How To Get A Cat To Sleep In Its Own Bed
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If you have a cat at home, then it is no secret that these animals, as well as being beautiful and good company, are also dominant beings. In some cases, they can even be capricious, so from the outset it is necessary to establish some ground rules.
It is very common to hear complaints from cat owners about how their pet wakes them up in the middle of the night or just refuses to sleep in their own bed.
That is why AnimalWised want to present some tips on how to get a cat to sleep in its own bed, so that you can make your pet understand that your space is your space.
How To Train A Cat To: Come On Command
Cats can learn to respond to a vocal cue and run your way. This step of how to train a cat starts by making a distinct noise before feedingbefore you open a bag or canlike vocally call your cat, or click your tongue. Your pet will learn to associate that noise with something positive and will eventually head to you when it hears it. Then, encourage this behavior outside of normal feeding times. Start from short distances. Make the noise, use your clicker when your cat comes, and then reward your pet with the treat. Over time, call the cat from longer distances. The ASPCA recommends up to two cat training sessions a day, for five minutes or less, during which you should repeat the behavior up to 20 times. Heres how to tell how smart your cat is, by the way.
How To Train A Cat To: Beg
This is similar to the shake hands trick. Hold a treat just above your cats head and give a beg command. Your pet should stand on its hind legs and reach up for the snack click to mark the behavior and then give your cat its treat. Practice until your cat begs on command without needing a treat dangled overhead. If you really want to learn how to train a cat well, make sure you always reward your petbut never feed your cat milk.
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Build A Cat Enclosure
If you want to keep your outdoor cat nearby, a âcatioâ or cat enclosure are good options. These are small enclosures, usually in the garden or backyard, that your cat can enjoy the outdoors in.
Here are a few tips on how to design your catâs catio:
- If youre building the catio yourself, make sure to look for claw-resistant mesh.
- Depending on the catioâs size, you can fill it with cat trees and scratching posts, but make sure theyâre either waterproof or otherwise bring them inside when it rains.
- Build a variety of shelves of different sizes and heights to give your pet several spots to enjoy the view.
- In winter, or when itâs colder, your cat may still be willing to enjoy the catio if you cover the floor with fabric to protect their paws from frostbite and provide them with blankets and heating pads to stay warm while still getting some fresh air.
- If you donât have a backyard, look into catios that can be attached outside your windows They might be small, but can still provide your cat with lots of fresh air and a different view.
How To Help A Skittish Cat
Pay close attention to how your cat reacts to things. If she jumps or is startled, chances are she doesn’t like what you’re doing. Do her ears go back? She doesn’t like it. Does she mew loud and long? She doesn’t like it. If your cat purrs, she likes it. Flicks her tail so that it is lying on top of you or touching you? She is indeed comfortable with you. There are a bunch of ways to see what your cat is and is not comfortable with you simply need to pay attention.
Just because a stray cat looks cute from a distance, it doesn’t mean it’s comfortable with you up close!
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Prepare Food Water And Kitty Litter Before The Cat Arrives
When moving with an outdoor cat, get your cats food, water, and kitty litter set up neatly in a sheltered corner. Your cat wont feel comfortable enough to eat in a foreign empty space, so try to make it as homely as possible, but still give your cat the space to make a quick escape dont leave only one avenue to and from the food and water. Have this organised well before you move your cat.
Get Tags And A Microchip
Make sure your cat’s vaccines are up-to-date and consider asking your vet for a microchip if you don’t already have one. You can register the microchip online with your contact information, just in case he wanders too far in his new neighborhood.2 Keep a collar that detaches easily on him with his tags so your new neighbors know who he is.
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Tips For Bringing An Outdoor Cat Indoors For Winter
Keeping your cat indoors, especially in winter, provides shelter from the cold, rain, wind, snow, and lack of cover, as well as disease, accidents, or conflicts with other animals. Here are some suggestions to help with transitioning your cat indoors, and to keep both you and your kitty safe and happy.
Tips For Transitioning An Outdoor Cat To Indoors
Cats who live indoors live longer and healthier lives since theyre exposed to less threats like aggressive animals, cruel humans, toxic or poisonous substances, and diseases.
Whether youre attempting to rescue a neighborhood stray or youve decided to keep your indoor/outdoor cat indoors for good, the change wont be easy. Cats are creatures of habit, after all. Here are 7 steps you can take to get on the road to success and make the transition easier for both of you.
#1 Integrate slowly Dont expect a cat who has lived outdoors for her whole life to easily transition to being an indoor cat immediately. Cats are very territorial and attached to their environments, and bringing an outdoor cat indoors can be very disorienting and anxiety-inducing. Instead of expecting her to become an indoor cat right away, ease her into it by feeding her indoors and keeping her inside for gradually longer stretches of time after she has finished eating. Give her plenty of time to explore, leave her scent by rubbing up against your furniture, and learn that your home is a safe and friendly place to be.
#4 Make windows funFor a cat, one of the best parts about living outdoors is the constant stimulation from all of the sounds, smells, and movements. She doesnt have to give all of that up once she becomes an indoor cat. Place a cat tree or perch near a window so she has a good view, then place a bird feeder outside so she has some up-close-and-personal action.
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Move Cat In Cat Carrier
The first step for actually moving an outdoor cat to a new home is to choose a cat carrier thats safe and an appropriate size for your cat. If youre driving, make sure the car is a pleasant room temperature, and buckle the cat carrier into the back seat. Drive carefully, and minimise stops on the way this journey will be stressful for your cat, so dont draw it out.
Exercise Your Cats Inner Predator
In addition to creating a rich cat-centric environment, do activities that address predatory behaviors. Its not the natural modus operandi for cats to saunter over to food bowls for a nosh. Instead, they should be encouraged to hunt for a portion of their meals. Place dry food and treats in cat toys, puzzle boxes, handle-less paper bags and tunnels as well as on vertical territory. Treat rolls are usually welcomed as well. Roll treats on the floor or gently toss them low for chasing.
Play in a way that mimics the hunt. Cats first will watch, stalk, sprint and then finally pounce. Use a pole toy, dragging it away from the cat, over scratchers, cat furniture and sofas. Finally end the play session with a final catch, immediately followed with a sumptuous meal.
Cats should never be forced. Instead they need to be encouraged to live indoors by making the inside more exciting and appealing than outdoors. Many cats immediately adjust to the new arrangement, while others take time to transition to living inside. There are always exceptions some cats insist on copious amounts of outdoor time. These little ones may do well with access to yards that are fenced in with non-electric cat fences or enclosures.
Please like Marilyns Page.
She is a frequent guest on television and radio, answering cat behavior questions and helping people understand their cats.
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Allow Limited Outdoor Time
It would take at least aweek for the kitten to be completely comfortable. When you feel that itsready, you can allow it to go out of its cage to explore. You might want toleash train your cat so you can take strolls together at first. Leash trainingwould also effectively teach your cat the benefits of exploring outdoors and atthe same time, train him to return home at the end of each day. PawMaw also offers some helpful tips on cat leash training.
Transitioning An Outdoor Cat To Indoors
Jacque Lynn Schultz, CPDT, Companion Animal Programs Adviser, National Outreach, APSCA
Autumn is slowly making way for Old Man Winter, and your concern is steadily growing for the stray cat who settled into your backyard last summer. Homeless Hildegarde has been enjoying your fresh-air hospitality under the deck all season, but with cold weather approaching, theres no better time to introduce her to the pleasures of indoor living. Luckily, bringing a friendly stray in from the cold or keeping an indoor/outdoor feline entirely inside is not as difficult as one might think. All it takes is some environmental enrichment and a bit of training.
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Litter box training is the biggest concern for most people. If the cat was ever box trained, she will likely fall right back into the habit. For the former indoor/outdoor cat, a two-box system filled with fine-grain, clumping litter works best. Place one where you want the litter box to permanently reside, and put the transitional box at the door the cat once used to exit the house. When she finds that she cant get outside to the topsoil, she will use the box by the door. After that habit is established, slowly move the transitional box closer to the permanent setup. Once the boxes are side by side you can remove one of them.
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Training Your Cat To Be Aware Of Traffic
Training Your Cat To Stay Inside
Bringing an outdoor cat indoors can be stressful, here are some tips on making it a successful transition
Most cats who are kept indoors from the start show no inclination to go outdoors. In fact, they may become frightened if they accidentally wander out the door.
But what if your cat is already used to being allowed outside? Transforming a free-roaming cat into a safe cat can be done, but it does require planning, persistence and patience. The key is to make the change from outdoors to indoors gradually, until the new way of life becomes old hat. Many cats will adjust with minimal effort while others will be miserable and let you know it. They may scratch at doors, claw at windows, yowl and try to dash through open doors.
Considering making your indoor cat an outdoor cat?
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Move Closer And Talk To The Cat
While you may feel silly doing it, talking to the cat is important. Talk to the animal quietly and calmly, without approaching. You may want to do this while sitting at a distance from the cat or while he or she is eating.
As the cat realizes that you are not a threat, it will get more comfortable with you being closerso try to take fewer steps back with each feeding.
Clipping Nails As A Last Resort
Clipping their claws can prove to be effective. Indoor cats do not have the exercise to wear their claws and hence clipping claws can help to avoid damage to your furniture. Ensure that you take your cat to the vet to clip their claws as it could lead to infection and pain at times. Trimming the nails should be used as a last resort as it is unnatural for a cat to be without its claws which make it difficult for the cat in its regular activities.
Trimming a cats nail is a delicate process as the blood vessel is present in the nail and you need to avoid clipping it and hence you should not attempt it at home and leave it to the professionals if you dont have any experience in this.
If you have the luxury of time, keep a watch on your cat. Frequent tutoring can help you train your humanely and safely.
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The First Time You Let Your Cat Or Kitten Outside:
- The first few times you let your cat outside, its a good idea to go with them. Go outside and leave the door to the house open so that your cat is able to join you but can also quickly get back inside if they want.
- Take a food/toy reward out with you and sit down quietly. This way you can keep an eye on your cat while letting them explore freely and call them back if you feel like theyve wandered too far. You should build up the length of time your cat is outside over a few sessions.
- While youre outside you can also continue to train your cat to come when called. Make sure that you dont always take them back inside straight away when theyre called. Sometimes, simply reward them and let them wander off again so that they dont associate coming back to you with having to go inside, especially if theyre keen to stay out and explore!
- When your cat seems comfortable and relaxed being outside, you can start to let them come and go unaccompanied.
- The best way to give your cat consistent and predictable access to the outdoors when they need it is to install a cat flap in a door or window. Take a look at our advice on cat flaps for further information.
Release It Into A Colony
If outside is the only option, there are established feral cat colonies where spayed or neutered cats live and volunteers feed and take care of them. Although the situation is not always ideal and can be controversial, there are valid reasons for these colonies. Well-maintained colonies pose very few problems for the area.
It has also been shown that removing feral cats from an area doesnt actually fix the problem, as new strays and feral cats will just move in. So maintaining a healthy feral cat community can actually be better for the environment and the cats.
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Should Indoor Cats Have Outdoor Time
One reason cats generally enjoy the outdoors is that it takes them back to their natural roots. It’s important for owners to remember that cats are nocturnal, and in the wild, they’d be hunting all night and sleeping all day. Sometimes an indoor cat gets bored and may get anxious being cooped up inside all of the time if it isnt given enough stimulation, says Dr. Mosoriak. Keeping your indoor cat stimulated is important to mental health. Outdoor cats get that natural stimulation they need.
Of course, an indoor cat will not be doing much hunting, but you can simulate that activity with a variety of cat toys, like the Pet Fit For Life feather wand cat toy or the Cat Dancer wand cat toy. Providing indoor cats with cat scratchers and cat trees is also a great idea. Adding levels with cat trees or a cat window perch gives cats a higher point to view their territory and their own place to explore, climb, knead and take cat naps on.
Although Christine Capaldo, DVM, The PETA Foundation, Norfolk, Virginia, noted that PETA’s position is unequivocal: All cats should be indoor cats, she agreed that supervised outdoor activity can be healthy if done the correct way. Like dogs, cats should be allowed outdoors for walks on leashes that are attached to harnesses, not to collars, she said. Let the cat get used to the harness for short periods indoors, and then pick a safe outdoor area to explore.