Training can be so much fun and so incredibly cute! Once you teach the basics it’s easy to build upon that and train all kinds of cool tricks, like playing a children’s piano! Training can be for purpose and for enrichment. Remember it is just as important to exercise their brains as well as their physical body.
atlanta cat behavior
Finn demonstrates “recall,” a life saving behavior to train!
Cats can be trained, yes it is true! One of the most important behaviors you could teach is recall or “come when called”. This could save your cats life if they ever got outside unexpectedly or were about to dart towards danger. It can also help you find them in the home when you cannot locate their secret hiding place. Please, do not underestimate your cats ability to train and learn!
How to encourage your cat to use a cat wheel.
Have you often dreamed of buying a cat wheel for your cats only to wonder, “How will I get them to use it?” Or maybe you already have one stuck in the corner of a room somewhere collecting dust and dirty laundry? Either way, there is a process to it and while there are a precious few cats that will take right to one, most need training and encouragement. If you break it down into a few simple steps, your cats can get a good cardio workout.
Our first cat wheel was a lightweight, hand-me-down from a generous client who could not get their cats to use it. After ensuring we could teach the cats to use the freebie wheel, we then decided the one you see to your right was worth the investment. However, this fancy new wheel is heavier and requires more excursion. The pros and cons of this was that we moved forward with this purchase knowing they understood the concept. However, we had to encourage use all over again and some of the cats still prefer the lightweight model they were originally trained on.
The fancy cat wheel we splurged on after ensuring they would use a cheaper model.
Do not force use. It is ok for them to use it as a bed for a few days and build trust.
First things first, DO NOT plop your cat on the wheel and spin it as fast as possible! That is a great way to make them terrified of it and they will never go near the contraption again. Resist your urges to see them run like the wind! Only patience and positive reinforcement is going to make this happen. Now let’s get started!
Place your cat wheel on a stable surface so that it does not wobble or topple. If it makes a weird noise or is unstable it will likely scare your cat.
Next, I recommend weighting it down for a few days. This might mean putting an actual weighted item on the wheel or putting something to impede movement on either side. Place a nice cat bed or fleece blanket on the wheel along with some treats and let your cats just hang out on it as if it were a weird new cat condo.
After a few days of this remove these items and encourage your cat to stand on the wheel using treats or play around it using a lure toy. All the while steady the wheel with one hand so it barely moves at all. This allows them to learn to trust it.
Once that is going well, allow the wheel to have just a little bit of movement as your cat plays on it. Encourage them to slowly walk on it while following their favorite lure toy. Hold a treat out in front of them so they take a step or two towards the treat and the wheel moves, but only slightly. Immediately reward them for their bravery! It is very important during this stage that you keep one hand on the wheel so that it does not move too quickly and frighten them.
Eventually, you will be able to continue to build up to more and more movement and hopefully your cat will find it so rewarding and fun they will hop on and motor of their own accord!
Watch the video below to see cats loving the cat wheel!
Soren is a firm believer that all cats should have a cat wheel!
The Bob-A-Lot
This is a weighted and challenging food puzzle designed originally for small to medium sized dogs, but is no match for an experienced foraging cat! Featuring an adjustable opening and a difficult to grip exterior, this toy is sure to slow down a cat that eats too quickly.
Using Shaping to Allow Handling for Oral Medicating
In this video I teach you how to use the training technique, shaping, to desensitize and counter-condition your cat to allow their head, neck and jaw to be handled and manipulated to allow this type of pilling technique. For context and to see what your end goal will look like, check out my video, “Train Your Cat to Accept Oral Medications” and others!
Train Your Cat to Take a Pill in Four Easy Steps (the short version)
This is the quick version! Learn the steps to pill your cat using only training and positive reinforcement, no restraint required! Please see the myriad of other training videos available on my website @Fundamentally Feline (.com) and You Tube channel for more detailed medicating tips.
