Cats are trainable — and that’s not a punchline (A Lounge-worthy item!)

[foxfeet]

Program teaches layabout felines to work for their food

People have low expectations of cats.

Sam Connelly tells of the time that she and her cat Storm observed a Canine Good Citizen test while they were waiting for their feline agility class to start.

“I’m watching the dogs and I commented to the evaluator, ’My cat can do all that,”’ said Connelly. “At the end she said, ’Want to take a shot?’ like it was a big joke.”

More at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33800570/ns/health-pet_health/

[valerief]

1. Interesting. I sent the link to a cat owner I know. nt

[nolabear]

2. All I want to train mine to do is not to claw my furniture! Suggestions welcome.

[GoCubsGo]

4. Find something that they like to scratch MORE!

Mine like sisal a jute items. I saw that they had a variety of woven sisal scratching pads a the PetSmart, but they wanted a small fortune for them. Instead, I went TJMaxx and bought a woven sisal door mat for ten bucks. It does double-duty as a door mat AND a cat scratcher. My cats also love the cardboard scratchers, as well as the post I made for them by wrapping sisal rope around the carboard tube from a roll of carpet. Don't waste your money on one of those short scratching posts. Cats like to stretch out when they scratch, and they can't do that with those short things. You might need to entice them by sprinkling some catnip on the new scratcher.

I second the double-stick tape on the furniture. You can find wide rolls of it in the carpet department of your local home improvement store. It looks like packing tape, although it has a paper backing on one side that you peel off to apply it. Also, be sure to give the furniture a good wipe-down. When cats scratch, they mark with their scent. Regular trimming of claws helps, as do Soft Paws, if you get desperate.

[hibbing]

3. I trained mine....kind of

Hi,
I "trained" mine to get into her carrier and to jump up on the top of her scratching post, unfortunately no training worked to prevent couch scratching.
Although some double sided taped help prevent some.

Peace

[LiberalEsto]

5. My dad's cat learned to use a toilet

Many years ago when my late father and brother shared a house in bachelor bliss, they never bothered to shut the bathroom door. Too much work, I guess.

Their pet tomcat, a half Siamese called Tommy, observed them closely whenever someone sat on the crapper. One day they saw Tommy get up on the toilet and use it himself. He even tried to flush the handle with his paw. They laughed themselves sick. From then on, Tommy used the toilet whenever he felt like it.