The domestication of cats that started in ancient Egypt in the classical period has spread worldwide; now, people love to have cats in their homes as pets; most of the times, people move out of their homes, and because they don’t want to feel alone, they adopt a cat, but that is not the only case a lot of loving families also make these pets a part of their family, some people want their kids to grow up with a best friend.
Nevertheless, having a pet, especially a cat, is like having another family member with you. You love them the exact amount, and losing them can be just as devastating. So if you’ve been observing this around you and thinking of adopting a cat, you must have a lot of questions in your mind about how you will pet it? Is the cat going to love you? Etc. Well, don’t worry because we are going to answer all of those questions for you. Stick with us till the end of this article.
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How to Train a Cat?
The first question that comes to your mind when you adopt a cat is how I will train it. The biggest issue is cats like to urinate to mark their territory, and you need to train them to stop urine marking. To avoid that, the first thing you need to do is create new associations for them and eliminate urine odour; you can do that by using bleach or an odour neutralizer product. That will not draw your back to the scent.
You should also change their surroundings by placing a cat bed, some toys, and food bowls on the spots they tend to urinate at; this will help because cats do not dirty the places they eat, play or sleep at.
Always remember that you should never punish your cats. They will not learn whatever you are trying to teach them that way; rather, this will induce stress and cause serious health and behavioural problems. What is going to help you throughout their training period is positive reinforcement and patience.
You should also get some candies and a clicker, so every time your cat does something you want to appreciate it in, click the clicker and then offer them a treat. This is called conditioning, so every time your cat will hear the clicker, it will expect a treat. If you give your cat a treat without using the clicker, they will be confused about why they are getting a treat.
How to Pet a Cat?
Cats are mysterious creatures one minute, and they are nice and friendly with you next minute. They want to jump and bite you. All of this has to do with how you pet them. So your reaction when you see a cat might be wanting to stroke, cuddle or mush it, but for cats, this can be a little overwhelming.
The best way to pet a cat is to let the cat control when they want to be petted, where do they want to be touched, and how long for it is noticed that the cats will respond when the humans are busy doing something else and not paying attention to them but as soon as they give them the attention they are likely to withdraw. So if the cats initiate something, it will last longer than if a human initiates it.
It is also important to pay attention to cats behaviour when you are petting them. Some signs of a happy enjoying cat are:
- Their tail will be held upright, and they will initiate contact.
- They will use their front paws to purr and knead you.
- While their tail is held in the air, they will gently wave it.
- Their ears will be pricked and pointed forward, and their facial expressions will be relaxed.
- If you pause while stroking them, they will give you a gentle nudge.
If the cat is stressed and is not enjoying your company, it will turn its head away from you and keep shifting, and there will be short and rapid bursts of grooming; their ears will flatten to the side or will rotate backwards. They will swipe your hand away using their paws and maybe even bite it, and they will remain passive; they will not rub or purr; their tale will thump or swish. These are some of the signs that the cat is not comfortable around you.
How to Get a Cat to like you?
It is hard winning over a cat, but if you think they do not like you because of your personality, that might not be true; it is probably your behaviour that draws them away from you. You need to watch your body language around them, so when you meet a new cat, you should crouch down to her level and greet them this way; they will not find you intimidating. Direct eye contact or body language is something they will consider aggressive and confrontational, so its better to not pay attention to the cat; this way, it will like to come to you.
Even those shy cats can become your best friend; all you have to do is notice their likes and dislikes while petting them and notice those signs mentioned above. It will let you know whether they are enjoying the specific activity or not. Most of the cats enjoy being rubbed on the neck, around the ears, cheeks, and forehead, so you can stick to these areas when you meet a cat for the first time.
The most important thing to do while playing with a cat is knowing when to stop because after you greet the cat and introduce yourself to it, there is a chance that the cat might be up for some playtime, but don’t just assume that you should notice they cats behaviour did it approach you on its own are her expressions comforting only then you should go onto play with her or else this can cause serious behavioural issues.
