Pages

.


.

Training A Cat - Leave The Lid Up Please!

views the best pictures

Cats are pretty self-sufficient. It does not matter if you acquired your feline friend from a neighbor, a stranger in front of the grocery store, the local shelter, or just off the street, cats generally know how to take care of themselves. There are, however, some situations where training a cat may be useful.
If you find that you need to modify your cat's behavior, there are some guidelines to keep in mind:
  • Make sure that the training does not damage the bond between you and your cat. You want to make training a time to strengthen that bond.

  • Use incentives, not deterrents. You want to use your kitty's natural inclinations to guide them. Force will not work.

  • If you have serious behavior problems, you should visit your veterinarian to see if there is a medical reason for the problem.
One of the most beneficial training programs you can start with your cat is getting them to use the toilet. Yes, many of the benefits are for us humans: not having to buy litter, scooping litter, cleaning up spilled litter, and covering up the smell of the litter box to name a few. But your cat will have a natural inclination to using the toilet and will not be walking around your house with filthy paws.
Before you train your cat to use a toilet, you have to train yourself, family, and friends that may come to visit. Why? Well think about going through all the effort to train your feline how to use the toilet, then when they need to relieve themselves the seat is up or the lid is down! If you are lucky they will come find you and complain. But, it is likely they will just find an alternate location. So even before you start with your cat, spend some time making sure the humans in your house can handle this change in routine.
To get your cat trained you need to decide how best to approach the process. Yes, it is a process, and it takes time and patience. There is no quick way to get kitty to stop using a litter box, and patience is critical for success. You can either find a step-by-step guide and use items in your home to help make the transition, or you can buy a product that will provide the instructions and materials needed.
The two predominant products available on the market are Litter Kwitter and CitiKitty. Both of these products offer guides for training your cat, as well as plastic inserts for your toilet. These inserts are necessary to move from a litter box to the toilet, but are only needed during the training phase. Once training is complete you will no longer need them.
If you decide to not use a packaged system, you will need a solid, preferably metal, bowl that will easily fit inside your toilet bowl. A metal bowl with a wide, flanged lip works best as it will easily suspend above the water by resting on the bowl rim.
Regardless of the approach you take, make sure you get biodegradable litter so it can be easily flushed. And you will want to stock up on kitty treats, making sure to reward your cat every time you work with them. That is important to maintaining a strong relationship and getting them to want to learn this new process. The CitiKitty product comes with treats.
Training a cat to use the toilet can be a challenge. But the time and effort are well worth it. Make sure to check out the various product reviews available before making a decision on which method to use. I wish you and your kitty all the best.
Kerri is a cat lover and frequent blogger. She discovered the Litter Kwittter product and was fascinated that training a cat to use a toilet could be so easy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kerri_Manchester

No comments:

Post a Comment