We know that most dogs can learn commands—but can you train a cat? Believe it or not, cats have been taught how to sit, high-five, come when called, and walk on a leash.
But it’s not all about tricks. Understanding your cat’s behavior as well as common issues will help you build a better bond with your feline family member. Keep reading to learn more about how to train a cat and get tried-and-true techniques for cat training.
Understanding cat behavior
Cats may be some of our most trusted companions, but their actions can be mystifying. If you’re looking for weird cat behavior explained, we’ve got you covered.
Why does my cat like to scratch furniture?
Scratching is a natural behavior for felines. Cats scratch furniture for many reasons, from sharpening their claws to stretching certain back muscles that they can’t otherwise reach. They also scratch to release pent-up emotions and pheromones through scent glands in their paw pads.
The aim is not to stop your cat from scratching, but to redirect their scratching toward somewhere more appropriate than your couch. We’ll cover this topic in more detail below.
Why is my cat pooping on the floor?
Your cat is not pooping out of spite. There is always a reason for your cat to poop outside the litter box, especially if your cat suddenly stopped using the litter box.
The first step is get your cat to your veterinarian to rule out any medical issues or major illnesses. Pooping outside the litter box can be a sign of:
- Constipation
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Colitis
- Arthritis
- And more.
Once their health has been cleared, try to understand what is going on with your cat. Is your cat stressed or anxious by a change in routine? Is the litter box cleaned often enough? Other factors to consider include the type of litter you’re using and the location of the litter box.
After you address the underlying cause of your cat’s behavior, they should resume pooping in the litter box.
My cat caught a mouse. Now what?
Cats have a desire to catch things and hunt. If your cat caught a mouse and presented the carcass as a “gift” to you, you’re probably wondering why. The gesture of leaving a dead mouse on your doorstep, at your feet, or even possibly in your bed, is actually an act of kindness. They consider you part of their family and would rather offer you their killing than consume it on their own.
To prevent these gruesome gifts, keep your cat indoors. You can still stimulate your cat’s hunting instincts by playing in a way that satisfies their cat-and-mouse chase desires. Cats adore playing with toys that tease them, such as a streamer on the end of a pole, a mouse toy being held in front of their face, or a laser pointer.
Addressing common cat behavioral issues
Training is sometimes necessary to combat behavioral issues. Learn how to tackle specific yet common challenges, and how training can help reduce stress and boredom in cats.
Aggression towards other pets
Aggressive behavior in cats can stem from environmental concerns, but it can also be an indication of health issues. Signs of aggression in cats include the following:
- Hissing
- Growling
- Swatting
- Biting
- Exposed claws
- Open mouth
- Stiff stance
If this behavior is sudden and out of character, take your cat to the vet to rule out underlying health concerns. When a cat is in pain, they often will begin lashing out at humans, other animals, or objects near them.
If aggression is directed at another pet in the household, you may need to separate and slowly reintroduce them.
Learn more about how to calm an aggressive cat.
Introducing cats and dogs
Introducing cats and dogs doesn’t have to be difficult and scary. Above all, do not throw both animals together in a face-to-face meeting right off the bat. Follow these tips to safely introduce dogs and cats:
- Create a “safe spot” for your cat that your dog doesn’t have access to.
- Slowly familiarize the animals with each other by swapping scents, feeding on either side of a closed door, or using a baby gate.
- Ensure your dog is securely leashed when you finally make an introduction.
- Separate your pets when you’re not home until you’re absolutely comfortable with unsupervised interactions.
As any pet parent of dogs and cats knows, it may be difficult to keep your dog out of your cat’s food and litter box. Try these strategies:
- Don’t “free feed.” Instead, give your cat small meals throughout the day so your dog can’t gobble up the extra kibble.
- Place your cat’s food bowls up high if your cat is agile enough.
- Try a smart cat feeder that’s controlled by your cat’s collar or microchip.
- Dog-proof the litter box by placing it inside a cabinet or other piece of furniture your dog can’t access.
- Switch to a self-cleaning litter box that cleans your cat’s waste within minutes, making the waste unavailable to the dog.
Introducing cats
When introducing cats to each other, the slower the better. If you introduce cats too quickly, you can create lifelong fighting. Here are some tips to successfully introduce cats:
- Set up two home bases: Ideally these are separate rooms with closed doors for each cat, where the other cat can’t go. Each of these should include resting, feeding, water, and litter stations.
- Swap scents: Once you’ve set up your cats in their own space, consider introducing a towel with the other cat’s scent on it. After a day, once they’ve gotten used to it, consider rotating rooms/base stations for 1-2 hours a day.
- Try Feliway Multicat: This is a diffuser you can use throughout the house that mimics natural pheromones and has been shown to minimize stress during new cat introductions.
- Let the cats meet: Once your cats seem comfortable, allow them to meet through a cracked door or sniff under the bottom of the door. Reward good behavior immediately with treats! As the days progress and everything is going well, you can gradually open the door a few more inches. Keep in mind that this can take several weeks.
Litter box issues
It’s not uncommon for cats to experience litter box issues, whether it’s spraying or peeing outside the litter box. First, you should set up an appointment with the vet to make sure this behavior isn’t caused by a medical issue.
Common medical problems that can result in cats peeing outside the litter box include:
- Urinary disorders
- UTIs
- Arthritis
- Bladder infections, and more.
Stress, anxiety, and even a dirty litter box can contribute to your cat missing the mark. If you’ve ruled out medical issues, it’s important to clean the litter box frequently.
Clean any soiled areas in the home with an enzymatic cleaner, and reduce stress wherever possible. Make sure you have an adequate number of litter boxes in the house (or one self-cleaning litter box for up to four cats), preferably in multiple locations in case one cat is being territorial with the boxes.
Litter box training aids
Most cats, including kittens, instinctively know how to use a litter box. That’s because a cat’s biological drive urges them to bury their waste. However, a little litter box training early on in your kitten’s life will go a long way towards preventing accidents around the house.
Here are a few products you may wish to have at your disposal during litter box training:
- Non-clumping cat litter (for kittens): Some kittens will eat small amounts of cat litter. If you cannot supervise your kitten, use non-clumping litter until they have outgrown this habit; clumping litter can cause intestinal blockages if eaten.
- Cat-attract litter: Use a “cat attract” product, such as a litter additive designed to entice cats to use the litter box.
- Self-cleaning litter box: An important part of litter box training is keeping the litter box clean. Scoop daily or consider a self-cleaning litter box like Litter-Robot 4. Learn more about acclimating your cat to Litter-Robot.
If your cat is incontinent or partially immobile, cat diapers are a must. You can use disposable, cloth, or wrap diapers for pets. (Wraps won’t work if your cat has a bowel problem.)
Why cat toilet training isn’t a good idea
Training your cat to use a human toilet is not recommended by vets or animal behaviorists. While cat toilet training sounds convenient, it forces your cat to suppress their most basic instincts of digging and burying waste. This will lead to unnecessary stress, likely impacting your cat’s behavior in other ways.
Scratching furniture
Now that you know it’s perfectly normal for cats to scratch furniture, you can find ways to redirect their scratching to more appropriate locations. Here are some quick tips:
- Provide cat furniture made for scratching, like sturdy scratching posts, cat trees, perches, and shelves. Sisal fabric is the most recommended surface material for scratching, but cardboard, wood, and carpet will also do.
- Use deterrents. Add double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or specially designed scratch guard products to spots where you want to deter scratching, or spray furniture with smells that cats hate, such as citrus.
- Trim your cat’s claws regularly, at least once a month.
- Reduce stress-related scratching by easing your cat into any new changes in routine.
- Provide environmental enrichment for when you’re away from home, such as cat shelves, window perches, and puzzle feeders.
- Take time to bond with your cat every day.
- Use natural calming pheromones. The veterinarian-recommended product Feliway mimics natural feline pheromones to help stop cats from scratching furniture and urinating inappropriately.
Houseplants and gardens
Indoor cats are likely to be intrigued by your houseplants, while outdoor cats can wreak havoc on your garden. What’s a pet parent to do?
First, be sure to choose cat-safe plants and avoid toxic plants, such as lilies. Regardless, you may need to hang your houseplants out of reach or place them in a room that your cat has no access to.
To keep cats out of the garden, try these tips:
- Install motion-activated sprinklers.
- Use smelly deterrents, such as a coleus canina plant (which gives off a distinctive skunk smell), lavender, or citrus peels.
- Make the surface of the garden uncomfortable for your cat to dig around in by covering the soil with chicken wire, twigs, pine cones, prickly yard trimmings, or even egg shells.
- Install cat-proof fencing.
- Keep your cat indoors at all times!
Cat training: Tried-and-true tricks
With all training, positive reinforcement is the best way to introduce routines and behaviors.
Treats associated with clicker training are among the most effective methods that pet parents can draw upon.
This is a form of classical conditioning. When your cat does something positive (i.e., sits down when you tell them to sit), you as the trainer should use the clicker and follow up by giving them a treat as a reward. The eventual goal is for your cat to recognize that when they perform the action as instructed, it will positively benefit them.
General tips for successfully training your cat include:
- Offer praise, not scolding.
- Be patient—don’t force your cat to do anything.
- Teach tricks one at a time.
- Train for incremental short windows, not lengthy sessions.
- Reward your cat with special food or new treats.
- See training as a time to bond with your cat.
How to train a cat to sit
- Start when your cat is hungry and utilize a portion of their meal or treats.
- Simply wait until they sit, press the clicker, and reward them with a treat right after the click.
- After a few bites, remove the food far enough away so that they don’t try to snatch up more food.
- Reward them intermittently while they remain sitting.
- In order to avoid rewarding undesirable behavior, remove the food quickly if they raise a paw or meow.
- Practice for short windows of time starting out, eventually increasing to 50-100 practice sits per day.
How to train a cat to come when called
- Have your cat sit and award them a treat.
- Calmly walk several paces away while keeping an eye on your cat.
- Right when you see your cat stand up to begin walking toward you, say their name or use the clicker.
- Slowly but surely, your cat will begin to associate going to you with a reward and, eventually, with their name or the sound of the clicker.
Learn more about training your cat to do tricks.
Products that aid in cat training
Arm yourself with these helpful items for cat training.
- Training clicker to provide positive reinforcement as you teach your cat tricks.
- Treats to provide positive reinforcement during training and acclimating to the litter box.
- Catnip and catnip toys to reward your cat and encourage exercise.
- Laser pointer to encourage exercise and stimulate their prey drive.
- Feliway to promote calming feelings and minimize stress.
- Cat scratch deterrents like double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or scratch guards.
- Cat furniture for a space of their own.
Can you train a cat to be a service animal?
No, cats cannot legally be trained as service animals. Service animals (typically dogs) go through extensive training to aid persons with disabilities, such as guiding the blind, alerting the deaf and hard of hearing, pulling a wheelchair, providing stability when walking, or carrying a number of heavier objects to and from their owner.
That said, cats can be registered as therapy animals, also called emotional support animals. No specific training is required here, but it’s best if the cat has a high tolerance for strangers and hugs, meets regular grooming and hygiene requirements, and enjoys getting in a car.
How to discipline a cat
Do not punish your cat for unwanted behavior. Punishment, like squirt bottles, yelling, scruffing, and physically hitting your cat, is ineffective (and even cruel) when trying to teach cats not to behave a certain way. Cats are unable to make the connection between the punishment and the behavior.
Instead, focus on praising your cat for their good behavior. Give them treats and pets when you see them acting in the desired way.
There are so many benefits to cat training. Training helps keep your cat mentally engaged and stimulated, an important part of life that is often lacking for indoor cats. Plus, physical activity is a great health benefit for kitties. Above all, enjoy the bonding and stay positive, which will lead to a better experience for both you and your cat!
