Not all cats are trainable, but with persistence, most can be trained. Remember that when you are training a cat you should not train a cat like you would train a dog.
Toilet Training
Some cats train themselves to use the toilet. Why? Who knows? Most owners of these cats keep wondering why feces and urine remain un-flushed in the toilet everyday. But it is most cats will only think of the toilet as a watering hole and are fascinated by the moving (flushed) water. Just before you start to train your cat to use the toilet make sure that you have around two months of patience, a toilet that can be avoided by human use and because we don't want a dog to be eating cat feces, make sure that if you have a dog it doesn't drink out of the toilet you are using. The steps that toilet training involve can be broken into 3 main steps, learning to balance on the toilet seat while going, learning to jump up to go and learning to go without any litter. There are several different methods you can try and use.
1. The method I used on my cat involves putting a circle shaped bowl in the toilet (one that fits snug sitting just below the seat) and fill it with litter. My cat, Kiki got used to it fairly quickly and then we started to put smaller and smaller bowls on top of the big one so that she could only put one leg into it when she was going. We then cut a hole into the big bowl and she would stand on it and go with no litter. This method never was successful because once she was going with no litter, we took her to get spayed and now she will not go with out litter. While we are still unsure what made Kiki go off the training, I still think that this could work to train a cat.
2. Glue an old toilet seat to a litter tray and get your cat used to balancing on the edge while going, this could take some time so be patient. Make sure that the seat is glued or attached on very securely because if it wobbles or tips this could make your cat not want to ever use this tray again. Once your cat is balancing, put the litter tray on top of a very sturdy box, at around the same height as a toilet. If your cat won't jump up set him into the tray on praise him, and brush around the litter so that he gets the point. The final stage evolves getting your cat to balance on the actual toilet seat. Find some heavy duty plastic a stretch it across the rim of the toilet, not so tight that you can bounce things off of it, yet not so loose that is touches the water. Into this little sag add a little bit of flushable litter, because normal litter can clog your pipes. Once you have watched your friend balance on the seat, start to slowly decrease the amount of litter in the sag and add a few little holes into the plastic. You add the holes so that your cat will get used to the sound of liquid hitting liquid when he goes. As your cat gets used to the situation slowly make the holes bigger until there is no litter underneath him. Once this is done completely take the plastic away. Now your finished, hopefully now your cat is potty trained!!
Sit Down
This is the simplest trick you can train your cat. When your cats head goes up, its behind goes down. It’s simple. Using a treat that your cat finds delicious is very important, because if the cat doesn't like the treat then he won’t cooperate. First say "sit" once, making sure that the cat is listening. Then hold the treat a little bit high up and close to its head. By lowering it you are forcing the cat to sit. Remember not to give the cat the treat until its sitting. Good luck!
Roll Over
First make your cat lie down and take out its favorite treat food. Tempt him with the treat and when he starts to look interested move it in a circular motion around his shoulders very slowly, keeping it out of reach from his paws and mouth. He should follow it with his head, but since his head doesn't go all the way around he will have to move his body to get the treat. He will eventually roll over and when he is say “roll over" and praise him and give him the treat when he is finished. Keep doing this but slowly introduce movement of your hand as a command. Start to hold the treat in one hand and make the movement in the other hand. Keep working at this trick. Because it is advanced it could take a long while.
Walk With a Leash
First it is easier if you use a cat harness instead of a collar because a cat can easily slip out of a collar. It is much easier if you start this when your cat is a kitten, because mature cats often resets, going limp and making you drag them. First put the harness on your cat and attach the leash, the cat will get used to it on its own if you let it walk around on its own with the leash on. After leaving the cat with the harness on for a while and seeing if he is used to it, give him a treat and praise him for being good and take the leash off, leaving the harness on for a while longer. Next put the leash on and hold on to the end, letting the cat wonder but with some control on your part. If at this stage your cat just lies down and won't move, tempt him with a treat and make him move by keeping the treat just out of reach finally letting him have it after about three steps. Remember not to reward him unless he does something good because otherwise he will go into the habit of not co-operating just for the treats.
Come On Command
Coming on command is just about one of the easiest things that you can train your cat. Most cats will come to the sound they here before being fed, such as the can opener of the sound of dry food rattling in the box. Make sure that the sound you want your cat to come to can be consistent. A cat will not come to the sound of an angry or grumpy person, sometimes even do the opposite and run away. Always remember to be calm and gentle when calling your cat. The best way to train your cat to come is to give it a treat when it does, this way every time it comes it will be getting something good.
Click on link below to continue
A cat sitting down
www.maine-coon-cat-club.com/ gallery/shadeds.htm
A cat harness
www.thecatconnection.com/
A cat urinating in the toilet
http://www.jonh.net/~jonh/
Bibliography
1. Understanding Cats Their History, Nature and Behavior. Robert Tabor. David and Charles Publishers 1997
2. The book of the Cat Editors Micheal Wright and Sally Walters. Pan Books 1980.
3. The Cat, Diseases and Clinical Management, 2nd edition Robert G. Sherting. W. B. Saunders. 1994.
