Cats are extremely popular pets for a very good reason, because they are smart, loving, and satisfied living indoors. This makes them a great pet for city dwellers. But, how difficult is it to train them? Cat training is very complex and interesting, because in theory training should be quick and easy due to their high intelligence level.

But just ask any cat owner, and they will tell you that cats are also strongly independent, and not nearly as eager to please as dogs are. This can make training them more difficult, as they may not be as receptive to some of the methods commonly used in training dogs.

The successfulness of cat training will depend on several variables. First is when you start your training with your new cat. Younger cats are more receptive to new behaviors, so you should consider beginning kitten training as soon as you get your new pet. The second thing to consider is what does “cat training” mean to you. If you want to train your cat to come when summoned and to be housebroken and use a litterbox, then these tasks are easily taught.

When it comes to simple tasks such as these you should use praise to get your cat to obey. Call to your cat, then when it comes to you give some good praise and affection, using a proper praising tone of voice. Pretty soon your cat will come when you call to them, as they will associate it with love and praise. Whatever you do, though, remain consistent, your cat will become confused if you change your behavior in the middle of training.

Be prepared for your cat’s litterbox training to take some time, though this may not be what you were hoping for, since no one likes the smell of cat urine lingering around their house. In the case of litterbox training, though, patience is a virtue. There are several methods for training that you can use, and you should study the different methods to determine the right one for you, but whatever you choose you must be consistent. Once you have selected a particular method for training, you must stay to it, this helps your cat know what to expect.

A different form of cat training is the elimination of bad habits that your cat picks up in daily life. Occasionally a cat will start a habit of not using the litter box as it has been trained to. This will result in urination under beds, in corners and other spots. Often this is just a bad habit to be broken but sometimes it can be medical related. Before you begin any changes, be sure to take your cat to the vet. If nothing is medically wrong, then a good strategy to break this habit is to put cayenne pepper in the areas where the cat frequents. Cats do not like the pepper therefore it will dishearten the cats want to urinate where the pepper is.

Cat training is certainly possible, it just requires you as an owner to be sensible and consistent. It can help you build a better bond with your beloved pet, by eliminating any unwanted behaviors, and it can be very satisfying to succeed in teaching your cat something new.