Just as you need a good recipe to make a cake or your favorite batch of cookies, you also need a good recipe to successfully teach cats commands. Learning cat commands may seem more difficult than it is. If you apply the following necessary ingredients, you will have a good recipe for success. Here are the main ingredients:
Mindset – You can do it – your cat can learn. Do not try to train your cat if you are in a bad mood or angry. Your negative state of mind hurts your cat. It will have difficulty responding.
Patience: Your cat will need time to learn. Your impatience will hinder her ability to respond. If you have more than one cat, remember that each one is unique. One cat may understand commands more easily than the other. This is normal. So your patience is of the utmost importance.
Repetition: The best way to train a cat is to repeat a routine. This will help him look forward to the training sessions.
Treats: Some cats respond to positive reinforcement, but most cats generally do better when trained with treats. Use your cat’s favorite treat, but make sure it doesn’t make up more than 10 percent of his total daily diet to prevent obesity.
Verbal praise: Verbal praise should always be given after each correct behavioral response.
Clicker: The clicker is an excellent tool to use for all types of cat training. Your pet will associate the sound of the clicker with the treat.
Calm voice: When training your cat, be sure to use a calm voice. If you yell or use high-pitched sounds, your cat will be upset and have a hard time responding or even ignoring your commands.
You will need to apply the above ingredients to each of the commands discussed in this article:
- Come
- Sit
- Lie down
- Shake hands
- Wave your hand
- The command “Come
The “Come” command should be one of the easiest commands for your pet to learn if you have patience and a positive attitude. Here is the best way to teach this command.
Call your pet to his food bowl, preferably at feeding time. When you call her name, use her name preceded by the word “come,” as in “Daisy, come.
When your cat comes, say “Come, come good” in a cheerful voice and click the clicker.
Give your cat her food or a treat.
Once she has mastered this command by coming to her food bowl, try performing it in another location.
Repeat the same steps as above until your pet comes naturally when called.
The “Sit” command
The “sit” command is usually taught to dogs, and most cat owners think their cats can’t receive this command. This is wrong. You can teach your cat to sit. This command requires a little more effort and patience on your part. For your first training session, don’t forget the necessary ingredients: a clicker treats the cat likes, and add the following accessories: a quiet place and a table.
You are now ready to begin.
Place your cat on the table, on the edge closest to you. Pet your cat to help her feel comfortable and relaxed.
Show your cat the treat. Say your cat’s name followed by the command word “sit,” as in “Daisy, sit. Then move the food reward toward you and then over your cat’s head.
When your cat tilts her head back to follow the food, she will sit to keep her balance. Say “Sit, good sit,” click the clicker and give your cat a treat.
Repeat these steps until he masters this command.
Remove the table and try the floor without moving the food over his head.
When he responds, click the clicker, give him a treat and praise him.
Be gentle and patient. Don’t frustrate or scare your cat. If he resists, try again later.
The “Down” command.
The “down” command is easier to teach after your cat has learned to sit. Follow these steps:
Place the cat on the table, on the edge closest to you. Give your cat affection so that it is relaxed.
Hold a treat in one hand, slightly below and facing the table. Say her name followed by the word “down” (or any other word you choose) as in “Daisy, down.” Whatever word you choose, it is essential to use that word repeatedly for this command.
When you see your cat bend down to grab the food, say “Down, down, down. When he shows this behavior, click the clicker and give him a treat.
Repeat these steps until your cat masters this command.
Remove the table and try the floor. When he responds favorably, click the clicker and give him a treat.
Be patient and use a calm voice. If you find that your cat is not in the mood for training, try again in a few hours.
The “shake hands” command
The “shake hands” command isn’t just for your dog, as you may think. You can teach your cat to shake hands by following the steps below:
Have your cat sit in front of you.
Touch his paw and say his name followed by the command “shake hands,” as in “Daisy, shake hands.
When he responds and raises his paw, click the clicker and give him verbal praise and his treat.
Be patient and consistent and repeat the above steps. Each time she responds with the correct behavior, click the clicker and give her a treat and praise.
Repeat until she masters this command.
The command “Wave
The “wave” command may be easier than you think. A cat’s normal behavior is to try to grab a bite of food. When using this instinct, follow these steps:
Hold a treat in your hand.
Place it in front of the cat’s nose, but just out of reach of its front paws.
Move the treat back and forth with your hands in a waving motion while telling your cat to “wave” as in “Daisy, wave”.
When your cat reaches for the food, it will look like she is waving.
Once he’s simulated the waving behavior, click the clicker, praise him and give him a treat.
Repeat these steps until he masters the command.
Remember to keep in mind that you can do this. If she’s not in the mood, try again later.
Conclusion
This is the final summary of the ingredients needed for the recipe for teaching cats commands.
Make sure to keep training sessions 10-15 minutes long, to maintain the “can do” mindset: you can teach your cat to learn and your cat can learn commands.
Stop training before you are tempted to lose patience and inhibit your cat’s ability to learn.
Don’t try to teach your cat more than one command at a time. She must master the one you teach before moving on to the next. Repetition until mastery is achieved will prevent confusion.
Give her treats. Proper behavior deserves a reward.
Verbal praise in a calm voice conveys pleasure and excitement for the next training activity.
By following the above tips, you are well on your way to discovering success using The Recipe for Teaching Cats to Command. Your neighbors and friends will be impressed.
