Recipe For Teaching Cat Commands

Just as you need a good recipe for baking a cake or your favorite batch of cookies maine coon cat for sale , you also need a good recipe for successfully teaching cat commands. Teaching cat commands may seem harder than it actually is. If you apply the following necessary ingredients you will have a good recipe for success. Here are the key ingredients:

• Mindset – You can do it-your cat can learn. Do not attempt to train your cat if you are in a bad mood or mad. Your negative mindset has an adverse affect on your cat. She will have difficulty in responding.
• Patience – Your cat will require time to learn. Your impatience will impede her ability to respond. If you have more than one cat, remember each one is unique. One may grasp the commands easier than the other. This is normal. Thus your patience is of utmost importance.
• Repetition – The best way for training any cat is to be repetitious with a routine schedule. This will help her to look forward to the training sessions.
• Treats – Some cats may respond to positive reinforcement, but, most cats will generally do better if they are being trained with treats. Use your cat’s favorite treat; however be careful not to exceed more than 10% of your pet’s total daily diet to help prevent cat obesity.
• Verbal praise – Verbal praise should always be given after each correct behavioral response.
• Clicker – A clicker is an excellent tool to use for any type of cat training. Your pet will associate the clicker sound with the treat.
• Calm voice – When training your cat be sure to use a calm voice. Yelling or using high pitch sounds will upset your cat and she will have a difficult time in responding and may even ignore your commands.

You will need to apply the above ingredients to each of the following commands addressed in this article:

• Come
• Sit
• Lie Down
• Shake Hands
• Wave

The “Come” Command

The “come” command should be one of the easiest ones for your pet to learn if you have patience and a positive attitude. Here’s the best way to teach this command.

• Call your pet to her food bowl, preferably at mealtime. As you call her, use her name proceeded by the word “come” as in “Daisy, come”.
• When your cat comes, say, “Come, good come,” using an upbeat voice and click the clicker.
• Give your cat her food or a treat.
• Once she has mastered this command by coming to her bowl; try the command in another location.
• Repeat the same steps as outlined above until your pet naturally comes when she is called.

The “Sit” Command

The “sit” command is usually taught to dogs and most cat owners think their cat cannot be taught this command. This is totally not true. You can teach your cat to sit. This command will take a little more effort and patience on your part. For your first training session don’t forget the necessary ingredients: a clicker, treats that cat loves and add the following props: a quiet area and a table.

Now you are ready to start.

• Place your cat on the table at an edge nearest to you. Pet your cat to help her become comfortable and relaxed.
• Show your cat the treat reward. Say your cat’s name followed by the command word “sit” as in “Daisy, sit”. Next, move the food reward back to you and then over your cats head.
• As your cat tips its head back to follow the food, it will sit to keep its balance. Say, “Sit, good sit,” click the clicker and give your cat a treat.
• Keep repeating these steps until she masters this command.
• Remove the table and try the floor without moving food over her head.
• When she responds, click the clicker, give her a treat and praise.
• Be gentle and patient. Do not frustrate or frighten your cat. If she resists, try again later.