Training your Persian cat may seem like a mission impossible since these cats have a reputation for being lazy and independent. So, most pet parents won’t even bother with trying to teach them some tricks. They simply give up before they’ve even started.
But what if I told you that Persian cats are equally trainable as some other breeds? Would you believe me that this breed is capable of acquiring a few cool tricks that are definitely going to make your life easier?
This whole time, you assumed that your Persian kitty couldn’t be trained, but with these tips and tricks, you’re going to change your mind.
6 rules to keep in mind when training your Persian cat
Persian cats are relaxed and enjoy laying around and cuddling with their owners. That being said, they’re not the biggest fans of any kind of activity which is probably the reason why many pet owners believe this breed can’t be trained.
However, as long as you know what you’re doing, you can get your cat to do the tricks you’ve always wanted her to. Follow these rules and you’ll notice a huge change.
1. Start early
Despite their breed, kittens are better at learning than adult cats. That’s why it’s important to start your training sessions as early as possible.
If you own a Persian kitten, then you should start training her as soon as you can. However, if you’re a proud owner of an older Persian then simply start your training process the moment you realize that your cat has gotten used to her new environment.
That way, you’ll have enough time to get your feline to learn some new tricks and habits.
2. Make sure your Persian trusts you
Training your Persian cat won’t be possible if your furry friend doesn’t trust you. This makes sense as you yourself wouldn’t want to learn from a person you don’t trust.
That’s why it’s important to create a bond with your kitty. Play with her, cuddle her, and provide her with everything she needs. Don’t forget that Persians are an affectionate breed. These cats need you to be there for them and give them all the love they deserve.
3. Persistence is the key
Expecting your cat to learn all the tricks in a matter of a week or two is completely wrong. With that attitude, you’ll never be able to teach your kitty anything.
So, be patient and understand that Persians need a bit more time when learning new things. They’re a calm and gentle breed, but at the same time, they can be a bit lazy. Just take it easy, arm yourself with persistence and patience and only then you’ll be able to see the results.
4. Use treats as a reward
Whenever you’re trying to teach your kitty something, you’ll need to find an appropriate reward for her good behavior. With some cats, you can use their favorite toys such as feather wands or plushy balls. With Persians, it’s best to use delicious treats.
Every time your Persian cat completes the task in a correct manner, give her a treat. Day after day, she’ll get better at her tricks and you’ll be happy that your efforts have paid off.
5. Never encourage bad behavior
Training your Persian cat is all about testing your boundaries. Some days, your sessions will go great and you won’t have issues with making your kitty follow your guidelines. On other days, she’ll do all the things wrong and engage in all kinds of bad behaviors that you’re trying to prevent.
Whenever that happens, you need to know what to do. Yelling at your cat or God forbid physically punishing her will only make things worse. If you happen to go down this way, you’ll end up with an anxious and scared kitty who’ll start rejecting your commands.
So, if you notice that your cat is doing something she shouldn’t be, the best way to prevent that is by redirecting her attention to something else. If she’s for example scratching furniture, you should shift her focus onto some of her favorite toys that are going to keep her occupied.
Please, just remember to avoid yelling and you’ll be good to go.
6. Repetition is the mother of all learning
Even though it means that you’ll have to repeat the same trick more times in a row, don’t give up. This way, you’ll ensure your cat actually memorizes it and gets used to doing it on her own, without treats as a bribe.
3 important things you can teach your Persian cat
When wanting to train your cat, you may come across different tricks that you want your feline to know. And even though it’s cool having a cat who can high-five, it’s way more important to first teach her some of the most basic things such as these ones.
1. Using a litter box
One of the most important things you should teach your kitty is how to use a litter box. By doing so, you’ll ensure your environment stays clean and your pet knows when and how to urinate without making a mess.
To achieve this, you first need to place the litter box someplace quiet. Your cat doesn’t like the idea of doing the potty in a crowded or noisy place. So, make sure her toilet is placed in a calm area of your home.
Also, the litter box should be away from her eating and drinking bowls and it should be easily accessible. Those are some of the main guidelines you need to follow.
The next step is to put your cat in a litter box after her meals or after she wakes up. These are the moments when she’ll probably need to go potty. After she’s done using it correctly, make sure to reward her with her favorite treat. This way, you’ll encourage your kitty to use the litter box whenever she feels the need to do so.
In the meantime, make sure to clean her litter box so she can hop in it whenever she has to. Cats are repulsed by dirty litter boxes and they won’t use them, no matter how hard you push them.
2. Name recognition
Teaching your cat to know her name will make your life ten times easier. You won’t have to walk around your house, trying to find her when it’s time for her meal. You won’t have to look under the bed or inside the closet as you’re getting ready to give her a bath.
So, training your Persian cat to recognize when she’s being called is a great starting point for every other activity.
The best way to teach your cat her name is to sit across her and say her name loud and clear. The moment she looks at you, give her a treat. It may take some time for your kitty to realize what’s going on but stay persistent.
If she doesn’t pay attention to you then you can hold the treat in front of her nose and move it closer to your eyes as you’re saying her name. Repeat this process a couple of times a day for a couple of weeks.
After a while, your feline should be able to pay full attention to you whenever you call her name. Once you notice that, you can slowly start to reduce the amount of treats you give her each time you call her.
At some point, you won’t have to give her treats at all since she’ll know that she’ll get something else whenever she’s been called, it doesn’t matter if it’s a meal or a play session.
3. Basic commands
Having a cat who responds well to some basic commands will make your life easier. That’s why you should know how to teach your cat to sit, come to you, and leave something whenever you tell her.
When you’re training her to sit, you should hold a treat above her head and say “sit.” The moment she completes the command, reward her with a treat. Repeat this process a couple of times until your feline realizes the positive consequences of her actions.
To get your cat to come to you whenever you call her, you should first teach her to recognize her name. After that, say her name and say “come” and give her a treat whenever she does that.
Same with all the other commands, you should repeat this process for as long as it takes for your feline to realize what will she get when she follows your guide.
Another important command is “leave” and it’s particularly significant as it can save your kitty from trouble. We all know the saying “Curiosity killed the cat,” but you want your feline to lead a happy life. So, this command will ensure she’s not doing things that are not good for her.
To teach your cat to leave something (or someone), say “leave it” whenever she approaches something she should avoid. When you see her walking away from it, give her a treat as a reward.
She needs to understand that following your rules will provide her with a good and happy life. In her case, it means that she’ll be getting treats or some other things she loves. And that’s more than enough.
Just keep in mind that this won’t happen overnight as training your Persian cat requires a lot of time, effort, and patience. But once you succeed at it, you’ll make her and your life ten times easier.