Author Topic: Training Your Kitty  (Read 3473 times)

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Offline The Kittens

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Training Your Kitty
« on: September 03, 2011, 08:01:17 PM »
Kitties can be trained/taught to do most anything. Your kitty can be trained to be groomed, walk right in the carrier on command, come when called, and stop baddy boy or baddy girl stuff.  Show kitties is very highly trained, they have to be.   cat4

Show kitties are trained to be bathed and blow dried, Bump is 3 hrs, start to finish, or when I am in a hurry, I just put up a post on Catsfur, in the foodies section, and he gets an instant bath, just gotta teach Catsfur to use conditioner, mol.  :P nahnah CatsterBath2 bumpgif

Show kitties travel 6-7 hrs one way to show, Rory, Boo Boo's brother traveled 16 hrs, mine sleep the whole way, well, except for tolls and bathroom.  morningcoffee

Show kitties are taught to accept the noise and commotion of any show hall, the spectators, the judges, being handled all day, in and out of cages all day, different show hotels, etc. They just stand right there, on their grooming tables, and there is no collor/leash on them, on the judges tables, they sit right there, roll around, play with the toys, and climb the poles.  cat3

When you think of the hundreds and hundreds of show kitties, that do this, your kitty can be taught too.  But it does not happen over night. It takes alot of time, alot of repetition, you have to be consistant, and alot alot alot of patience.   :-*

Would be very glad to help you, and others would have great ideas too.  kittybutterfly kittyball love1 multistars
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Thank you Lola!!  :-* Bumpurr1 cat4 dogstir1 TexasFlag thankyou1 bumpgif

Offline KatieAndMe

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2011, 02:00:10 AM »
I look forward to reading you posts about training. Katie has been crying lately to go outside and she's an indoor only kitty except when I take her out on her leash. The leash training is something new and her crying started before this so it's not because of that. How do I get her to stop being so agitated and wanting to go out? She has become more and more vocal about it every day and goes from the door to the window then jumps across my lap all the time meowing. She thinks I don't understand what she wants but I do it's just that she isn't going to get her way. LOL I let her have her way about most things so am I just reinforcing her behavior? Thanks

Offline Lola

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2011, 03:39:00 AM »
Bump,
Do you think your kitties adjust to so much because of allll the exposure, experience, and such?  What I mean is...MOST of our cats stay in the house 24/7.  Soooo taking one out for a car ride (for example) would more than likely be traumatic... because it is outside of the norm.
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Offline Pookie

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2011, 01:48:56 PM »
Bump, when you have time, would you please tell us how you training your kitties to load into their carriers on command?  I'm thinking that would be very handy to know.

Thanks!
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Offline KatieAndMe

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2011, 01:55:11 PM »
I wanted to give an update on Katie. The problem was solved by leash training her. Now she knows that every afternoon she gets to go outside on the harness and leash. She no longer cries to go out and has been a very good little girl. In fact when she's tired of being outside she comes in. I leave the door open a little and after about 15-20 minutes she starts walking towards the door.

I would like to learn anything I can about training though. Especially things that would make her enjoy life more and not be afraid. I love my sweet little Katie so much!  ;D

Offline Lola

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2011, 06:37:12 PM »
Speaking of taking kitties out on leashes ...

I would LOVE to get one of those totally enclosed trailers for bicycles.  I think a lot of our felines would love the ride!  Too many possible issues within the neighborhood though.   :(
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Offline The Kittens

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2011, 08:29:29 PM »
Sorry been absent, mol, had a show this past weekend, then Cowboy brought home something from the show, so been dealing with vettys for the past few days. He is all better now.  thumbsup1

First the teaching the kitties to load on command, then will address Lola's question, which is a little more involved, mol.  :-*

The reason you teach kitties to load on command, is you never know, when you might have an emergency, and need to load them, right now. The time you waste, trying to find them, or get them loaded, might mean the difference, in getting out in time, or not.

Case in point. The kittens first show, 5 hrs from home, their first show hotel. Had just gotten to the hotel, and unloaded them, they were 7 months old, exploring the room.  Had not been there 5 min, when it happened.

The fire alarm went off. They ran under the bed.

Moment of panic!!

OK, think, I said to myself, gotta get them loaded and outta here.  Then I remembered, they load on command.

I got out their carrier, opened the door, in they ran. Thank G, they were taught to load, I don't even want to think about, what could have happened, I would not have left them.

The key to teaching a kitty anything, is you have to make it a pleasant and positive experience, as in, whats in it for them? What does kitties like to do? They likes to eat.

You start feeding them their meals, in the carrier.  If the kitty likes the carrier, you can skip this step, this is for kitties that don't like the carrier, and/or don't know about a carrier, its how we start 8 week old kittens.

Set the carrier on the floor, leave the door open, do this for a few days.
Then set the food bowl, at the entrance of the door, over a few days, gradually, move the bowl, farther in the carrier, always leaving the door open.  When kitty will walk right in the carrier, eat, and walk out, progress to the next step.

Put the bowl in the carrier, when kitty walks in, shut the door. As soon as kitty is done eating, let kitty out.

Kitty soon learns, foodies is in the carrier, that is the pleasant experience, the kitty gets to get out, when he is done eating, that is the positive experience.

Gradually, every day, increase the time, the kitty stays in there, after finishing eating, like by 2-3 minutes, and work up to 30 min, then let kitty out, I had to go way beyond this, as I travel ballpark 6 hrs one way to shows.

Use a command word, which ever word you want to use, but it has to be the same each and every time, you have to be consistant.  I use "foodies". 

When its feeding time, ya want to get, out, of Bump's way, as soon as you open the door, mol, he will knock you down, to get into his carrier, mol. 

You have created a positive and pleasant experience for the kitty, carrier means foodies.  Mine eat in their carriers.  The kitty knows there is foodies in there, and they know, they do get to come out. The kittens first show, and Bump's as a kitten, was 5 hrs one way. They slept the whole way. 

Its teeny baby steps, not being in a hurry, and being patient.

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Offline KatieAndMe

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2011, 08:42:21 PM »
Thank you so much!!  :-* I was able to teach Katie to walk on the leash and come inside on her own. I've been working with her to come on command and she'll do it when she's on the floor now. I gently snap my fingers low to the ground keeping my hand down so she knows she'll get petted and she comes running. mol It's so adorable!! She loves to learn so anything you can share with us is greatly appreciated. She's more motivated by petting than by food.

Offline Lola

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2011, 08:58:53 PM »
Sorry been absent, mol, had a show this past weekend, then Cowboy brought home something from the show, so been dealing with vettys for the past few days. He is all better now.  thumbsup1


Your sweet guys seem to pick up the creeping crude a lot at shows.  :(  Are they often in close proximity of others.  Is it the judges touching one kitty after another...or ??

Did you get pictures THIS time?   >:D
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Offline The Kittens

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #9 on: September 22, 2011, 09:22:25 PM »
The vetty said he had a viral infection, as in, something air born. I took both kittens, and Cruiser is fine, my vet said to keep an eye on him.  In their rings, there was a 4 mo old kitten, that kept sneezing and sneezing and sneezing, but Cowboy was far away, in his cage, that I thought he would be fine.  Air born, sigh, guess not far away enought, altho, Cruiser was closer.  The judges handle all the kittes, they spray this disenfectant spray, on their hands, and on the table, in between each kitty.  But, its not full proof, and actually, if ya ever watched, they don't do that great of a job.  They don't disinfect the toys, which they play with all the kitties, or the pole the kitties climb.

Talked to my vet tonight, she called and wanted to know how he was doing. She said when they were on the circuit all the time, they had built up the show hall immunity, but, since they only do 1 show a month, average, they aren't getting out enough, but I can't afford more than that right now. 

I am thinking, maybe Cowboy needs to be put on L-Lysine, when he is going to a show, have to find out, how much ahead, he needs it, for it to work, and/or maybe he should be put on it all the time.    Also thinking about getting a full panel blood panel done, just to make sure, there is not something else going on.

I really think, it was that kitten that was sneezing.  What are your thoughts.  :P  Bumpurr1 cat4 TexasFlag bumpgif bumpgif       

Offline Lola

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #10 on: September 22, 2011, 09:41:26 PM »
Valley Fever is "busy" in my area...one of the main reasons all the furkids stay inside as much as possible.  Cats do okay, but the dogs reallllllly needed their walks.  :(  
The dog next door has it...he is doing fairly well, but what a headache!

Hopefully, another member will come along and give you some advice.  Mine would be to keep the furkids in a bubble.  lol  Funny...I wasn't paranoid with my human kids.  BUT...they could tell me when they weren't feeling well.  
« Last Edit: September 22, 2011, 09:46:04 PM by Lola »
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Offline The Kittens

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #11 on: September 23, 2011, 06:35:47 AM »
Cowboy did tell me, mol, when he didn't want to eat, Tues morn, I knew he didn't feel well. I called the vetty, and he went in that morning.  :-* :P :D Bumpurr1 cat4 TexasFlag bumpgif

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #12 on: September 23, 2011, 06:46:10 AM »
The vetty said he had a viral infection, as in, something air born. I took both kittens, and Cruiser is fine, my vet said to keep an eye on him.  In their rings, there was a 4 mo old kitten, that kept sneezing and sneezing and sneezing, but Cowboy was far away, in his cage, that I thought he would be fine.  Air born, sigh, guess not far away enought, altho, Cruiser was closer.  The judges handle all the kittes, they spray this disenfectant spray, on their hands, and on the table, in between each kitty.  But, its not full proof, and actually, if ya ever watched, they don't do that great of a job.  They don't disinfect the toys, which they play with all the kitties, or the pole the kitties climb.

Talked to my vet tonight, she called and wanted to know how he was doing. She said when they were on the circuit all the time, they had built up the show hall immunity, but, since they only do 1 show a month, average, they aren't getting out enough, but I can't afford more than that right now. 

I am thinking, maybe Cowboy needs to be put on L-Lysine, when he is going to a show, have to find out, how much ahead, he needs it, for it to work, and/or maybe he should be put on it all the time.    Also thinking about getting a full panel blood panel done, just to make sure, there is not something else going on.

I really think, it was that kitten that was sneezing.  What are your thoughts. 
:P  Bumpurr1 cat4 TexasFlag bumpgif bumpgif       

l-lysine all the time is a good idea.  My thoughts are that sneezing kitten should not have been at any show and why wasn't the human asked to take the sick baby home. That really ticks me off, someone taking a sick animal to a show like that.  Not just because of the possibilities of infecting every other cat, but think how miserable that poor little baby must have been.  There ought to be fines for that, hitting them in their wallet might curtail such bad practices.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #13 on: September 24, 2011, 10:45:48 AM »
Thanks, Bump!  I'm not sure Pookie will be too happy with the idea of eating in his carrier, but we'll see . . .  Thank you, and I'm glad your kitties are feeling better!
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Offline The Kittens

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Re: Training Your Kitty
« Reply #14 on: September 24, 2011, 06:32:09 PM »
Pookie will go where the foodies is, mol.  :P

When I take the kittens to shows, I use Bump's big carrier, so he has to eat in another carrier, he follows the foodies, where ever they is, thats where he goes, mol.  :D cat4 thumbsup1 Bumpurr1 TexasFlag bumpgif

Its the judges discression, as to weather to DQ a cat, and/or send him back to the bench, and since politics is huge, at any show, I kinda think, it had to do, with who owned the kitten.   :o

The cats are pretty much in the same order, in all the rings. Was next to one cat, one time, cat kept sneezing, I requested to be moved, which is my right, didn't make the Final, gee, big surprise, I also know, "who" owned the cat.  One show, was benched next to a cat, whose eyes were running, this before the show even started. Went to the show manager, requested to be moved.  Was not, as is their right, for a bench, told not to "worry about it", Bump who makes most Finals, and places high, barely made any Final, and placed low.  Found out later, that cat, was owned, by a good friend, of the show manager. I learned my lesson, I no longer say anything.  I was told, it is my right, to pull my cat from a ring, and/or go home.

I myself, would never show a sick cat.  When Bump ate the chore boy in Allentown, my vet said pull him, I did.
In Lancaster, Prowler got sick, I pulled him from the rest of the rings. Other exhibitors got down right nasty, told me to put him in the ring, so he could get handled, as it affected the count and the amount Finaled. I refused, they got nasty, told them, ya all, are messin with the wrong person.  I got the same reputation on the circuit, as I do in here, mol.   pangif flashbang

I really thought, Cowboy was far enough away from that kitten.  But anyhow, he is doing much better, eating now and playing, and Cruiser is fine.  Everybody is in NH or MD this weekend, glad I hadn't planned on going, I would not have taken him.   :-* thumbsup1 Bumpurr1 cat4 TexasFlag bumpgif

What training subject, do ya want to discuss next?  ::)


 

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