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Q&A for How to Train a Cat
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QuestionHow do you train a cat to not do something?Brian Bourquin, better known as “Dr. B” to his clients, is a Veterinarian and the Owner of Boston Veterinary Clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, South End/Bay Village, the Seaport, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston Veterinary Clinic specializes in primary veterinary care, including wellness and preventative care, sick and emergency care, soft-tissue surgery, dentistry. The clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. Boston Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) accredited hospital and Boston’s first Fear Free Certified Clinic. Brian has over 19 years of veterinary experience and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.Reward your cat whenever it does something right to reinforce its good behavior. Avoid punishing it if it does something wrong since negative reinforcement doesn't work with cats. For example, if you want your cat to stop peeing outside of the litter box, don't punish it when it has an accident. Instead, give it a treat when it uses the litter box correctly.
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QuestionWhat should I do about a cat that cries constantly until I let her out?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.The cat has trained you to let her out, and will shout all the louder when she's ignored. However, ignoring her is the only way to stop this behavior. Act consistently, and only open the door when she's quiet. At first her cries will get louder and more insistent as she tries to get your attention, but by studiously failing to respond, eventually she will get the message.
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QuestionHow do I get my cat to come to me?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.The best way to get a cat to come to you is to sit on the floor (so you are less intimidating), place treats around you, and then ignore the cat. As the cat approaches, watch from the corner of your eye and quietly repeat "Come." Then toss extra treats to the cat, each landing closer and closer to you.
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QuestionHow can I train my cat not to eat our food, without making her scared of me?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Don't leave food on surfaces the cat can jump on. Consider booby trapping work tops with a pile of empty cans balanced on a baking tray that overlaps the edge of the counter top. When she jumps up, the cans will tumble down and give her a fright that's not linked to you. Other options include a motion activated can of compressed air, which spritzes her when she jumps up.
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QuestionHow do you get a cat to like you?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Strangely, ignoring a cat makes people attractive to cats. This is because direct stares are an aggressive challenge to felines. Always behave quietly and calmly around the cat. Keep some treats in a pocket. As the cat approaches, drop some on the floor. Let the cat to rub against you, then gently pet and stroke them.
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QuestionHow do you train your cat to use the toilet?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Toilet training cats is controversial. If you do want to toilet train a cat, take plenty of time. A toilet training kit is best. This sits on top of the toilet bowl containing a toilet sized litter tray. Once the cat learns to jump up and use this tray, then you replace this pan with a smaller one. This is repeated until the cat is balancing on the rim and toileting into the water.
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QuestionDo you have to train a cat to use the litter box?Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.Cats are amazingly clean creatures and most learn to use a tray by copying their mothers. When provided with the right tray, a familiar cat litter, and a nice quiet spot, most cats will start using the tray and not need training to do so.
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