A lot of pet owners don’t think about training their cat. But at this age, you’re training your cat constantly! How you respond to your kitten’s behaviors now will inform their behaviors as they grow into adults.
Positive reinforcement is when you add something to increase the likelihood that a behavior is repeated. For example, when your kitten scratches on their scratching post instead of the couch, you use positive reinforcement by giving them a treat or chin scratches immediately afterward.
However, rewarding a desired behavior once isn’t enough to make it a consistent behavior. In the beginning, you want to reward a positive behavior every time you see it. Soon after you establish that the behavior is positive, you’ll want to intermittently reward the behavior rather than rewarding it each time. Intermittent positive reinforcement results in behaviors that are stronger and last longer.
Examples of rewards that can be used in positive reinforcement training for cats include:
- Treats
- Play time with a special toy
- Catnip
- A play session
- Petting
- Gentle grooming sessions (if your kitten responds positively to this)
Think outside the box for which behaviors you can reward! Examples include:
- Using the litter box
- Using a scratching post or pad
- Tricks such as sit, high-five or lie down (cats CAN learn tricks!)
- Accepting petting or affection
- Coming out of hiding places
- Having positive interactions with other animals or children in the home
Never punish your kitten for undesirable behaviors. Punishment can create fear, causing your cat to scratch or swat, bite or hide. Your VCA care team can help you select good training treats for your training sessions.
Find out what foods can safely be used as treats when training your kitty.
