Behavior Training for Your Stubborn Cat
If you intend training a cat’s behavior, it is important to learn cat behavior before you start.
As a natural instinct, a cat always lands on its feet. For a kitten however, the cushion to land is absent at birth and develops after about 7 weeks. Cats also have flexible bones, giving them a unique bone structure. Due to the absence of a collar bone, cats can bend and twist their bodies. They can also jump long distances without getting hurt.
Thanks to this natural instinct of the cat, it is easier and fun to teach your cat to jump sticks and hoops and desist from scratching trees. A cat will easily injure itself if it jumps from extreme heights.
The unique hearing ability of cats makes them capable of hearing high pitches and tones like the opening a can of food. Similarly, their sense of smell is also unique. This is useful to cats as they mark their territory by rubbing themselves against furniture or doors and by urinating. When it comes back, by its scent, it knows where it was. The scent also informs other cats who owns the territory. Cats can also use the small sac-like organ in their upper mouth to smell. As a cat smells the scent with a slightly open mouth, the scent enters the sac and is carried in the sac to the brain. This is a common occurrence in male cats when they get the scent of female urine.
You can give your cat a more insightful training once you understand these natural instincts of your pet. Behavior training is important but be sure to let your cat retain its ability to exhibit its behavioral and natural instincts.
In training a cat, it is important to keep in mind that, in older cats especially, aggression can be either due to other cats in the house or illness. At such times, contact your vet to check the cat before proceeding with the training.
A depressed or anxious cat can also be challenging to train. While stress is not uncommon in cats, depression in your cat may be due to recent separation from a recent owner. You should consult your vet if your cat has high anxiety or depression and you could get some advice on what may be the cause. The vet can also prescribe medication for the cat.
When you correct your cat by hitting him, he eventually fears you and that is the slow poison that will kill any relationship you have with your cat. It is better to tell them a stern “NO” when you catch them in the act of doing something wrong or just ignore the problem.
If your cats behavior becomes intolerable, keep away anything that it would play with, put your food in containers with lids and keep your counters spotless.
Immediately you get your cat or kitten, it is advisable you start training them. This is to ensure they do not learn any new bad habits and kill old unwanted habits.
Healthy relationship with your cat ensures a healthy cat.