Tips For Training Your Cat to Come When Called
You may not associate training an animal to 'come' with a cat.
However, there are a number of instances when it is helpful for an owner to do this.
For example, if you need to get your cat indoors for the evening, crate him/her for a trip to the vet or you want to ensure that you can protect your cat in an emergency, such as a house fire, training him/her to come when called is extremely beneficial.
The good news is that, although it may seem like an impossible task, it is actually relatively easy to train a cat.
However, because cats are so different from dogs, you will need to employ come cat-specific techniques.
The following tips will provide information on how to approach training your cat to come when called.
1.
When trying to teach your kitty to come when called, it is always a good idea to use his/her name, rather than a simple command.
Cats, like dogs, are very intelligent creatures that quickly recognize their own names and will respond to them.
2.
Ensure that you do not use the command 'come' exclusively to do unpleasant things to your cat.
In other words, if you only call your cat when you need to crate him/her or you need to administer medication, the cat will soon associate you calling its name with nasty experiences and will no longer come to you.
Obviously, there will be times when you do have to do something that your cat will not enjoy, but ensure that you also offer something pleasant too, such as a treat, some one-on-one playtime or a bit of a fuss.
3.
Cats tend to have quite short attention spans, so do not expect to be able to spend 15-20 minutes on training sessions with your feline friend.
Your cat will not want to repeat an action or behavior time after time, so you may need to be a little more free and easy with training sessions.
4.
When beginning to teach your cat to come when called, it is imperative that your use some sort of reward-based method.
The reward could be a tasty treat, playtime with a favorite toy or cuddles (depending on what motivates your cat the most).
However, if you choose to treat with food, it is wise to do so in moderation to avoid problems associated with obesity.
5.
Training a kitten, as with training any young animal, is usually easier than training an adult cat.
That said, it is perfectly possible to train an adult cat, but it may require a little more patience.
Some cats simply will not come to you regardless of the treats you are attempting to coax them with.
In this instance, when the cat eventually does approach you, be sure to say his/her name and offer lots of praise.
Hopefully, the cat will soon realize that coming to you when you call provides attention, praise and treats.
6.
As with any animal training, consistency is key.
However, when dealing with a cat it is especially important that you do not become lax with rewarding the cat for complying with your command.
Additionally, bear in mind that all family members most follow the same procedure.
If there is any difference, for example the right toy is not produced or a treat is not offered, the cat may decide that he/she no longer wants to play the game.
Despite commonly held beliefs, it is not impossible to train a cat.
However, you will need patience and, most importantly, have the time to spend teaching your cat.
However, there are a number of instances when it is helpful for an owner to do this.
For example, if you need to get your cat indoors for the evening, crate him/her for a trip to the vet or you want to ensure that you can protect your cat in an emergency, such as a house fire, training him/her to come when called is extremely beneficial.
The good news is that, although it may seem like an impossible task, it is actually relatively easy to train a cat.
However, because cats are so different from dogs, you will need to employ come cat-specific techniques.
The following tips will provide information on how to approach training your cat to come when called.
1.
When trying to teach your kitty to come when called, it is always a good idea to use his/her name, rather than a simple command.
Cats, like dogs, are very intelligent creatures that quickly recognize their own names and will respond to them.
2.
Ensure that you do not use the command 'come' exclusively to do unpleasant things to your cat.
In other words, if you only call your cat when you need to crate him/her or you need to administer medication, the cat will soon associate you calling its name with nasty experiences and will no longer come to you.
Obviously, there will be times when you do have to do something that your cat will not enjoy, but ensure that you also offer something pleasant too, such as a treat, some one-on-one playtime or a bit of a fuss.
3.
Cats tend to have quite short attention spans, so do not expect to be able to spend 15-20 minutes on training sessions with your feline friend.
Your cat will not want to repeat an action or behavior time after time, so you may need to be a little more free and easy with training sessions.
4.
When beginning to teach your cat to come when called, it is imperative that your use some sort of reward-based method.
The reward could be a tasty treat, playtime with a favorite toy or cuddles (depending on what motivates your cat the most).
However, if you choose to treat with food, it is wise to do so in moderation to avoid problems associated with obesity.
5.
Training a kitten, as with training any young animal, is usually easier than training an adult cat.
That said, it is perfectly possible to train an adult cat, but it may require a little more patience.
Some cats simply will not come to you regardless of the treats you are attempting to coax them with.
In this instance, when the cat eventually does approach you, be sure to say his/her name and offer lots of praise.
Hopefully, the cat will soon realize that coming to you when you call provides attention, praise and treats.
6.
As with any animal training, consistency is key.
However, when dealing with a cat it is especially important that you do not become lax with rewarding the cat for complying with your command.
Additionally, bear in mind that all family members most follow the same procedure.
If there is any difference, for example the right toy is not produced or a treat is not offered, the cat may decide that he/she no longer wants to play the game.
Despite commonly held beliefs, it is not impossible to train a cat.
However, you will need patience and, most importantly, have the time to spend teaching your cat.
