Cat training is the process of modifying a domestic

cat The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...

's behavior for entertainment or companionship purposes. Training is commonly used to reduce unwanted or problematic behaviors in domestic cats, to enhance interactions between humans and pet cats, and to allow them to coexist comfortably. There are various methods for training cats which employ different balances between reward and punishment.

House training

Litter box training

Cats may be easily trained to use a

kitty litter A litter box, also known as a sandbox, cat box, litter tray, cat pan, potty, pot or litter pan, is an indoor feces and urine collection box for cats, as well as rabbits, ferrets, miniature pigs, small dogs, and other pets that instinctively ...

box or tray, as this is natural behavior. Many cats and kittens will instinctively use a litter box without needing to be taught, because of their instincts to expel bodily waste in dirt or sand. Therefore, with a new kitten, owners usually need to simply show the kitten where the litter box is located, and how to get in and out. On occasion, some training is required to help a new cat adjust to a litter box, or to help an older cat that suddenly stops using the litter box. Toilet Trained Cat 22 Aug 2005

Cats may also be trained to use a human

toilet A toilet is a piece of sanitary hardware that collects human urine and feces, and sometimes toilet paper, usually for disposal. Flush toilets use water, while dry or non-flush toilets do not. They can be designed for a sitting position popu ...

. The benefits of this method are that cat owners can eliminate the task of maintaining a clean litter box on a regular basis and avoid the smell that results when a litter box is not cleaned often enough. Some

cat behaviorist Cat behaviorists are individuals who specialize in working in close environments with not only the cats, but their owners, and dealing with managing the behavior of the cat. A cat behaviorist can be certified or certificated after years of academi ...

s advise against toilet training because it restricts the owner from monitoring changes in the cat's urine and feces (which are often related to the health of the pet). Another criticism is that toilet training can cause various stresses to the cat, partly because using the toilet goes against a cat's natural instinct to dig and cover its own feces, and because the toilet seat can be physically difficult for cats to straddle (especially those who are old or ill).

Training methods

Positive reinforcement

Training by punishment is not effective, as cats are likely to react with

fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...

and stress, thus often resulting in behaviour problems. People sometimes unintentionally reinforce undesired behavior, like loud meowing or complaining for attention. Therefore, most trainers encourage cat owners to use

positive reinforcement In behavioral psychology, reinforcement is a consequence applied that will strengthen an organism's future behavior whenever that behavior is preceded by a specific antecedent stimulus. This strengthening effect may be measured as a higher fr ...

training only, rewarding the cat for desired or "good" behavior, and offering them alternative options or distractions (instead of punishment) for undesired behavior. Training a cat involves motivation, cooperation, time, and patience from the human.

Clicker training

Clicker training Clicker training is a positive reinforcement animal training method based on a bridging stimulus ( the clicker) in operant conditioning. The system uses conditioned reinforcers, which a trainer can deliver more quickly and more precisely than pri ...

was developed by Keller Breland, Marian Breland Bailey, and Bob Bailey. The technique was initially used in the training of

marine mammals Marine mammals are aquatic mammals that rely on the ocean and other marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as seals, whales, manatees, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their re ...

, and later spread into the world of pet training (mainly dogs and cats, but it has been used with other animals as well). Clicker training uses a sound to signal to the animal that they have performed the correct, or desired, behavior. Trainers can utilize any item that makes a sound (e.g., a whistle, a beep, or a pen that clicks). Many people use a training tool called a

clicker A clicker, sometimes called a cricket, is any device that makes a clicking sound, usually when deliberately activated by its user. They usually consist of a piece of thin metal or plastic held in a casing so that the metal is slightly torqued; ...

, a little plastic box with a metal tab that, when pressed quickly, makes the click sound. When clicker training a cat, the trainer clicks at the exact moment that the cat does the desired behavior and rewards with a treat immediately after the click. The cat will begin to associate the sound with the treat, and understand that the sound means they have done the right thing. Clicker training is popular in the cat training field because the clicker (or other sound) allows a trainer to tell the cat immediately when she has performed correctly, and makes it easier for the cat to identify exactly which action/behavior she is being rewarded for.

Problem behaviors

A veterinarian can rule out possible medical causes for behavioral issues in cats. If medical causes are ruled out,

s can help address problematic behaviors by retraining the cat and humans so that the cat's needs are met.

Scratching

Many cats scratch furniture like chairs and couches (even when scratching posts are provided for them in the home) because a cat's instinct is to scratch various objects, like trees, as a marker for other cats to see and smell. Trainers suggest guiding cats toward designated scratching objects that they will enjoy, changing the style or location of scratching posts around the house, and making scratching the furniture inconvenient. Some use positive reinforcement training, often accompanied by a clicker, to engage the cat in using the scratching post.

Spraying

Urine spraying Urination, also known as micturition, is the release of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. It is the urinary system's form of excretion. It is also known medically as micturition, voiding, uresis, ...

is a problem usually found with intact male cats, but can also occur with females and

neutered Neutering, from the Latin ''neuter'' ('of neither sex'), is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. C ...

cats. Solutions for this issue include: keeping the litter box extremely clean, removing causes of stress from the cat's environment, providing separate food and litter boxes in a multiple cat household, and preventing outdoor cats from accessing the yard and area around the house. In cases where spraying persists, owners are recommended to seek veterinary help as this could be due to anxiety or physical health issues.

Meowing

Cats

meow A meow or miaow is a cat vocalization. ''Meows'' may have diverse tones and are sometimes chattered, murmured or whispered. Adult cats rarely meow to each other, so an adult cat meowing to human beings is probably a post-domestication exten ...

for various reasons, and some are naturally more vocal than others. This becomes a problem behavior when there is excessive meowing or yowling, especially at night. Positive reinforcement training, sometimes accompanied by a clicker, is commonly used in this case. This involves ignoring the cat when it is making noise, and rewarding with treats and affection when it is being quiet.

Tricks

A cat may be trained to do tricks such as playing dead or ringing the doorbell. Because of the cat's flexibility and bone structure, they are able to twist and bend their bodies, and jump a fair distance from standing still. This talent can be turned into tricks involving jumping through hoops and off scratching posts. Cats are able to learn many types of commands, such as to come when called, sit, roll over, shake a paw, and jump.