Many people hold the false belief that you cannot train a cat, however, this is untrue. Cats can be trained just like dogs since they are just as intelligent as they are (and occasionally even smarter).
However, because cats aren’t as good at pleasing people as dogs are, training them can occasionally be a little more challenging. It will therefore require time and patience to train one, but if you have those qualities and follow the advice below, you can train a Bengal cat.
But can every type of cat be trained? Yep! Of course, some cats will require more time than others to train (depending on how resistant they are), but if you know how, you can train any cat. It is the same with Bengal cats.
Many people believe that training this cat will be impossible due to its lively and mischievous nature, however, this breed’s high intelligence really works to their advantage when it comes to training.
The six excellent tips provided here are essential when you have a Bengal cat that you want to teach. These tips will help you get there faster and have a properly socialized Bengal cat sooner.
Before You Begin
Before you start training your Bengal cat, not much needs to be done in terms of preparation. You’ll want to make sure you have patience, food, and a clicker on hand.
Other items that you might need to have on hand will depend on what you’re teaching your cat. For example, if you wish to train your Bengal cat how to walk on a leash, you’ll need to have a harness and leash on hand. You’ll need a toy of some sort to throw if you’re teaching them to fetch.
6 Excellent Bengal Cat Training Tips
You’ll find a few helpful tips below to make training your Bengal cat a lot easier!
1. Do only one kind of training at a time.
Your Bengal cat may need training in a variety of areas, such as how to walk with you while you are out on a stroll or how to stay off counters. To simplify life for you and your cat, you must, however, tackle each of these issues one at a time.
It may take some time for your pet to learn how to stay off counters because cats tend to leap on high objects that shouldn’t be. You should wait until your pet has mastered one ability before teaching it another.
2. Keep training sessions brief.
Bengal cats are noted for having a lot of energy and, occasionally, relatively short attention spans (especially when they are kittens).
Your cat will only get bored if you try to compel it to spend a half-hour on training every day, and you’ll get upset because it’s not paying attention. So call it a day before your pet becomes bored in training. As training progresses, doing this will be simpler for you both.
3. Attract the kitty’s attention.
Cats have their own set of rules, so they frequently only come to you or answer to their name when they feel like it. Obviously, though, you’ll need to get your cat’s attention if you want to conduct a training session.
Calling your pet’s name and luring them with a reward are two ways to deal with this. Give them the treat when they have replied and have arrived to take a look, then start the session.
Your cat will eventually learn to respond to the call of the owner, at which point you are free to reward them with treats. This approach can be used for other things as well, such as litter box training, and you’ll have formally trained your pet to do something.
4. Train your Bengal cat using a clicker.
Bengal cats respond well to clicker training, which is helpful if you’re training multiple cats at once. What is the process of clicker training? A clicker is a little device that emits a clear clicking noise that your cat can detect.
Click the clicker to signal when your pet has completed a task, then reward them with a treat or other item. Your cat will quickly come to associate the click with a goodie. You will therefore need to reward your cat each time you click, so take care not to overdo it or click accidentally!
5. Recognize and reward good behavior right immediately.
Give your Bengal cat a treat, lots of affection, or whatever else you’re using as a reward when they comply with your demands! And make sure to immediately reward them so your pet learns to correlate the good behavior with a reward.
The fact that our feline friends are highly driven by food makes treats an especially effective type of positive reinforcement. Just keep in mind that your pet has to understand at which point in the command chain the treat will come from while you’re teaching your cat and that you should wait for a moment between commands to make everything clearer.
6. Never punish them.
One other thing to note is that you should never discipline your cat. It won’t help to discipline a cat for misbehavior; on the contrary, you’re more likely to cause harm.
Bengal cats tend to become quite angry and anxious when they are punished, so instead of learning not to repeat a mistake, your pet is more inclined to engage in behaviors like hiding from you or refusing food.
Conclusion
Bengal cats may be trained to perform several tasks, so if you have one, you can definitely do it. Making use of the tips mentioned above will be quite helpful whether you’re trying to teach your cat to use the litter box, play catch, or walk on a leash.
Make sure you have enough time and patience before starting to train your cat. You should also definitely have some rewards readily available. And keep in mind that you should never punish your pet because doing so will make them anxious and can cause them to act out badly, like hiding from you.
Now that you have enough information on how to train Bengal cats, you are now ready to own your first feline friend. For quality Bengal Kittens & Cats in the Dallas – Fort Worth Texas Area, visit Lone Star Bengals at 100 Lynch Bend Rd. Springtown, TX 76082, or send an email to marla@lonestarbengals.com.