VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

TRAINING A CAT 

• The amount of training and exercise a cat needs varies considerably depending on the bred and where its home is.
• A cat living in a city apartment may get little exercise, whereas cat in rural areas may be allowed to run free.
• Apartment cats may need to be furnished with toys, cardboard tubes, or other play equipment to provide them with a means to exercise.
• Owners of variable purebred or show cats may not want their animals to run free where they risk injury, loss, or unwanted litters.
• Outdoor cats get plenty of exercise; however, they run a greater risk of injury from fights, of death or injury on the roadways and of contracting diseases and parasites.
• Cats living indoors should have a clean litter box and plenty of water.
• Owners should be aware of plants that may be poisonous to their pets and of other dangers if the cat is left alone for long periods.
• To protect the furniture, cats should be trained to use a scratching post.

Cats scratch

• Cat use this to sharpen their claws, to remove loose scales and fragments of dry skin, and to leave a mark for other cats.
• Kittens should be trained to use a scratching post as soon as they are weaned.
• The kitten should be held near the post and its claws placed on the post.
• The kitten will soon learn what to do and will usually continue to use the same post.
• A cloth-covered post may offer the cat an alternative to clawing soft furniture and draperies.

Correct toilet

• Training is easier with cats than with dogs because cats naturally cover their urine and faeces.
• If a mother cat does a good job of raising her litter, she will probably train them to use a litter box.
• If a kitten does not know what the litter box is for, one can train it easily.
• Holding its front paws, the owner should show it how to scratch in the litter material.
• Every time the kitten appears to be looking for a place to urinate or defecate, it should be placed in the litter box.

Urine spraying

• It is a natural part of a cat’s behavior.
• The male cat will spraying  walls and furniture to mark its territory.
• If one can catch the cat in the act, spray it with a water pistol.
• Another alternative to try is to hang aluminum foil around the spraying area.
• One can try feeding the cat in the target areas, because cats will usually not spray near feeding areas.
• Some cats can be trained to sit, beg, jump through hoops, and do other tricks.
• Training should be similar to the methods used with a dog, with short training periods, firm verbal commands and instant rewards.
• Whether a cat learns any tricks depends on its intelligence and whether it wants to oblige.
• In any case, training should not be forced on a cat that does not appear interested.