As with dogs, cats are capable of picking up on and responding to visual signals; it’s only a matter of whether they want to. Learn how to enlist the help of your feline partner in crime.
Isn’t it true that dog parents seem to get to have all the fun? Even if dogs may go farther, you and your cat can form close bonds at home just as well. Using hand gestures, you may educate your cat to communicate with you in sign language. Sharing a shared vocabulary with your pet is a great way to communicate. Start with some good old-fashioned positive reinforcement to get the ball rolling.
Step 1: Your Cat’s Mood Can Tell You Everything You Need to Know
When it comes to cat training, timing is everything. According to Haylee Bergeland, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, RBT, a pet health and behavior specialist for Petstup, you’ll get the best results if you train your cat when he’s excited to see you. Knowing how your cat expresses his or her emotions can help you determine whether or not your feline companion is open to play. Headbutting is a common way for cats to express their need for attention. Cats should be awake and interested at the very least if you want them to be able to interact with you in the best possible way (hello, birds at the window).
“It’s easy to tell whether your cat is ready to play when you know what they’re normally like. In addition, you’ll be able to spot odd behavior in your cat far more quickly. Often, it can lead to the early detection of a health issue “One of Mars Petcare’s senior managers for scientific advocacy and veterinary geneticist Angela Hughes states this.
What kind of attitude is your cat in when it comes to learning? So long as you’re on board, that is. It is well-known among cat experts like Hughes that cats are very perceptive to the subtleties of human speech and body language. When you’re calm and comfortable, work with your kitten, and stop if you feel frustrated.
Step 2: Aim for Positive Reinforcement
Using positive reinforcement training, cats of any age may pick up a slew of new skills. Make sure you have a supply of enticing snacks on available so that you may reward your child when they do the required action. High-value food products, or a soft treat in a squeezeable tube that’s developed for training, can be used as a reward for your dog.
When your cat is ready for some stimulation, plan on completing a few brief bursts of training throughout the day. As Bergeland explains, “Most cats have short attention spans and small tummies, so you’ll probably discover that they’re weary of training within five or 10 minutes.” Attention to body language is a vital part of caring for a cat.
Treat your cat as soon as he shows interest in a signal you’re sending. When your cat first notices you, he or she may approach toward you or gaze at your hands. In the future, when your cat does the required activity, it may be an option to use this method (for example, raising one paw up). It’s a great way to show your cat how much you appreciate his antics and to entice him to perform more of them. The training session is ended when your cat refuses to accept the rewards or wanders away, lies down, or simply ignores you.
Step 3: Use a Clicker
It’s a good idea to point out to your kitten what specific action he’s engaging in that’s earning him all those goodies during training sessions. Using clicker training is one of the simplest methods to accomplish this. Teach your cat that a treat comes with a click. Your cat will learn to associate the clicker with a reward after he associates it with a certain hand sign.
Use a clicker and cookies as teaching aids when you’re attempting to train your cat to give a high-five
- Your cat will be more likely to play with a toy or a treat if you hold it out in front of it with your palm outstretched.
- Sing the clicker and deliver treats to your cat when his paw contacts your hand.
- As soon as your cat learns that any touch from you means a reward, you may start moving your hand up into the “high-five” posture.
- Give your cat a reward every time he or she brushes up against your palm.
- Eventually, you’ll be able to show your cat the high-five gesture without a reward and he’ll paw it.
There is a lot of work involved in teaching your cat hand signals, but it can be a lot of fun for you and your cat as well. You and your kitty can benefit from a closer relationship as a result, which is a win-win situation for both of you.