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Are you trying to Train a Cat? If so you may realize just how difficult this is. Cats are fiercely independent and even downright aloof at times, which means they're not as eager to please as dogs or other animals. Cats also often don't care about your punishments or scolding as they'll usually just tune you out and find a sunny place in which they can nap. Dogs are usually much more sensitive to scolding and punishment, which makes it easier to train them in what not to do. But there's another reason why it's difficult to Train a Cat, one that you might not realize as quickly.

Training A Cat Can Be Difficult

That reason is that many owners try to train a cat to do something that is completely out of his nature, like jumping through hoops or fetching a ball. Cats don't jump for amusement but jump when they want to get on top of something or around something. If there's a hoop in the cat's way, he'll probably try to go around it, not realizing you want him to jump through it. They also don't like to fetch the way dogs do, but they chase things that remind them of their prey in the wild. If you're trying to train a cat to fetch something and bring it back, don't expect much success. They may chase a ball or toy mouse but their hunting instinct tells them to stalk it and then pounce on it, and then typically to bat it back and forth for some time on their own. Trying to train a cat to do anything different is going against thousands of years of instinct and probably won't be very successful.

Cats Are Independent

Very often owners make this mistake when trying to train a cat, that is, trying to get the cat to do something that is completely against his nature. It's much like someone trying to train you to jump through hoops when you don't really want to do any jumping. Remember this when trying to train a cat; their independence makes them great pets but also makes some training difficult.

Patience Will Payoff

This doesn't mean that you can never train a cat to do anything. You can successfully teach a cat how to use a litter box, how to come when called, how to stay off of certain areas of your home, and how to avoid chewing on the houseplants. You can even teach them how to walk on a leash or in a harness. It's not always easy and does require some patience and work on your part, but it can be done as the hundreds of other cat owners who have been successful can tell you. The reason you can train a cat to do these things and not other things is that these things are part of a cat's nature, whereas doing tricks and performing stunts are not. So be reasonable when you're trying to train a cat and remember their limitations and you'll have success.

If you'd like more of my Cat Training Tips, check out my "Insider Tricks and Secrets to Training Your Cat".

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