Owning a cat or kitten comes with all sorts of responsibilities including training them up so that they feel comfortable in their environment. You and your pet can benefit from our mini training guide below…

A healthy cat is a happy cat

Before you start any kind of training make sure your cat or kitten is in the best of health. This should involve a visit to the vet to make sure there are no hidden health problems that could be aggravated by any training activity. With Direct Line pet insurance you can get cover for visits to the vet on either our Essential or Advanced policy. You can find out more from our pet insurance policy documents online.

Lead kitten to the litter tray

Cats should be trained to make the litter tray their only point of ‘output’ when it comes to getting rid of any waste. If you don’t set up a litter point and routine then you could be on the receiving end of several unsociable presents around your home! Start by putting the tray in a place where your cat can easily reach it at all times. When your cat uses the litter make sure you reward him or her with lots of attention so it becomes a regular occurrence. If you do find that your cat is not using the tray, then try not to reprimand them – this often serves to simply make your cat afraid of you. Instead calmly lead your cat to the tray several times a day until it becomes habitual. And remember, a clean litter tray will be more enticing to your cat than a dirty one, so make sure that you do your bit and keep it fresh.

Control scratching

Your cat is naturally inclined to scratch things and if you have a house cat, the scratching will often take place on your furniture – it usually also happens on the item you love the most. A scratching post can help – you can buy these from most pet shops. However, you may find your cat still prefers your sofa! In this case you could use a number of methods to try and teach her to keep away from certain objects. This includes covering furniture with net or tulle – cats hate to snag their claws so this can keep them away. They also dislike the texture of tin foil so try placing this in ‘keep away’ spots. Citrus scent is also off-putting for many cats. However, if you are really worried about a prize item of furniture then you may have to cover it up or keep your cat out of bounds.

Generally speaking

When training your cat try and eliminate any background noise like the radio or TV. You want them to get to know the sound of your voice and recognise the pitch of commands. You should also try and use their names as often as possible so that they start to respond in a personal manner. Training cats just before meal times is also a good idea as you can reward them with the food they would be eating anyway. Meal times should also be at regular times throughout the day. Your cat will soon learn when to be around and this can make it easier to bring a cat in from outside.

For more great tips and advice on looking after your cat, or benefit from our pet insurance check out our products and apply for an online pet insurance quote today.