 In today's video, we are going to talk about basic cat training tips. The cat is a very independent animal, and many cat owners will tell you that it is this independence that makes the cat such a comfortable companion around the house. Cats are not as demanding of attention as dogs. And, unlike dogs, most cats don't make any particular effort to win your approval, they'll often wait for you to come to them rather than run around trying to catch your eye. All this means that the cat is a very easy going creature who is polite and self-assessed. But it also means that it can be difficult to train a cat. If you and your cat don't see eye over a certain kind of behavior, you might have a hard time getting him to do things your way. However, don't give up hope, it's not completely impossible to modify your cat's behavior. Probably the very first training you'll want to give your cat will be in using the litter box, for very obvious reasons. Can a cat be trained? Surprisingly, the answer is a resounding yes, but it has to be done on feline terms. Everything in this video designed to help you see the world from your cat's perspective, which is an important key to training. You can train a cat to jump through hoops or rollover on command. However, a more valuable training goal is teaching him to stay within the boundaries of acceptable behavior in society. Litter box training. Training a cat to use a litter box usually isn't difficult. Cats are generally cleaned by nature and have a natural inclination to bury their waste. Use these steps to train your cat to start using a litter box. Place your cat and a clean litter box, the kind without a cover in a confined area, like a room in your house. Be sure your cat has plenty of food and clean water. If your cat goes outside of the box, place the waste in the litter box. Usually, within a day or two of being confined with the litter box, the cat will begin to use the box regularly. If the cat isn't using the box within a couple of days, try this. After the cat has eaten, place the cat in the litter box and then just scratch the surface of the litter a bit with your fingertip. If it's still a no-go, make sure the box is clean. If it's ever been used before, clean it with baking soda and fill it with clean litter. You can also try several types of litter, sometimes a cat will be fine with one brand and turn up its nose at another brand. Also make sure that the box is located in a quiet, secluded area. If nothing seems to work, consult your vet. Occasionally an underlying medical problem can be the cause of a cat's reluctance to use a litter box. And furniture scratching. Furniture scratching is a natural feline behavior. They scratch to condition their claws, get exercise, mark territory, and simply because it's fun. Remember, screaming or hitting doesn't work. Try these tips instead. Trim your cat's claws and re-channel energy toward a scratching post or a cardboard scratching pad. Praise your cat and give her a treat whenever you see her use the scratching post. Make your upholstered furniture less inviting by applying double-sided tape or spraying a cat repellent around the area where your cat scratches. Behavior training. If your cat is doing some things that you'd really prefer it didn't do, there's a good chance that you can train that bad behavior away. But first, try to understand why the cat is behaving that way. There's a reason, and from the cat's perspective, of course, the behavior is perfectly reasonable. If the cat is clawing your furniture, for example, it's driven by instinct to do that. It needs to claw something, it's a survival instinct. Doesn't have to be your furniture, but something. So there's not much chance of getting your cat to stop clawing. But you can train the cat to focus its clawing instinct on acceptable objects, like scratching posts. Train your cat to behave appropriately by using positive reinforcement, not punishment. Don't hit the cat when it scratches the furniture. The cat won't understand the reason for your behavior, and will just learn to fear you. Instead, reward your cat by giving it a treat when it claws the cat tree. Cat scratching post. Spend time near the post encouraging your cat to interact with it. Play with the cat near the post and incorporate it into your play. The most important step is to reward the cat every time your cat uses the post. Have yummy food treats nearby and give one to the cat whenever you see is scratching the post. Once your cat is using the scratching post you have provided, you can teach him or her that other things are off limits. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out beemixpets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife, to get 20% off. Toilet training your cat. Though the idea of toilet training your cat has experienced a certain revolution since day one of you having a pet, it is not exactly a healthy decision for your cat. While it eliminates the necessity of plastic or the giant litter box, it removes one of the number one ways a cat owner can keep tabs on the health of their animal. Cleaning out your litter box every single day is an easy and somewhat automatic way of checking to make sure your cat is healthy. By using a clumping litter you can see how often they are urinating, and with crystals, it is easier to notice bloody or off-color urine. The consistency and color of stools are also easier to check in a litter box. Litter box training your cat is one of the simplest things in the world. Though it is a learned habit, it is one most kittens pick up from their mother and they require only a gentle reminder of where their litter box is before they will use it. Gently setting them in the pan and lightly scraping their feet in the dirt tells them that the litter pan is where you want them to do their business. If a cat frequently urinates or poops outside the litter box, there may be other, underlying issues. Urinary tract infections or constipation can cause litter box aversion as the cat begins to associate the box with pain. Some cats simply don't like the litter. Discouraging aggression. If your cat sometimes plays too rough and begins biting or scratching, that's also a behavior that can be trained away, at least to a degree. When you're playing with your cat and it begins biting or scratching, startle it with a loud noise. You can clap your hands or make a hissing sound, just something to startle the cat into stopping what it's doing and then just simply walk away. Do that every time that your cat gets rough, and it will learn that the consequence of biting and scratching is that playtime comes to an end. Your cat doesn't know it can't be trained. It's a common misconception that cats can't be trained. But fortunately, that's just not true. You can and should train your cat to be a more pleasant member of the household. You'll both be better off. And believe it or not, you can even train your cat to perform some dog-like tricks if you want. You can train your cat to sit on command or to walk on a leash. Other annoying habits. Wires and plants simply beg to be chewed but can become a deadly snack. Spray a pet to turn on anything your cat may be tempted to gnaw on. Your love, patience, and consistent training will go a long way to help manage your cat's natural feline behavior. If your cat jumps up on the counter, create a water trap by filling shallow aluminum trays with water and lining them up next to the edge of the counter. When your cat springs up there, she will land in a pan of water. This training exercise does create a mess but will be well worth it. Since cats love high places, give her a place to satisfy that need with a tall cat tree. Cats don't respond to or learn from discipline. Swatting, spraying, or startling techniques may stop your cat from doing a certain behavior around you, but they won't stop the behavior overall. Your very presence will be a buzzkill, creating a suspicious cat who is wary of your togetherness. While training your cat, keep in mind that cats respond very poorly to punishment. Rather than learning what behavior not to do, a punished cat usually just learns to run away. Sometimes reward your cat for no reason at all other than to surprise him and to let him know he's a great cat. Your cat will appreciate these random acts of kindness, they will reinforce your friendly rapport with him and improve his overall confidence, feeling of security and demeanor, all of which will aid in preventing problems and in corrective training. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. 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