Feline Training

[CatofWar]

Other than litterbox, has anyone had much experience with advanced training in cats?

I sit and watch my sons small orange tabby and can't help but admire the tenacity and viciousness in the way she stalks and kills her prey. Usually she will lay her kill out and sort of present it to us for us to admire (I guess). Im wanting to know if there is a way to get a cat to go out and hunt and return with kill in mouth. If so why not apply those same methods to bigger cats for bigger prey.

I read some years ago a training study conducted by the army where they trained and used cats to navigate troops in total darkness. It worked great until the cats began to play with the loose straps hanging off the gear.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for techniques and reading material? I can train a dog to do pretty much what ever I want them to. Im up for the challenge to do the same with an animal as independent as a cat.

[Mrs Pantherfan]

LOL besides maybe leash training..no...

my old cat would fetch bottle caps and bring them back to me....but I didn't teach her that..she was just awesome like that...RIP Maya :(

[Guest]

[Mrs Pantherfan]

LOL I can now attest to this :)

[charlotte49er]

  On 8/30/2012 at 4:11 PM, CatofWar said:

Other than litterbox, has anyone had much experience with advanced training in cats?

I sit and watch my sons small orange tabby and can't help but admire the tenacity and viciousness in the way she stalks and kills her prey. Usually she will lay her kill out and sort of present it to us for us to admire (I guess). Im wanting to know if there is a way to get a cat to go out and hunt and return with kill in mouth. If so why not apply those same methods to bigger cats for bigger prey.

I read some years ago a training study conducted by the army where they trained and used cats to navigate troops in total darkness. It worked great until the cats began to play with the loose straps hanging off the gear.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for techniques and reading material? I can train a dog to do pretty much what ever I want them to. Im up for the challenge to do the same with an animal as independent as a cat.

They bring you their kill as a contribution towards food supplies. They view us as being inept hunters, so they bring us dead animals as gifts. (Like a mother would bring her kittens food).

Past that, you're on your own.

[Rip Saw]

[CatofWar]

I've seen people train cats to do amazing things. I just don't know how to even get started.

[LifeisaGarden]

My daughter is 11 and has taught our cat to sit, beg and to jump through a hula hoop. Shes working on teaching him to fetch. Cats can be taught but it takes persistence.

[boo7382]

When i first got Nug, I read up a little bit on it.

Cats are trained the opposite way of dogs apparently, they dont do well with negativity or domination like dogs do.

they are all about positive reinforcement

Nug plays fetch but I think thats just a special thing she does.

As for the training part, ive read it can be very time consuming and there is mass amounts of patience required. So, I just spray her with water when shes on the counter