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Many people who have only recently been lucky enough to have a kitten at home do not yet know a large number of important things that are necessary for a furry family member to feel comfortable. So, many people wonder how to accustom a kitten to a name in a short time.
This article will be devoted to this particular topic. You will learn how to choose the right name for a cat so that she likes it, and how to quickly accustom a baby kitten to a new nickname.
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Choose a suitable nickname
Choose a sonorous and simple nickname to make it easier for your pet to get used to it. You should not use complex names, even if the kitten is a descendant of the great British feline family.
Shorten your full name to a short nickname: ideally one or two syllables. A good solution is to use hissing and whistling letters in the kitten's name.
Do not change the name when you have already started training the kitten. So the baby will not understand what his real name is.
Choosing a name for the pet
Before you start training, decide on a name. The nickname should be simple, a maximum of two syllables - two syllables, then it will be easier for the furry pupil to remember it.
Long, fancy names are not the best solution. If you nevertheless decide to name a cat, for example, Boniface, in everyday life call it Bonya - then the animal will quickly remember that this combination of sounds is what it is being called to.
According to a number of felinologists, cats prefer nicknames that use whistling and hissing sounds - pets get used to such names much faster. However, this point is not so important: a cat can be accustomed to any name, as long as it is simple and the owner likes it.
Attention! After starting training, do not change the name - this will only confuse the animal. The key to success is consistency.
Start training
Cats are not eager to please people like dogs. The best motivation for mustachioed pets is reward. Choose the treat for your kitten that he likes the most.
Wait until the cat is a little hungry. Take a treat in your hands, gently call your pet and reward him if he comes up. Call your cat using gestures and the classic “kitty-kitty” while he is not yet accustomed to the name.
Call the kitten by name when you feed or pet it. Describe the actions that the cat does out loud: “Murzik is playing,” “Murzik has come to eat.” This way learning will go faster.
Tidbit or “carrot” method
When the results are noticeable, the education process turns into an entertaining activity. Results can be achieved much faster if incentives are applied for each task well completed. As a rule, a favorite snack acts as a reward: a piece of sausage or meat. The most important thing is that the tailed friend really wants to receive it at the time of training. To deepen your pet’s results, you can carry a treat with you at all times in your trouser or robe pocket. In this case, it will be possible to start classes at any convenient time, when the little “student” is in the appropriate mood.
As soon as the kitten appears near you, you need to attract its attention with your fingers, be sure to call it by name. It is important here that everyone living in the house calls the baby the same name, otherwise the kitten will get confused. When the “student” pays attention to you and comes up, treat him with a tasty morsel and gently stroke or scratch him behind the ear, while still saying his name. Gradually, the result will become so strong that without giving a treat, it will be enough to simply call the kitten and it will come running. Although it wouldn’t hurt to reward him with tasty treats from time to time. After all, a conditioned reflex can fade away over time, just as it appeared. The animal will not want to run up to you if you do not offer it anything.
Let the kitten get used to the name
Never say the kitten's name when you scold it. The baby should associate the nickname with pleasant emotions: this is the only way the kitten will want to come when called.
Say the name during games to form another positive image in your cat's head. Talk to your kitten as often as possible.
Always give a treat when the kitten comes when called. This way the baby will not feel deceived.
Kittens get used to their name within a week or two of repetition. Adult cats take a little longer.
Is it possible to accustom an adult animal to a name?
You can use the same methods as when training kittens. However, the learning process can be lengthy and take much longer. The whole point is that an adult animal has a mature, established psyche and, moreover, is completely unaccustomed to obeying anyone. In general, the tailed one had a good life in the world even without a nickname. When working with an adult cat or a cat with an already formed character, you will have to be patient. If something doesn’t work out, don’t insist and ruin your relationship with the animal. It's better to leave everything as it is. After all, there is a universal remedy that all cats, without exception, respond to and which is called “kitty-kitty”.
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Make it more difficult
A week after the start of training, it’s time to increase the difficulty level. Call the kitten from a distant place: first from the other end of the room, then from another room.
If the cat lives in a private house, try calling the pet from the street. You should not do this if the kitten has never left the house before.
When the cat unmistakably comes running to the name, stop saying “kitty-kitty” and using gestures. Remove treats over time. After about a month, the kitten will follow the command without additional incentives.
Learning while playing
There is a third way to teach a nickname. It must be used in combination with the methods described above. To accustom the kitten to its name, you can use daily games and affection. Whenever you want to cuddle your baby, call him by name, showing love and gentle stroking. The owner's voice should be quiet, measured and calm. The most important thing is that all affectionate movements and words evoke only positive emotions in the kitten.
What not to do when studying
Do not hit or scold the kitten if it does not obey: this will completely confuse and frighten it. Try not to even say your nickname in an irritated voice. If you want to discuss your baby’s dirty tricks with your loved ones, do not mention his name.
Do not exclude the treat until the cat begins to run up to the call without making mistakes. This will confuse your pet.
Call your cat the same way and do not change the name. This way the kitten will quickly understand what you need from him.
If the kitten does not respond
Sometimes pets don't want to come when called. This may be due to the pet being stubborn or poorly trained: in this case, it will simply take more time.
If the kitten does not respond to its name or other ways to call it, contact your veterinarian. It is possible that the baby is deaf. White cats are more likely to suffer from hearing problems.
How long does it take for a cat to get used to it?
Adaptation depends on the age of the pet and the intensity of communication of the owner. The younger the kitten, the faster it responds. Older individuals get used to it more slowly. If the owner communicates little with the pet and is often absent from home for a long time, the reaction to the name is weakened and the memorization process is delayed. When the owner devotes enough time to the pet, addiction occurs within a period of 2 weeks to 3 months. You can understand that a cat knows its name if you call it and receive an answer in the form of a leisurely blink, tapping its tail, or purring. If the cat sits with its back to the owner, it reacts to the nickname by turning its ears towards the owner.
How long does the training last?
It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally. Some kittens need a week to learn their name, while others cannot even understand in a month why and for what reason they are pestered. On average, training lasts from two to three months.
This question is quite difficult to answer. It all depends on the personality of the little friend. There are “students” who only need a week to learn their nickname well. Other kittens, even after a month, do not understand why and why they are being pestered. Of course, there are approximate training times. On average, training can last from two to three months.
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Gradually move the tray to the front door
The second method involves purchasing a tray. It is necessary to place the tray closer to the door. If it was in a fixed place, slowly move it towards the exit of the house. Progressively move the pot over short distances. Using its sense of smell, the kitten will find the toilet.
If the kitten constantly resorts to the former location of the litter box and poops on the floor, be patient. Keep a close eye on your cat. Before making a puddle, she can rake in “invisible sand” with her paws. At this moment, pick up the cat and carry it to where the tray is located.
If the process of outdoor toilet training repeats itself endlessly, don't lose hope. The animal will definitely get used to the outdoor toilet. After a few days, your pet will get used to the litter box being outside.
So, the tray has reached the finish line. Now you can safely put it out the door, into the yard. The kitten will look for him, and you will help him by opening the door. The kid will search for the “missing toilet”. He will either find a potty outside or use a hole in the ground as a toilet. The goal will be achieved - the kitten goes outside to the toilet.
During the experiments, the kitten will become so accustomed to the toilet that it will ask to go outside, emitting a pitiful call or scratching the door.
Of course, the yard would be the best option for a restroom:
- Firstly, the cat is in the fresh air, where there are a lot of options for how to relieve yourself.
- Secondly, the pet does not depend on its owners.
- The breeder will not have to wash the litter box.
Is it possible to retrain an adult cat?
An adult cat has an already established character, which is very difficult to change. However, if both the pet and the owner have a desire, you can always find ways to compromise. It is worth remembering that cats are very smart animals that understand their owner from the first word. The gingerbread method will help you get used to the nickname, just like with a small kitten. You need to understand what your pet likes and give him this treat in response to good behavior. After a week, you can use other methods to train your pet.
How not to house train a cat
Don't forget that cats are freedom-loving animals. Violence against them is unacceptable. You should not try to push your pet into the house and hold it by force. This will turn your pet away, the structure will become a source of negative associations, and the cat will never recognize it. You can’t take the cat out of the house either; such actions are also harmful.
It is a mistake to scold an animal near its home or after an unsuccessful attempt at training - negative emotions will be associated with a building that is unpleasant for the cat for a long time.
How to choose the right name for a kitten?
It is believed that pets are able to perceive only the first 3 sounds; all the rest do not matter to them. At the same time, animals react very accurately to familiar voices and intonation; cats are in no hurry to approach strangers, even if they call them correctly.
Felinologists advise choosing a nickname that does not exceed 1-2 syllables: this allows the kitten to quickly get used to it and adapt.
It is desirable that it contains the letters s, k, c, z, sh, f, r, h, which are well perceived by tailed animals. Animals learn well nicknames ending in vowels, especially -i (Lucy, Archie).
If the issue of gender is not yet clear, it is better to lean toward a universal name. As soon as it becomes clear whether it is a cat or a cat, you will not have to change the name, because... this is very undesirable. Read the article “How to name a British cat a girl?”
