If you have been told that it is impossible to educate a cat , they have told you a lie!

While it certainly can be a bit more challenging than educating a dog and requires commitment, patience and perseverance , it is not as difficult as it may seem and certainly not impossible.

Furthermore, coexistence with a well-behaved cat is certainly simpler and also facilitates its management and care .

HOW TO EDUCATE YOUR CAT: GENERAL ADVICE

We assume that a cat is not a dog: it is therefore not a pack animal, but by its nature it is very independent. This means that he does not recognize the person with whom he lives as his own pack leader, but as a “au pair roommate“. It goes without saying that the cat is not naturally inclined to obey commands, but it certainly is It is possible to teach him certain correct behaviors, following simple tricks:

1 – LEAVE THE KITTENS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE WITH THE MOTHER

The education that the kitten receives in a natural way from a mother cat is fundamental for its growth and for its health, both physical and mental, once an adult.

As a child, in fact, the cat learns what to eat and what not, to clean itself properly, to use the litter box (if the mother cat is also a domestic one), to measure the strength of its bites and the intensity with which to use the claws while playing with others. litter kittens.

This is why it is so important that the cat can enjoy the care and education of a mother cat for at least the first three months of life. If the detachment occurs earlier, it is a source of stress for the animal and, therefore, it will be even more difficult to educate it.

2 – FOOD AS A POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT TO EDUCATE THE CAT

By putting the right actions in place, cats love to learn new things, and they can amaze us in this.

The best way to educate a cat is to provide it with rewards, prizes , so as to positively reinforce the behaviors we want to encourage .

And what better reward than a healthy but tasty snack to offer as a reward to our greedy cat?

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There is no better incentive you could offer your big cat!

Important: the reward will work even more if the cat has not recently consumed his daily meal, and is not full. A little hunger will be the stimulus to appreciate even more the tasty prize proposed.

3 – EDUCATING THE CAT THROUGH THE GAME

The cat, just like children, is more inclined to learn if the teaching is done through play .

In addition, playing together with our cat, or getting him some captivating jackets, are other ways to reward him, in addition to food.

When we educate the cat through games, we are careful not to scold him when he makes a mistake, but we try to ignore the unsuccessful attempts. In fact, the cat is a very proud animal!

4 – KEEP THE CAT’S ATTENTION HIGH

The cat is a very intelligent animal, and therefore learns quickly. However, especially if he is a puppy, he is also inclined to get distracted very quickly …

For this it is recommended to:

  • Practice very short sessions, but constant and cadenced over time. For example, sessions of 2-3 minutes every day (or several times a day) are the ideal approach.
  • Choose a place suitable for training: a place that is familiar, peaceful, quiet and free from noise and other forms of disturbance or distraction.
  • Always finish each session with a reward , so that the animal remains a positive memory of the exercise, and the desire to repeat it the following times.

In any case , when we see that the cat has no desire, never force it. It would be completely useless. It is important to make him decide when it is time to stop.

5 – REACT IMMEDIATELY IF THE CAT DOES SOMETHING WRONG

Cats, like dogs, are unable to associate our reactions with their previous action. It only takes 5-10 minutes for the association to fail.

The only way to catch the cat in an effective way is to “catch him in the act”. Only then could we tell him a firm and firm “NO”, and take him away from the prank he was carrying out. Without yelling at him or scolding him: it is not necessary and it is only counterproductive.

Only in this way will the cat be able to associate the action with our reaction to categorize it as “wrong” and not repeat it again in the future.

By following these simple precautions it will be easier and more beautiful to educate our cat, and we will feel great satisfaction when he has learned the right behaviors that we have taught him.