Cats are small carnivores that belong to the Felidae family.There are 71 cat breeds in the world. However, only 15 are recognized in the Encyclopedia Britannica.Cats are not always obedient. They act out, and their behavior changes according to their mood and circumstances. Treats might be an instant solution, but in the long run, training your cat properly is the only way to control this behavior. Though cats are not as smart as dogs, they are still very intelligent. They can learn several tricks and commands in a short span of time. There are reasons behind every action of your cat. To know more about cat training and kitten training, continue reading. You can also check out our other articles on when kittens stop growing and how to tell a kittens age.Teach Your Kitten Its NameTraining cats might not be as easy as training dogs as cats are less motivated or less interested in verbal commands and appreciations.Motivation: Choosing a proper name for your new kitten is the first step. While all names are suitable, make sure that the name does not sound like regular words as it makes differentiating between the two a tough job. Long names should also be avoided, as it might give your cat the notion that you are talking rather than calling it. Training your kitten at an early age can help it get used to its name. Looking at your kitten and saying a word that is not one of the usual words might confuse it. Add delicious treats while saying your kitten’s name.Right Time: Cats are not always in a good mood. Cat owners definitely know how their behaviors change throughout the day. So it is important to pick the right time to teach them their name. They might not be responsive or willing to learn after a good meal or right before their nap time. Cats are on their best behavior before a meal. So that is the perfect time for you to teach them. They will learn the name easily when they know a delicious reward is on its way.Be Gentle: Yelling the name of your kitten out loud will startle it. While petting them, use a tender voice to call out its name.Repetitions: Cats are smart, but they are not smart enough to pick up a word or name after hearing it once or twice. They need repetitions to register the word and associate an action with it.Positive Reinforcement: Calling your kitten’s name during mealtime or while petting helps your kitten register its name. Associating the name with positive activities is very important. Negative reinforcement, like yelling its name when it has done something wrong or while giving medicine, will have a negative impact.Only call your kitty’s name at important times. Saying the name when it is less significant will make the kitten less responsive.Chewing And BitingChewing and biting are instinctive behaviors that are quite common with cats. Cats use their paws and mouth to feel and sense things.There are multiple reasons for this behavior. Boredom and teething are the most common reasons. Kittens chew on almost anything when they are teething. Having a few toys can keep your kittens occupied and can keep them away from things you don’t want them to chew. A common mistake that most cat owners do is letting their kitten chew their hands. Most of the behaviors of a kitten come out of habit. This will give your kitten the idea that it is OK to bite or scratch. Teaching them to avoid chewing on things that can have a harmful effect on their health at a young age is very important. Sometimes, anxiety can also be a reason for exercise chewing and biting. This happens when you change their diet or place of stay often. Cats have the habit of nibbling on flowers and plant matter, and not all of them are safe for them. As they need constant human interaction, some cats can do this constantly despite being warned or experiencing uncomfortableness.Scratching And ClawingYour cat is prone to scratching during the kitten phase. Kittens have the tendency to scratch more than their nails are growing and they want to get rid of the outer layer to enhance growth. A cat will mark its territory by scratching. Buying scratching mats will help keep them off your couches and other furniture. Since your cat cannot communicate like you, it uses such actions to express emotions. Your cat might also scratch you when it is happy, anxious, and stressed. Cats are cute animals but they lose their cool often. However, watch out for destructive behaviors that harm themselves or others often.How to stop your cat from scratching you? Here are some tips.Limiting Activities: There are a few things that might irritate your cat and cause it to lash out. It differs from one cat to the next. Some cats may dislike being touched or patted excessively.Trimming: Trim your cat’s nails regularly. Short nails can keep unruly behaviors at bay.Firm Commands: Use firm commands to reprimand your pet cat. Use this term consistently and firmly when you see your cat scratching furniture. Yelling won’t help instead, it will upset or trigger the cat. You can try to divert your cat by giving it toys.Litter Box TrainingYour new kitten will need a lot of litter box training. Kittens learn a lot of habits, including potty training from the mother cat itself. In case your kitten is new, teaching a few things before it develops undesirable routines will save you.Placing The Box: It is critical to consider where you place the litter box. Since cats like privacy when they poop, place the litter box in a quiet corner. To avoid confusing your kitten, don’t shift the boxes once it has gotten used to it.After Meals: Your cat will most likely poop after a nap or a heavy meal. If your cat is crouching or sniffing in a certain area, it is indicating that it has to defecate. When you see such behavior, immediately place your cat in the litter box.Motivation: Motivation is the key. Give your cat a tasty treat as a reward every time he or she defecates in the litter box. This will urge them to make it a habit.Avoid Punishments: Once a cat negatively associates an action, it is difficult to change it. So avoid punishing or yelling at your cat when it does not defecate in the litter box.Stopping Attention Seeking DisobedienceThe attention-seeking behavior of pets can have a variety of causes. Finding the root cause will help solve the problem quickly. Look out for these attention-seeking behaviors.Pawing: If your kitty is constantly pawing you, it means they need attention. If you are a busy pet owner and cannot spend much time with your cat, you can buy another cat. This way, they will not feel lonely. Short play and training sessions will also help.Meowing: Cats produce sounds to communicate. This is normal behavior. However, if the meowing gets out of control, take them to a veterinarian. Most of the time, it is nothing serious. Sometimes, however, it could indicate an underlying disease.Pica: When your pets eat food that has zero nutritional value, it is called pica. The major cause is anxiety and stress. This can be reduced by allotting time for kitten training and playing sessions. Since the disease is related to decencies, making sure your cat has a healthy and balanced diet is important.Scratching: Cats use their sharp claws to scratch. This is just an unruly behavior and has no particular cause. Trimming their claws and making sure they know it is not OK to scratch will help to prevent scratching a habit.Most of these attention-seeking habits are associated with stress and anxiety. So it is best to visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. Patience is important. Be patient with your cats at the same time don’t encourage these actions.Importance Of Kitten TrainingCats are with no doubt great pets. But you need to draw a line to make sure they do not interrupt your daily activities and let you have your space. Cat training makes your cat disciplined. Kitten training can be started when your kitten is two weeks old.Most families have small children and babies. Cats are friendly, but find it hard to differentiate between kids and adults. They jump, scratch, and play with babies the same way they do with us. It is up to the owner to teach them.Without training, your cat could become fat. Fat cats can develop various diseases. You do not want your cat to suffer. Exercising is essential to keep them healthy. Cats cannot concentrate for a long time. So it is advisable to keep training sessions short to benefit more. You can rub your cat’s toys with catnip to encourage it to play more.Cats can also consume foods that have an adverse effect on their health. So teaching them proper feeding habits is essential. You should teach and train your pet a few times for it to register things. Giving treats as a reward when you train your cat is effective.Use cat training techniques like clicker training (positive reinforcement training) where you teach things to your kittens and train them in exchange for a delicious treat.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to train a kitten then why not take a look at how to tell if a kitten is a boy or girl, or Somali cat facts?
Cats are small carnivores that belong to the Felidae family.
