Many owners do not think about how to train a cat to teach it any commands or tricks, believing that it is too independent an animal. However, the wards of the Kuklachev Theater prove that the intellectual abilities of cats are very strong, and even these independent pets can be taught a lot.
Today we will talk about methods of training domestic cats, talk about the simplest and most basic commands that a mustachioed pet can learn, and also share the nuances and rules of competent interaction with an animal so that training brings pleasure to both the cat and its owner.
How to train a cat to succeed?
Pet age
In order for the training of your purring friend to be successful, it is important to start training no earlier than six months. Although it is generally accepted that kittens begin to understand a person from three months, the optimal age for starting training is the interval from six months to eight months.
This is the period when the kitten is really ready to accept human commands, and is already physically developed and very active.
If you start training your pet later, results can be achieved. However, this will take more time and effort. Therefore, the first year of a cat’s life is the best period for teaching it commands and tricks.
Preparation and training principles
The kitten looks like a child. The psychology of communication comes first in the relationship between the owner and his furry baby. It is important not to shout at the kitten or use physical force.
You need to play with the kitten more, talk to it, give affection and care. Only in a trusting atmosphere is the future of training possible.
Before training begins, the animal must already have a comfortable home:
- A separate place for sleeping and rest is allocated
- Having your own toys
- Separate eating area (food bowl and water bowl)
- The pet is trained to the tray
When the kitten no longer experiences stress from separation from its mother and has become accustomed to its new place, you can think about starting training. The room should be spacious, without unnecessary distracting objects. It is advisable to conduct classes alone with the cat.
The morning or evening hours are suitable for the lesson, when the pet has slept well and several hours have passed since feeding. The duration of the workout is 10-15 minutes. The animal does not need to be overtired. It's better to do several approaches per day.
When answering the question of how to teach a cat to train, you need to remember two points:
- Fluffy, when slightly hungry, performs his owner’s tasks better
- Encouragement is a tool without which learning will not be effective.
At the start of the training process, the cat is encouraged with its favorite treats. The pieces are prepared in advance, small in size, without the need to chew. Otherwise, the animal will quickly get full and lose interest in the activity.
The treat should be given immediately after performing a command or trick. If you delay this, the cat will not understand what exactly the reward is associated with.
- You can praise the mustache not only with food, but also with affection or voice.
- Most Muroks love being petted by their owners. As for the voice, the cat eventually becomes well versed in human intonations.
- It’s not for nothing that there is even a proverb that a kind word is pleasant to a cat.
- Therefore, during regular training, it is advisable to encourage your pet with treats 3-5 times the task is completed, and the remaining times either by voice or by stroking.
Training equipment
The cat training kit must be prepared before training. First of all, it depends on what command or trick the owner is going to teach the pet.
An important lesson: All objects are familiar to the cat, otherwise, instead of studying, he will sniff them.
Typically training equipment is:
- Small hoop
- Small balls
- Sticks with a toy at the end
- Threads
- Pointer with laser
- Chairs
- Container with goodies
You can buy toys and training items or make your own. It is better to store them in one place. The cat must have them. Otherwise, she will play with inappropriate things, sometimes even causing damage to them.
Why train a cat?
Cat training means two things:
- socialization - the animal is taught the skills of living in a house or apartment (respond to its name, find food in the same place, use a tray);
- learning tricks – makes communication with a furry pet more enjoyable and educational, and provides an opportunity to entertain guests.
A trained animal is sociable and causes fewer problems in everyday life. It is more contactable and more attached to its owner than an untrained one. Knowing how to train a cat at home, and applying this knowledge in practice, you can teach your pet circus tricks, even without experience in training animals.
Simple commands
Training cats at home starts with simple exercises.
These include commands such as:
- Sit
- Lie
- Stand
- To me
- Give me your paw
Their implementation can be practiced in an animal until it becomes automatic. Moreover, these commands are natural for cats. After all, the pet can accept any of the positions itself in everyday life. The command “give me a paw” is also quite familiar to furry animals. It is with their paw that they often try to steal food or touch an object that interests them.
- For example, when teaching the command to stand, you should first say this word in those moments when the cat independently took such a position.
- Don't forget to reward the cat after the command.
- If your pet doesn't get up, you can gently help him and give him a treat again.
- Gradually, the animal will develop an unconditioned reflex, and the command will be mastered.
- Other simple tasks are worked out in the same way.
With such commands, other than treats, special items are not needed. The main thing is the good mood of the owner and the ward.
Methods of education of Yuri Kuklachev
First of all, you must understand that without love for an animal you will not achieve anything. The great artist Yuri Kuklachev also knows this. Many people said that he beat cats and treated them cruelly. But would they perform stunts if they were treated without respect? After all, a cat’s character is different from a dog: one wrong move, and trust is over. Moreover, cats can still take revenge for an insult. Yuri first looked closely at the cats and won their favor.
The main thing in training cats is to win their affection.
The trainer intuitively guessed what the cat wanted, and at the right moment encouraged the cat to act by giving a treat. That is, he was of the opinion that a cat cannot be trained, a person only adapts to the desires of the animal.
Video: cats perform unusual tricks at the Kuklachev Theater
Difficult tricks
Teams for training cats are built according to the principle from simple to complex. If your pet performs easy tasks, you can move on to more complex tricks. As a rule, pets get a taste for it and learn new commands with interest.
- As examples, consider jumping through a hoop and the command “fetch.”
- To perform the first trick, you will need a small hoop or large embroidery hoop.
- The cat must walk or jump over them. The main thing is not to let her get around the obstacle. When the fluffy gets it right, you can raise the hoop higher and higher.
The “fetch” command is more difficult to teach. In this process, much depends on the animal’s temperament. If a cat likes to play with a ball or a toy, then most likely she will bring them to her owner. If not, it is better not to torture the animal, but to move on to practicing another trick. Try to teach him to jump from chair to chair on command or to climb on top of his owner.
Don't limit yourself to one territory
Once your cat learns the command, practice it in different areas of your home. If you introduce your kitten to animals already living in the house by bringing them together only in the living room, he may think that the other animal only lives in that space. There is no problem if your other animal is a fish, but if the kitten meets a dog, he needs to understand that he can meet it in other places in the house.
As with the litter box, some commands must be taught in different areas of the house. When litter training your cat, you may need multiple trays. When you discourage your cat from scratching carpets and furniture, you will need to do this in different areas of your home as she will find such items in multiple rooms.
The most trainable breeds
All cats can be trained to one degree or another. What is important here is the right approach, knowledge of the character of your mustachioed friend, patience and regular training.
Despite this, experienced trainers identify a number of breeds that are most prone to training.
- Siamese cat
- Scottish Fold
- Abyssinian breed
- Cornish Rex
True, these breeds are quite expensive and require careful care. And even experts do not exclude the possibility that a person may come across a lazy specimen.
When purchasing an animal for your family, you still need to choose it according to several criteria at once, and not rely only on the theoretical ability to learn.
With the right approach, training a furry at home turns into an exciting form of leisure time. The owner and his pet learn to understand each other. The result of the training, as a rule, pleases both. There are many cat training videos on the Internet that confirm this.
Involve other people
If it's just you and your cat living in the house, you don't have to worry too much about involving other people in the training process. And if you still want your cat to be sociable, invite friends or family members to socialize with your new pet soon after you bring her home. However, remind them not to show superiority during this introduction. As with your short sessions, give your pet free rein.
If you are bringing a kitten into a large family, it is extremely important to involve everyone in the training process. There are many reasons why the whole family should be involved in training, but the most important is interaction and relationship building. Eventually, the cat will see familiar faces every day! Everyone in the family must clearly understand the learning objectives and the methods you will use to achieve success.
