Most cat owners know that cats tend to have a very different behavior than dogs, so it is sometimes thought that a cat cannot learn the rules of the house. But the reality is that while the way of teaching may be different for dogs and cats, it is possible for your cat to learn how to behave in the home. To this end, we have prepared a series of recommendations that can serve as a guide for the task of teaching your cat the rules of the house.
The idea is that through some simple guidelines you can train your cat to behave in a way that avoids inappropriate behaviors at home. Read on and find out how to achieve it.
Teaching the cat the rules of the house
Cats have an independent nature and tend to follow their own rules. However, they are also animals that can learn to behave and follow the rules of the house, always under proper training.
Cats are part of the feline family and it is the mother who initiates them into the education system from birth to six months of age. This is done on the basis of imitation. However, many kittens are separated from their parents at two months of age.
It is at this point that training should begin. This can be done through sessions of a maximum duration of fifteen minutes. It is important to always have a reward such as a snack and avoid distractions such as the TV on. The latter will help improve their concentration, while with the reward they will be able to associate their actions with the desired behavior.
The training sessions should be before the meal, because this way the reward can increase your kitten’s attention level.
Natural behaviors
You have to remember that cats have natural behaviors that you will not be able to avoid. For example, sharpening fingernails, climbing furniture and hunting. To sharpen their nails, you can provide them with scratching posts that allow this behavior and prevent them from damaging your furniture.
In addition, to avoid climbing furniture, there are some special supports where your cat can climb and stay on top. It is natural for a cat to look for high places, since from there it will be able to observe everything around it. But at home we surely do not want him to climb on the furniture and that is why it is important to give him elements so that he can cover that instinctive part of his character.
An example of training your cat is that when you see him trying to sharpen his nails on one of your furniture, you take him firmly and lead him to his scratching post. Once he understands that he can sharpen his nails there, you can reinforce the behavior with a treat.
It is important that you avoid punishing, yelling or confronting your cat, because this type of behavior usually has bad results with felines. In fact, they may even make negative behaviors worse.
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