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Housetraining a domestic cat and acclimatizing him to the parameters of the
family life is vital to the overall well being of the pet, and to the happiness
of the owner. If you neglect or fail to enforce positive behavior on your kitty
during the preliminary stages of housebreaking, the problem gets doubled when
the kitty grows. So, it is imperative that you properly house train a cat to
deter him from displaying unfitting behaviors at home. But, before you really
start off with the housebreaking process, you need to comprehend a few basic
guidelines that will assist you to train your kitten with ease. Here are a few
tips that will help you go through a quick and simple cat/ kitten housetraining
experience.
How to Begin Housetraining
First, understand that a cat learns through experience. No matter how much you
yell or use the cane, he can't figure out anything, until and unless he makes
certain associations. So, try to associate things you want your cat to do/
follow with extreme pleasurable and rewarding experiences. For e.g. cuddle him
or give him treats when he uses the litter box. Likewise, associate negative
feelings with activities that you want him to avoid. But, refrain from meting
out punishment unnecessarily or giving rewards and praises for undesirable
behavior.
Litter Box
The most critical aspect of the housetraining procedure for cats is the 'litter
box training'. Proper housetraining and making the cat get used to the litter
box, helps you to avoid soiled carpets and a reeking home. First and foremost,
always provide the cat with a clean litter box as cats are very finicky about
cleanliness. They would rather prefer your clean rug to the litter box, if the
litter box stinks or is not properly sanitized. Regularly clean the box with
water and a few drops of lemon or vinegar. Replace the old litter with 1 inch of
fresh litter everyday.
Litter Box Training
Always feed your kitty at a scheduled time, so that his defecating time also
gets biologically adjusted. Once he eats his food, engage in a play session.
Encourage him to hop into the litter box during these play activities. Start by
scratching the litter to arouse his interest. Once he gets inside the box and
eliminates; praise him in a gentle voice, pat him and provide him some treats.
In this manner, he will learn that the litter box is the proper place to
defecate. With recurrence, the behavior will get reinforced and develop into a
habit.
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