If you are starting to train your cat or want to practice training with him, it is very important that you have one thing clear: you are not going to achieve anything with bad words or quarrels. Even less with ill-treatment.
The cat is a very special animal and as you know, felines do not base their day to day on pleasing us, on the contrary, they expect to be treated like roy alty and they will not move a single finger in exchange for anything.
Whether to teach him to use the toilet, to educate him not to scratch the furniture or perhaps not to bite, use positive reinforcement in catsis an excellent way to achieve results in training. Keep reading this article from our site:
What is positive reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement simply consists of rewarding those attitudes that we like of our pet. You can use food, caresses or nice words, anything goes if your cat likes it and makes him feel comfortable.
The goal of using positive reinforcement is to associate certain behaviors with certain consequences. Therefore, if the feline shows a certain behavior and we reinforce it whenever he shows it, there will be more chances that he will repeat it and end up associating it correctly.
If you are modifying a behavior, such as scratching furniture, rewarding your kitten with treats or caresses when using the scratching post will be a great way to say "This is good, I like it! ". You should know that animals trained through positive reinforcement learn faster and better Why not try it then?
How to carry out positive reinforcement?
Most cats do not accept any prize, much less if it is their usual feed. For this reason, it can be interesting to make homemade cat treats or use bits of chicken, frankfurter, liver or sweet ham. All this cut into very small pieces. Remember: before you start applying positive reinforcement it is essential to find a tasty food that catches your attention
If you have never practiced it before, you should know that for positive reinforcement to bear fruit you must be very consistent and be alert to behavior of your cat to be able to reward it whenever the occasion arises. If your goal is to reinforce the use of the scratching post, you should reward him whenever he uses it in your presence, otherwise an association will not occur. This is known as "fixed reinforcement" In addition, it will not be enough to repeat it 5 or 10 times, it is essential that you reward him on a daily and constant basis so that he remembers it to perfection.
Once your cat has successfully learned a desired behavior, it may happen that he won't stop carrying it out to receive your delicious treats. That will be the time to start applying the "variable reinforcement", that is, rewarding him only every few repetitions. At first you will reward him after doing it 2 or 3 times in a row, but over time, you will do it every 4, 10 or 15. Eventually you will withdraw the rewards and only reward him on a specific occasion.
Benefits of positive reinforcement in cats
The use of punishment can cause fear, stress, anxiety and even provoke aggressive behavior in our feline, on the contrary, positive reinforcement is always well receivedand its way of application is much simpler. In addition, among the benefits, we can highlight a better relationship between the two, the stimulation of your mind and it can even help us modify your behavior so that it is more positive.
