Can cats be trained like dogs?

suomi

Wow, savannah cats are gorgeous - and huge! :eek: I would love a dog-like cat but they definitely look like an expensive breed. So I wouldn't mind getting just an ordinary mixed breed cat.

Also, about walking on the counters, I wouldn't mind if the cat did it while I was gone, I'm sure an indoor cat is pretty clean so it wouldn't be too unhygienic. As long as I won't have to keep shouting at it to go away while I'm cooking or something.

tatli_lokma

its the hairs on the counter that are a pain. Mine doesn't venture on there too often thank god, but even so, just in case I always give the counter a full wipe down before I cook anything otherwise there is always the chance of hairs floating around. TBH I really don't mind that, but its when I cook for other people that I am really conscious of it.

Nody

Little Ted wrote: »

its the hairs on the counter that are a pain. Mine doesn't venture on there too often thank god, but even so, just in case I always give the counter a full wipe down before I cook anything otherwise there is always the chance of hairs floating around. TBH I really don't mind that, but its when I cook for other people that I am really conscious of it.

They will pick up more from the air then they will from the counters if you can't spot it in the first place :pac:.

We warn everyone coming to our apartment that they will be hairy afterwards; either by choice (willingly cuddling cats) or forced on them (cats cuddling their clothes anyway).

getz

Little Ted wrote: »

its the hairs on the counter that are a pain. Mine doesn't venture on there too often thank god, but even so, just in case I always give the counter a full wipe down before I cook anything otherwise there is always the chance of hairs floating around. TBH I really don't mind that, but its when I cook for other people that I am really conscious of it.

yes but without those litte hairs,food would never taste the same again.

SillyMangoX

A meal isn't complete without cat hairs :P

getz

SillyMangoX wrote: »

A meal isn't complete without cat hairs :P

do you prefer pedigree or moggie ?

tatli_lokma

getz wrote: »

do you prefer pedigree or moggie ?

I don't really mind - as long as its not curly

SillyMangoX

getz wrote: »

do you prefer pedigree or moggie ?

Moggie had a certain wild twang to it :P

getz

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Moggie had a certain wild twang to it :P

better than dog hairs,dog hairs can be rough on the palate

Solair

Our cat's kind of semi-trainable. He'll basically learn things he finds interesting / amusing and ignore everything else.

If you call his name, you get an instant response of a load of meows and he comes hurtling into the room. Or if you're outside, he'll come hurtling down a tree / down the street / over a wall or whatever and you'll be greeted with a big head but / face rub on your leg.

If you mention the word 'dinner' he goes completely into a frenzy of meows looking for food.

Same goes for "breakfast", "lunch", "would anyone like a cup of tea?"... he's learnt almost every word / phrase that could indicate someone's going to the kitchen to make food.

He seems to understand "out" if you want to get him out of the room or "go to bed" (he'll go to bed).

If you say "get ... (name)" he goes over and gives them a rub and meows.

He can also open doors with handles (jumps and pulls the handle), attempts to open the fridge by lying on his back and pulling the door with his front paws (thankfully it doesn't work!)

and he can knock on the hall door (jumps at the knocker) to get an answer.

We tried training him to sit. He just looks at you going "meow" in a totally puzzled way.

But, I'd say yeah cats are quite trainable but you will not train them to do anything they don't actually find somehow useful / entertaining.

Dogs on the other hand like to learn stuff purely for the sake of rewards / approval. Cats basically don't give a damn about that kind of thing. They're rather more self-assured and their idea of socialising is pretty much just sleeping on top of you.

Cats are social animals, they're just not complex pack hunters like dogs. They do actually live in colonies though and they do interact.

They also do not understand boundaries really at all. A dog seems to learn rules about where it can/can't go.
A cat will just accept that you have said 'get down' and will wait until you've gone away / sneak back when it thinks you're not looking.

tatli_lokma

Solair wrote: »

He can also open doors with handles (jumps and pulls the handle), attempts to open the fridge by lying on his back and pulling the door with his front paws (thankfully it doesn't work!)

and he can knock on the hall door (jumps at the knocker) to get an answer.

Haha my sister's cat does those things as well. They had to move where they keep the cat food as he had actually figured out how to get the cupboard door open, pull out a pouch of food and rip it open. She came home one day to find 6 pouches opened and a very bloated and full cat looking back at her from a felix-induced food coma! lol

suomi

Solair wrote: »

Our cat's kind of semi-trainable. He'll basically learn things he finds interesting / amusing and ignore everything else.

If you call his name, you get an instant response of a load of meows and he comes hurtling into the room. Or if you're outside, he'll come hurtling down a tree / down the street / over a wall or whatever and you'll be greeted with a big head but / face rub on your leg.

If you mention the word 'dinner' he goes completely into a frenzy of meows looking for food.

Same goes for "breakfast", "lunch", "would anyone like a cup of tea?"... he's learnt almost every word / phrase that could indicate someone's going to the kitchen to make food.

He seems to understand "out" if you want to get him out of the room or "go to bed" (he'll go to bed).

If you say "get ... (name)" he goes over and gives them a rub and meows.

He can also open doors with handles (jumps and pulls the handle), attempts to open the fridge by lying on his back and pulling the door with his front paws (thankfully it doesn't work!)

and he can knock on the hall door (jumps at the knocker) to get an answer.

We tried training him to sit. He just looks at you going "meow" in a totally puzzled way.

But, I'd say yeah cats are quite trainable but you will not train them to do anything they don't actually find somehow useful / entertaining.

Dogs on the other hand like to learn stuff purely for the sake of rewards / approval. Cats basically don't give a damn about that kind of thing. They're rather more self-assured and their idea of socialising is pretty much just sleeping on top of you.

Cats are social animals, they're just not complex pack hunters like dogs. They do actually live in colonies though and they do interact.

They also do not understand boundaries really at all. A dog seems to learn rules about where it can/can't go.
A cat will just accept that you have said 'get down' and will wait until you've gone away / sneak back when it thinks you're not looking.

Wow, your cat sounds very smart! Thanks for the great post, it's very helpful. This thread has certainly made me want to get a cat a bit more.

Whispered

suomi wrote: »

his thread has certainly made me want to get a cat a bit more.

I think then you should also hear the bad :pac:

My boy decides that anytime between 2 - 6am is a perfect time to wake me up for more food/different water/look to get into my bed.

He mioaws to get into a room, out of the room, onto my bed, onto my knee.

He loves to catch mice and bring them UP THE STAIRS and into the bathroom, perfect for late night toilet goers to touch with their bare feet.

He doesn't like using the litter box, and prefers to wait until morning when he can get out and go in the flower bed at the back of my garden. But if for one night I don't provide a litter box, he poo's in the bath.

EDIT: He plays with his food and throws it around the hallway, but if it's particularly tasty (like when I was changing him over from wet to dry) he tried to knock the spoon from my hands, practically unhinges his jaw and shovels it in like a snake then immediately vomits it back up. For a while he had to be fed a tiny bit at a time until he got over his "wet food excitement".

spookwoman

Ah yes the joys of owning a cat. Our 3 are indoor, rescues and it's like looking after kids.
From 12 to morning is usually play time and when they kick off its like a herd of elephants charging around the house. Tough luck if you're in the way.
The youngest drools and likes to get into the bed. Will whinge to get the covers lifted. She also like to do a dance on your head with her claws out. She's very toxic, could sell her emissions to a bio weapons company.
Middle one is a long hair think he may have a bit of turkish van in him as fur is like cotton wool and has no undercoat. When he has a dicky tummy its a shower job to clean him.
Eldest likes to shoulder charge doors and when locked he is persistent no matter what time it is. He will also head butt and dig in trying to turn you over in the bed just to get a pet.

suomi

Ha, thanks for the reality check! I wish I could test what it's like owning a cat for a couple of weeks to see if I'd like it or not before properly committing to it. I guess every cat is different, but if mine was the type who constantly wakes me at night, destroys everything, is generally very noisy... That would be a lot to get used to. :eek:

tatli_lokma

well if try before you buy is what you want, what about offering to foster? that way you can get an idea of the cat's personality before you fully commit. If its not for you, you only need to look after the cat until a new home or new fosterer is found.

That's how I got my madam - I fostered her and her two litter mates and ended up falling in love with her and kept her.

Lawrence1895

My older Tom is sort of trained not to eat, when I'm in work, he rather waits at the front door for me to come home :rolleyes:

mymo

I would suggest fostering too, not young kittens if you work, but older cats 2+. Often they are harder to home, but usually have got over the mad kitten phase and are more settled, litter trained etc.
Cats can take time to settle, anything from 2 hours to 2 months, but it's nice to see the personality come out.

Cats can be trained when they want to do what they like, we have one that high fives for a cuddle, one that sits for treats, a kitten that is learning both. All no the "ah ah" shout means stop that, none get on table or counter when we can see them. But we don't leave nice things there to entice them up there;)

Ambersky

I think the rate of attitudes changing in relation to cats as pets in Ireland is changing but trailing behind the changes made in relation to dogs.
There was a time too when dogs were outdoor creatures who were let out daily to roam about with other dogs and explore their territory. People said it was unfair and unnatural to keep a dog in and not allow it its freedom. We now find ways to give our dogs what they need while keeping them and the public safe.

People are not use to caring for cats in the same way as they care for their dogs. Cats are sometimes thought of as animals that are free from too much responsibility. If they live, fine, if they die, get a new one.
Cats communicate their needs and their illnesses differently than dogs and we need to learn to understand their language and what they are saying to us.
Sometimes that language is being said in nuisance behaviour, learning to understand that they are expressing a need means we can decide what to do about it and possibly stop it being a nuisance.

suomi says
but if mine was the type who constantly wakes me at night, destroys everything, is generally very noisy... That would be a lot to get used to.

Looking around and reading articles about cat behaviour like this may help. 6 Reasons why your cat wakes you up at night. http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-behavior-wakes-you-up-at-night-6-reasons

If you are worried, as I was initially about the personality of your new pet why not try sites like this that have been minding the cat for a while and are able to post up and tell you more about the personality of the individual cat before you commit to it.
http://www.catsaid.org/adopt_a_cat/adopt_cat.html

All this comes up even more acutely when we are talking about an indoor cat. With an indoor cat we as humans must see to it that as we made that decision to keep a cat indoors we must provide for all the needs of that animal and that may require a better understanding of cats than we use to have.

It seems unnatural to cut a cats claws because we are so use to thinking about outdoor cats who need those claws to defend themselves, to climb and to hunt.
Claws of cats like claws of dogs get worn down when outdoors.
Indoors a cats claws and a dogs claws can get too long.

If yours is an indoors cat it is more fun to play with a cat who has had her claws clipped and kitty may be getting longer play times when she can play without accidentally scratching anyone. Her claws will not be catching in soft furnishings when clipped and she will be able to lay on your lap and pad her paws as much as you and she likes without having to be put down for sticking her nails into you too much.
It seems cats dont scratch on posts and trees or even furniture to shorten their nails Cats scratch because
It conditions the claws by removing the dead outer layer or sheath. (kind of narrower but sharper, not shorter)
It is a way of marking territory by leaving both a visual mark and an odor or scent (cats have scent glands on their paws).
It is a way of stretching the entire body and flexing the feet and claws.
It is used during play.
It may be that cats communicate dominance by scratching in front of other
cats.

A bit more on cats and claws here http://www.caws.org/catclaws.html

As for shedding I cant recommend a de shedding or stripping comb highly enough. My cat and my friends cat simply love being groomed and this comb or the more expensive Furminator takes away fist fulls of loose hair from our short hair cats.
When you start using it first it may seem like you are actually getting too much hair on the comb it just keeps coming out without hurting the cat. But then as you continue use there is obviously less loose hair and it really does reduce the amount of hair left on clothes and furniture.
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_grooming_care/grooming_tools/perfect_care/129852

spookwoman

A cat is not something you can hand back cause it doesn't agree with you or your lifestyle. They need to be cared for and it costs money. The best thing you can do is have your cat neutered or spayed. They need to get their yearly shots and checkups like a human.
You're going to get cat hair everywhere that sticks to cloths, if indoor there is the litter trays and grass that will need to be brought in for them to eat. They need attention and listening to them knocking a ball off the skirting boards at 2am is all part and parcel. Many cat owners say a cat is deprived if there is no stairs in the house as they like to charge up and down them in 4 wheel drive mode. You will be ignored and tantrums are expected. As I said it's like looking after kids, wiping eyes, cleaning ears and bums.
I see many outdoor cats on the estate and they get into fights etc. 2 un neutered Toms which we tried to capture died from feline aids and both suffered. Bowsy was only starting to get friendly, was limping like an old man and couldn't fight died from the cold last year. Fugly was starting to get friendly with neighbour and was in a bad way the day he was caught. He was put down because his mouth was rotten from the disease. The disease is passed through fighting etc. If caught early it can be managed but the cat will have to be kept indoors to stop it spreading the disease to others.
All 3 of ours are rescues, eldest is from cats aid and was found as a kitten on Dorset street His name is Spook mark 3 http://www.catsaid.org/newsletter/Images/Cats%20Aid%20Summer%2012%20Newsletter.pdf hense the name spookwoman, I'm his human.
Dexter is the middle one he was dumped at the vets cause his owner got pregnant and thought having a cat was dirty and unhealthy.
Stumpy the youngest was found on the estate by some kids she was about 8 weeks old full of mites, fleas and worms. She also had cuts on her feet and and would not have lasted the night if we had not taken her in.

Update : 5am this morning all 3 decided it was play time, woke up to the sound of furry elephants charging up and down the stairs and doing the scud missile from the top of the wardrobe onto the floor.

Leadan

Hi guys

I am a massive cat lover and would be very interested in buying a Savannah kitten, I would not want it for breeding but only as a pet only. I am fascinated by them! I understand that they are quite expensive but the fully grown seem to be dearer than kittens??! I was wondering if anyone knew of a breeder in Ireland, I would ideally love an F1 but believe they are the most expensive, I would however settle for an F2 or F3 (not sure of the price difference). I have come across many people selling what they are claiming are Savannahs but they are going for like €200 - €400 and although I'm not an expert judging on the price it seems very low? If you know if anyone who are selling GENUINE Savannahs I would be very grateful for your help.

Thanks!

Nody

Leadan if it sounds to cheap to be true it is (a F1 would be around 10k GBP starting price from what I've seen so yea 400 EUR is NOT a real deal). The breed is rare and you'll have to put in a lot of leg work to find a real one and I'm not aware of ANY breeder in Ireland. This list shows a few in the UK but once again expect to put up four if not five digits to pay for a real one.

Oh and here's a price table to give you an idea (replace straight USD for EUR/GBP due to rarity over here at least):

Savannah Kitten Price Range

F1 $10,000 - $15,000
F2 $4,500 - $10,000
F3 $3,000 - $5,000
F4 $1,200 - $2,500
F5 $950 - $7,000

Leadan

Thanks a mil Nody! Its a hell of a lot of money but they are fab. Maybe some day :rolleyes:

Thanks again!