You can train a Siamese cat by clicker training. When your cat does something positive, click the clicker and give your cat a reward. When you keep marking desired behavior with a click, eventually, your cat will repeat the action to get a treat. You can even train your Siamese cat to walk on a leash with proper training.
If you have a Siamese cat and you wish to know more about how to train it, then keep on reading.
Can you train a Siamese cat?
Yes, Siamese cats are one of the most intelligent breeds of cats and are very easy to train. The most efficient way to do this is through a reward-consequence system or clicker training. Siamese cats are also easily house trained and can even be taught to do tricks. If you wish to train your cat, be sure to take your time and be patient.
What can I teach my Siamese cat?
Obedience
A Siamese cat’s intelligence can also be one of the reasons you might find training them challenging. When they feel like you are not paying them enough attention, they will do things that they know you will notice, such as scratching your furniture or knocking objects off of tables. Siamese can be quite mischievous, so training can help them behave appropriately.
It is important that you start obedience training while your Siamese is still a kitten. This will keep negative behavior from forming.
Just like you can teach a dog, you can teach your cat commands for when you need it to settle down and behave. These commands are helpful, especially when you have company present.
It is important to have trust and respect between you and your cat, but always be firm that you are the dominant one in the relationship.
House training
This is one of the first and most important things to teach your cat when they come into your home. Kittens and some adult cats from shelters are not housebroken, so it is imperative that they learn where and how to use the litter box. This keeps your house tidy and minimizes the smell of cat pee and poop. Some owners even go the extra mile and teach their cat how to use the toilet, including how to flush.
Amusing tricks
Siamese is one of the cat breeds that are often trained to be show cats. This is because they can be trained to do tricks.
Siamese cats will enjoy the time you spend teaching them tricks because they see it as a sign of affection. These cats can become depressed without enough attention, so whatever time they spend with you will help them thrive.
The more complicated the trick, the more time it will take for your cat to learn, so be reasonable when it comes to your cat’s abilities. Be patient and just have fun throughout the entire process.
How do I train my Siamese cat?
1. Start slow and small
Most owners may be too eager to start teaching their cat more complicated tasks from the get go. Your cat will respond better if they are not overwhelmed with training and high expectations. Start with simpler tasks and take things slowly.
Give your cat time to master a task or trick before you try to teach it another. For example, teach it to use the litter box before teaching it how to use the toilet.
2. Use a clicker
A clicker is a device that makes a clicking sound when pressed. Clicker training is useful in curbing negative behavior in your cat. The clicking sound will startle the cat and interrupt the negative behavior, while informing the cat that it is not behaving properly.
When you see your cat doing something bad, use the clicker. You can also reward them if they stop the bad behavior when they hear the clicker. This way they associate the clicker and behaving with a positive experience, which is receiving a treat.
Aside from using clicker training to stop negative behavior, you can also use it to teach your cat tricks.
Side note: For deaf cats, use a flashlight. It will grab your cat’s attention the same way a clicker would.
3. Give your cat a reward
Clicker training will be doubly effective if paired with a reward system. Punishing your cat is ineffective, as it sows resentment between you and your cat. Positive reinforcement will have the same results with none of the resentment.
When your cat does something good or follows your commands, reward them with a little treat. If your cat thinks they will get a treat when they do a specific thing, they are more likely to keep repeating it. And, like mentioned above, when your cat is about to do something bad, but stops when told, reward it. Eventually, they will associate not doing the bad thing with getting a treat.
4. Take your cat to obedience school
If you do not have the time or you simply cannot train your cat effectively, obedience school can be an option. Some people may think that obedience school is only for dogs, but there are services that offer training specifically for cats.
In obedience school, cat behaviorists will work with your cat to break bad habits and to discipline it.
Obedience schools can be a physical school you take your cat to, a service where the behaviorist does house calls and works with your cat in your home, or an online service that can give you tools to train your cat yourself.
These schools are not just for aggressive and misbehaving cats. They can also help your cat that simply needs to learn how to use the litter box or to socialize. These experts can help your cat sort out negative behavior from past traumas, especially for cats that are adopted from shelters.
One negative about this option is that it can get pricey, depending on the experience and success rate of the cat behaviorist. Some obedience schools charge up to $300 per session.
How do I make training easier for my Siamese cat?
As we mentioned, Siamese cats are easier to train than most cat breeds. This is because they are eager to please you by learning new tricks so that you spend more time with them. Here are some tips to use and consider:
Start training your cat as a kitten
Cats are most impressionable as kittens. While it is not impossible to train an older cat, establishing good behavior is most effective when started at a young age. Since Siamese cats are very smart, they can be trained at any age. You will have little to no problem training them or teaching them tricks.
Establish a strong bond with your cat
A good foundation for effective training is trust between you and your cat. This kind of bond only develops over time and does not depend on how loveable your cat is. You can usually tell your cat loves you when it looks you in the eyes and blinks slowly.
Your cat needs to understand first that you are training them to discipline them, not because they are being a bad cat. That is why punishing your cat is counterproductive; they will start to feel unwelcome in your home.
Spending quality time everyday with your cat will help build that bond.
Conclusion
Compared to most cat breeds, it is relatively easy to train Siamese cats, but it still takes patience, effort, and time. Siamese cats’ playfulness and intelligence makes them pick up new tricks quickly.
The essential things an owner needs to teach their cat are house training and obedience. When these are established, you can teach your cat other tricks.
The methods one can use to train a cat are clicker training, a reward system, or putting them through obedience school. Even though Siamese cats can be trained at any age, starting them young is ideal.
Image: istockphoto.com / Eugene Zvonkov