Cat Training Classes
When people say they are taking their pet to obedience training classes, others will assume that they mean their dog. More and more people are taking their cats to these classes as well. Cats are great pets. They are less time consuming than a dog, more affectionate than a bowl of goldfish, and definitely less creepy than a spider, but they can also be a huge mental challenge. Cats are experts at doing things when there are no witnesses, and that makes training them just a little trickier. The first thing that a feline owner must understand is that reprimands do not work with a cat at all.
Cat training classes are more about training the human owners than about training the cats themselves, because it takes some real patience and understanding to deal with the behavior of even the best kitty, and let's face it, those are not the cats that are getting dragged to behavior classes, are they? Behavior classes are usually filled with harried owners at the last step before dropping their psycho pet off at the local shelter. Some cats are just nuts, and that is putting it mildly, so what is the kitty owner to do?
First, you have to make the decision of what behaviors will and will not be tolerated in your home. The first thing to accomplish should be the litter box, and then other skills can be introduced and perfected afterward. Do not allow your cat to get away with a bad behavior even once or he will be bound to repeat it, and remember although your cat will do several things that are similar to dogs, they are not the same and must be handled differently.
The cat training class will show you the proper methods of disciplining your cat, as well as the best reward system to use. Some cats are pure gluttons and will turn themselves into pure idiots for the treats, while others would rather starve to death rather than comply with such frivolity as rules. You have to know your own cats mindset that can help you figure out how best to approach him. Regardless of the method, make sure that the rules are adhered to consistently by all family members or you might find manipulative monsieur le chat playing his hairless wards like a game of chess. Remember, you are the boss, this is your house! Let the cat get the upper, er, paw and all might very well be lost!
