A clicker is a small hand held object used to train animals. You can buy them at pet supply shops and some supermarkets. Clickers work because they emit sounds that encourage cats to do what you ask them to do. Cats love being rewarded for doing something good, so this helps them learn quickly.
The Clicker Treatment
Your cat needs to understand that the clicker means something good is coming soon. To get started, give him some treats or a few bites of dry food immediately after he clicks the clicker.
Your patience will pay off; after several repetitions, your cat will understand what he/she hears. Keyword here is “repetition.” Your cat will learn to associate the clicking noise with getting treats.
Once you’ve established a positive association between your cat’s actions and its reward, it should get easier to teach him what behaviors earn rewards. For example, you could use the clicker to show your cat when he’s using a scratching post instead of your couch. Whenever your cat displays the desired behavior, just click the clicker and give him a tasty treat.
Attach a Target Stick
Your next step would be to purchase a training collar. A training collar helps teach your cat how to respond to commands. You can also buy a remote trainer that allows you to train your cat remotely. This way, you won’t have to worry about being home while your cat does its thing.
Now that your cat knows how to follow the target stick, you can continue to work on teaching her to do it while standing at various distances from the target. You can also practice placing the target stick near objects that aren’t targets, such as toys, books, furniture, blankets, etc.
If your cat starts taking interest in any object nearby, you can try rewarding her for doing so. This helps reinforce what she already learned during the initial stages of training.
Positive Training for Positive Behaviors
With the clicker and target stick, you could teach your cat some tricks once he’s ready. Over time, your cat might learn to respond to your vocal commands without any special training aids.
Here are several things you can consider when buying a tent:
– If you clicker train your cat, try keeping training sessions brief so he isn’t bored, frustrated, or distracted during each session.
– Don’t push your cat around. She’ll move when she feels ready.-
– Use your clicker only when you’re teaching your cat how to behave properly (use it too much will undo its effect).
– Don’t punish your cat – instead reward them when they behave well.
Conclusion
Cats love learning new skills just as much as we humans do, and this makes them great candidates for some fun indoor games. You can also teach your cat how to respond positively to commands, helping him feel calmer and happier while at home.
The best part? All you have to do to get started is visit your favorite pet supplies store and purchase a clicker that you can use to begin training your furry friend.