Do you wonder how you can best train your cat? Then you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, you will learn how to teach cats tricks and how appropriate training for the house cat looks like.
A Good Preparation Promises The Best Training Success
First of all, it is important that you prepare the training for your cat well, because especially at the beginning it is important that you develop a routine together with your velvet paw. Therefore, it is best that you always train in the same place and in a quiet environment without distractions. Do not use music if you want to successfully teach cats tricks. Of course, you should also have tasty rewards ready. It is important that you deduct the fed reward from the daily food ratio so that the cat does not run the risk of becoming fat. Training provides a good opportunity to have to work out the food.
When Should I Start Training Cat?
In principle, it is possible to train cats at any age. However, here you should take into account that young cats can not concentrate so well. It is therefore advisable to wait with the training until the kitten has completed its first year of life.
Patience Is The Key: Take Your Time!
Training cats means success or failure on both sides. Your cat will only be as good as you are as a trainer. You should therefore bring patience for the training cat. After all, nothing can be forced. Keep in mind that there are good days as well as bad days. As with us humans, all the efforts of a cat are dependent on the day. So if tricks cat today do not work so well, although Felix, Luna & Co. have actually mastered them, then continue the training the next day, instead of overtaxing and thus spoiling the fun of training.
Classical Conditioning Is The Key To Success
Conditioning means that the cat learns a certain behavior through positive reinforcement. Conditioned sequences can already be observed in most house cats in everyday life. For example, when the smart pelt comes running because he heard you open the storage cabinet with the treats stored in it. This is a basic principle that you can use to teach cats tricks.
Important: You probably assume that cat training is done with commands. This is also true, but you should only give them when the cat has already mastered a certain trick.
Tricks For The Cat: Jumping
If you want to teach your cat to jump, the best way is as follows: Hold a tire in front of your cat and make sure that it is close to the ground. Now you can lure your cat with a treat through the hoop. However, make sure that you have the necessary patience if the cat is still a little skeptical at the beginning. If the cat goes safely through the hoop, you can position it a little higher to get it used to jump step by step. It is important that you position the hoop higher and higher, but you should make sure that this only happens as far as the little companion can actually jump. If the cat runs under the hoop, it is best to take another step back. If the cat successfully jumps through the hoop, you can introduce a command such as “Hop” or use your outstretched arm to make it jump over.
Note: Make sure the floor is non-slip when training!
Train Cats: Slalom
If you want to teach your cat to slalom, a close bond between the two of you is required. It also requires some coordination on both sides. The goal is for the cat to run between your straddled legs. As with jumping, it is important to do the exercise gradually.
Tricks For The Cat: Sit
You thought only dogs can sit? Then you may be surprised to learn that cats can do it too. To teach your cat this trick, simply hold a treat above her head. If she then becomes attentive, you move it over her head, slightly backward. Most cats will automatically sit down to keep their eyes on the prey. You reward this behavior immediately and best with acoustic reinforcement. You can also use any situation where your cat sits down to reward him. However, the reward only makes sense if it is given immediately after sitting down. If you have to run to the kitchen first to get a treat, don’t hand it to him until the next time he sits.
Teaching Cats Tricks: Doing A Manikin
For the man-up trick, hold a treat over your cat’s head and wait for him to sit down so he can continue to hold the prey. As soon as the cat sits down and moves its paws upwards in this position to grab the treat, you should use an acoustic signal to let the cat know that this behavior was desired. You can use a clicker for this purpose.