you put the time in?
You can actually see the proof of this on social media where our furry friends can be seen using and flushing toilets, riding skateboards, playing fetch and jumping through hoops.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. With any sort of training it’s probably best to start with the basics. This might include Sits, Downs, Coming When Called, Hand Targets and High Fives.
All you need to do is teach your cat what is required and the first step is pulling out some tasty treats – it’s probably best to do this before breakfast time so they are hungrier – and showing them what it is you want.
You could invest in a clicker and condition kitty to its sound simply by clicking and treating. Repeat, repeat, repeat until kitty understands that Click = Treat and then it’s time to start training.
For example, for an exercise like Sit, hold the treat above kitty’s nose until their furry behind touches the ground, say “Sit”, Click and Treat. Repeat this until kitty is fluent in the exercise before moving on to another one.
Consistency and repetition are the keys to all training but don’t forget it should also be fun or your cat will get bored and uncooperative.
Also, make sure you use high value healthy treats as the tastier they are the more kitty’s enthusiasm for the exercises will shine through.
If you feel cat training is for you, there are plenty of online resources on fun tricks you can teach them as well as books you can buy to learn more.
Now go and have some fun with your purring machine and show off to your friends and family too.
