HowToDoThings.com Recent Behavior & Training Articles

How To Communicate with Your Cat

marcalex — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:21:19 -0800

Do you ever wish you could understand what your cat was thinking? What about getting your cat to do what you want him to do? Of course cats can’t communicate using words, but you can still communicate with your cat. Here’s how:

How to Get a Cat Out of a Tree

cwalk — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:26:13 -0800

How To Keep Your Cat From Scratching Your Stuff

cwalk — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:51:52 -0800

How To Keep Your Cat Off the Counters

cwalk — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:41:46 -0700

How To Introduce Two Cats in Your Home

CrystalsPetPages — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:40:46 -0700

How To Get a Cat to Stop Pooping in Potted Plants

meloukhia — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:36:51 -0700

How To Introduce Your Cat to a New Cat

Alicia Donatone — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:45:09 -0800

Many people decide to add an additional cat or two to their family, hoping for the cats to become best buddies. Then your current cat will have someone to play with while you are gone all day. For some animals, introducing a new friend is no big deal, but for others it induces tantrums and terrors! Here are some tips on bringing everyone together with the least amount of stress for all.

Here is what you will need:

A room with a door you can keep shut.
Separate food and water bowls for your new cat
Litter pan for your new cat
Toys (you can use toys that you already have, if you have enough to go around)
Blanket or cat bed for new cat
Water pistol or spray bottle

Now, follow these daily steps:

Day 1

How To Car Travel with Cats

Staff468 — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:39:03 -0700

Cat lovers hate to leave their feline buddies behind during car trips and holidays, but usually even a short car trips prompts cats to become almost feral – moaning, pacing, hissing and clawing. And yet these short trips to the vet or a petsitter’s house are an unavoidable part of a cat’s life. So how can we make the trip as painless as possible for them and for ourselves? Here are some tips.

How To Leash-Train Your Cat

Staff468 — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:20:00 -0700

Leash-training a cat seems like a losing battle, doesn't it? If you've ever tried to walk your cat on a leash, you might have given up rather quickly, concluding that your cat would hate you if the leash stayed on for one more minute. And yet you may notice your indoor cat peering outside longingly, or smelling the fresh air from an open window. If only there were a way to train your cat to tolerate the leash...

But there are ways! Leash-training requires the right frame of mind, the right equipment, and lastly, a good amount of time. But leash-training provides a safe and healthy way for your cat to indulge his most famous of attributes - curiosity.

How To Stop Your Cat from Eating Houseplants

Staff468 — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:11:00 -0800

If you're a cat owner, you might have noticed it upon returning from vacation - a previously robust plant now tattered and ripped. Or maybe it's been happening bite-by-bite over a gradual period of time, almost imperceptibly until one day you're watering a plant that barely has any leaves left. Who is the culprit? Your lovable feline friend!

Cats are notorious plant-eaters. How can we indulge our love of healthy indoor greenery while responsibly keeping a pet cat? It's important that we all take the necessary steps to prevent our cats from eating houseplants, not just because we don't want our plants to die, but primarily because many common houseplants are toxic to cats. Teaching your cat to avoid houseplants can be a matter of survival.

How To Begin Cat Toilet Training

Donna162 — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 15:42:00 -0700

If you have a cat, you already know how unpleasant it can be to keep the litter box clean. But did you know that cats can be trained to use the toilet? It's true, and you can do this without buying any special equipment! Cats learn very quickly, and before you know it, you can toss that messy litter box away forever. Here's how to get started.

If you are working with a kitten, first you will have to train it to use the litter box. This is a very simple process. Place the box in the bathroom next to the toilet, and then, after the kitten eats, put it in the box and scratch its paws in the litter. Cats naturally use dirt, and after a few attempts, the kitten will go right to the litter box. Once the kitten is trained, you can begin the toilet training process.

How To Train Kittens

Theresa157 — Tue, 30 May 2006 06:02:00 -0700

Spending some time to train your new kitten will be much easier than trying to undo bad habits in an older cat. But you may be wondering what the best way to train your kitten is.

How To Train Your Cat

Theresa157 — Thu, 25 May 2006 06:13:00 -0700

If you have a cat, especially with behavior problems such as scratching, not using the litter box, or meowing all night long, you may be wondering how to train her to get her to do what you want.

Positive reinforcement is better than negative. It's better to catch your cat using the litter box or using the scratching post and reward her with positive words, petting and a treat, than it is to yell at your cat when you find urine on your carpet. If your cat is meowing for attention, yelling at her gives her what she wants. Don't yell at her, but give her a toy to play with until you can play with her. Cats are smart and if she's learned you'll yell at her for misbehavior, she'll just misbehave when you're not around, or in a spot you're not likely to catch for a while.

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How To Keep Cats from Urinating on Furniture

Theresa157 — Wed, 17 May 2006 05:35:00 -0700

One of the worst problems owners encounter about cats are litter box problems. While most cats will use a blanket or carpet if they decide not use the litter box, some cats actually choose furniture to urinate on. The following are some tips to help you if your cat has decided to eliminate on your furniture rather than the litter box.

How To Stop Your Cat from Biting

Theresa157 — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 04:05:00 -0700

Cats bite for many reasons. Some cats suddenly lash out and bite you out of the blue. Others give warning signals such as a lashing tail or a growling sound before biting. But biting can be dangerous. A cat's mouth harbors many bacteria which can cause a fairly severe infection. But before getting rid of your cat, there are some things you can do to limit biting.

How To Keep Your Cat from Urinating Everywhere

Theresa157 — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 08:11:00 -0700

One of the biggest behavior issues with cats is litter box problems. Start by making sure your cat's litter box is appropriate for them to use. Otherwise, they will continue to find their own locations to urinate. After you've determined the litter box is appropriate, start discouraging your cat from urinating on the carpet, drapes, furniture or whatever else.

How To Turn Your Outdoor Cat into an Indoor Cat

Simone194 — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 19:10:00 -0700

There are several reasons you might want to turn your outside cat into an indoor cat. You might be concerned about her safety as a road gets busier by your house. You might notice the decreased number of songs birds in your area and how many birds your cat seems to kills as she practices her hunting skills. Whatever the reason, it can be difficult. Cats really enjoy being outside. While they can have an equally happy life indoors, it will take some adjustment on her part and work on your part. Here are some ideas on how to turn your outdoor cat into a happy indoor cat:

How To Stop Your Cat from Spraying

Simone194 — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 09:18:00 -0700

You might be tempted to be very angry at your cat for spraying in your home, unfortunately, this will not deter your cat. It might even make him spray more!

Here are some things to keep in mind:

Spraying can be from a medical condition. If your cat is spraying always have it checked out by your veterinarian.
Spraying can be caused by the stress in a cat's life from anything new. A baby, a new animals, remodeling your house, moving, pretty much any major change.
Spraying can be because the cat is in heat or wants to mate.

How can you stop this?

How To Litter Box Train Your Cat

Carrie122 — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 13:48:00 -0700

From the age of about four weeks, kittens know to seek out soft, dry material in which to "do their thing". Cat litter is specifically made to be comfortable for cats and kittens to eliminate in, so their digging, eliminating, and covering up the evidence, as it were, are all behaviors that don't need to be taught.

You will, however, need to teach your cat where to find the litter box, and make sure that the box and its contents are kept clean. Keep the following things in mind when setting up your cat's litter box.

How To Stop House Cat Behavior Problems

Theresa157 — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 06:30:00 -0700

People adore having cats as pets. Cats are more independent than dogs, often require less work than dogs, are soft to touch, some like to cuddle on laps and beds and the purring sound they make can decrease stress levels and lower blood pressure. However, cats do have behavior problems, the top two being litterbox problems/spraying and scratching of furniture and carpets. There are some ways you can stop your pet from these behavior problems and with some patience and work, a cat can become a wonderful addition to your home.

Have your pet checked out by the vet before you attempt anything else. Cats can become stressed very easily by changes, moves or additions to your family. They may be reacting to the change by not using the litter box, scratching up your furniture or spraying things. In addition, sick cats may have difficulty making it to the litter box in time.

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How To Understand Cat Behavior

Alison139 — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 02:10:00 -0700

Understanding a cat's behavior is relatively easy - you simply need to spend some quality time with your pet to get a "baseline" of his current behavior.