Yes

by Mouse

Created on: September 05, 2010

Absolutely, cats can be trained! - Anyone who's ever spent a significant amount of time around a cat knows this. Some things, like learning the note of your engine means you're about to be home, granted, are not actively 'taught', rather that knowledge is passively acquired by your cat, but there are many, many things that your cat can actively learn, one of which is discipline and obedience.

An average domestic cat, has roughly the equivalent intelligence level of a child of about 3 years old.

He learns by process of trial and error - for example, if his toy rolls under a cupboard, he know's its still there, even if he can't see it (which shows an appreciation of objects existing even when not in view) and he will try different paws and different positions to get it back. If he stands on the dinner table and is constantly met with disapproval from the family, he will learn the causal link and realise that standing on the dinner table is not appropriate behaviour.

Other skills he learns by observing and copying. - Once he connects that doors can be opened at will, he will jump at the handle and mimic your action by using his weight to pull down on the handle. He will also attempt this on a door with a knob, until he learns that it is futile to do so. The new kitten or recently added cat in a family, will soon watch the older cat and copy him when at dinner time he comes to sit beside his bowl.

His retentive memory is good and like a small child, he will respond to praise and reward for desired behaviours. However, we must not be lulled too far into thinking of our cat in terms of a "normal" three-year-old. Having a cat is, rather more akin to raising a "special needs" child. In her very excellent book, Kathy Hoopmann shows us how cats can be directly compared to Aspergers children. It is very important that we bear this in mind and while we can apply the intelligence and adaptive learning skills of a toddler of three, we need to bear in mind the distinct emotional needs of our cat when attempting to train him/her.

Cats, unlike human babies are born with an instinctive fear and wariness of humans. Proper socialization goes a long way to combat this, but it is worth remembering that at the back of his mind, a cat will always be ever so slightly wary and therefore will likely need more encouragement than a typical three-year-old child to reach the same developmental milestones.

Our cat's confidence is also slightly more fragile from that of a typical tot. Cats can become demotivated extremely easily and can be very susceptible to low mood and depressive symptoms generally. To be sure that the training is healthy and productive, you should be prepared to initially praise and reward every attempt at the desired goal. Over time, as your cat improves at whatever task you have set, the rewards can be scaled back (and in the case of food treats, it's very important that they are - you don't want your cat to develop an obesity problem) but the praise should be continued every time as positive reinforcement.  

Your cat will also draw a lot from you. If you demonstrate to him that you trust him and believe in his abilities, he will trust you back. Also, once your cat learns to do one thing, it is easier to get him to learn something new. He may even get to quite enjoy the time you share in training.

Vocabulary is also very important when training your cat. While a cat's retained vocabulary is again, roughly comparabel to a child of three, a cat's appreciation of language is different from our own. For example, they are unlikely to understand what "blue" really means as a concept, but if you ask them to bring you "blue mouse", it's quite possible that your cat may, over time, learn to distinguish the toy named "blue mouse" from the toy named "green mouse".

Just like with a toddler of three, the words your cat knows best will be the words that it has the most interest in. For example, words relating to your cat himself, for instance his name, or that of another family member, or labels of his toys, his bowl, his bed etc. he will cotton onto almost immediately, both because it's important to him and because it's in constant use around him. Words relating to "dinner" or favourite foods will probably come next.

Other favourite (and useful words) for your cat's vocabulary include placement words like left, right, up, down, come, here; words relating to periods of time are important. Cats have an excellent sense of time and if you're consistent with how you word your absence in advance "I'll be back in a minute/soon/after work/tomorrow" they'll likely pick up a rough idea of when to expect you and this makes for a happier cat, who knows what's happening and is reassured (think back to raising a cat being like raising a very young, special needs child - reassurance is key).

Essentially, if your cat trusts you and feels safe with you, beyond the limitation of its lack of an opposable thumb, very little will prevent your cat from learning anything that interests it. All you have to do, as they say in baby raising manuals is to be "child led" - or in this case, "cat led". Showing interest, offering consistency, praise and reassurance will ensure that your cat learns anything from where to pee or soil; to how to sit and wait for food; to playing simple games, and 101 things in between.

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