How To Properly...
Train a Cat
Cats are independent little cusses, and yet we are drawn to them for their companionship. They may present us with some problems and it's up to us to find ways to work around these problems.
Let's start with a big issue I've seen people have. It's called litter box training. Now a kitten usually learns from its mother where to eliminate and follows her suit. Cats are usually quite clean animals, but if not trained to use a litter box, they will find someplace else to go and it's one tough, hard habit to break if it's started. Introduce your cat to a litter box as soon as you get it. If need be, have several in different areas so it's not given any other choice but to use one. Cats, being normally clean, will want to cover their waste, so make sure you provide a layer of litter that is a few inches thick. The type of litter you use depends upon your personal choice and sometimes the cats. I have seen plenty of cats that don't like certain litters. If at all possible your litter box should have a hood to it because cats like privacy the same as we do and the added bonus is, it prevents a lot of excess litter from ending up on the floor. Make sure you scoop out the soiled litter every day for health reasons and to keep the litter box fresh.
One nasty habit I have seen are cats who will destroy your furniture by scratching it. Cats love to scratch. It is their way of keeping their claws sharp for their instinct to hunt. There are plenty of scratch posts available on the market. Having one around will encourage your cat to use that instead of your furniture.
Now comes a big one I have encountered. This involves getting your cat into a crate if you ever need to transport it. There is nothing worse than trying to get a cat into something it doesn't want to go in to! You'd be amazed how strong a twelve pound cat can be and the damage they can do to your hands and arms. If it ever escapes out of your hands while you're trying to get it into a crate, good luck to you trying to retrieve the cat and doing it again! Show your cat ahead of time that a crate is not such an evil device. Purchase one that is large enough to comfortably accommodate your cat so it can move around. As with a dog, food is a high motivation to get it in there. Have the cat hungry and place the smelliest canned cat food in it. It may be leery of going in but be patient. Once the cat goes in, don't attempt to close it. Just let it eat. Do this a lot and then once in a while, close the crate very briefly and reopen. You're going to find that the cat won't be suspicious of this devise and willingly go into it. Then there should be no problems with getting the cat in there when you have to.
