Have you ever felt as if you’re on your own “How to Train Your Dragon” adventure, but with your Bengal cat as the dragon?
If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s a heart-warming story about unlikely friendships, misunderstood creatures, and the power of positive reinforcement.
Does the resemblance strike a chord?
“Attempting to train a cat to obey your commands often results in the cat training you to meet its desires instead.”
Bengal cats are amazing companions, known for their intelligence, agility, and curiosity. But sometimes, those same traits can lead to unwanted behaviours such as scratching furniture, jumping on countertops, or other trouble.
That’s where training comes in!
A comprehensive guide for addressing and modifying your Bengal cat’s undesirable behaviour.
- Identify Specific Behaviour: Determine the exact behaviour that needs addressing, whether it’s scratching furniture, aggression, or inappropriate elimination.
- Understand the Root Cause: Investigate the underlying reasons behind the behaviour, such as natural instincts, fear, stress, or boredom.
- Rule out medical issues: Rule out any medical issues by seeking advice from a veterinarian, who can offer valuable insights and recommendations.
- Implement Environmental Changes: Modify the cat’s surroundings to discourage negative behaviour and encourage positive alternatives, like providing scratching posts or interactive toys.
- Use Positive Reinforcement: Reward desired behaviours with treats, praise, or playtime to reinforce them and encourage repetition.
- Establish Consistent Rules: Set clear boundaries and ensure all household members enforce them consistently to avoid confusion.
- Redirect Negative Behaviour: Redirect the cat’s attention gently when they engage in unwanted behaviour, guiding them towards more appropriate activities.
- Provide Mental Stimulation: Enrich the cat’s environment with puzzles, games, and toys to prevent boredom and stimulate their mind.
- Practice Patience and Persistence: Changing behaviour takes time, so remain patient and persistent, celebrating small victories along the way.
By following these steps diligently, you can effectively address and modify your cat’s behaviour while strengthening your bond with them.
Understanding Your Bengal Cat’s Behaviour
Before you start training, it’s important to find out why your Bengal cat behaves the way they do.
Bengals are lively and driven by natural instincts such as hunting, climbing, and territory marking. You can tailor the training to address these instincts effectively by recognising them.
Despite what some people say, Bengal cats are trainable with the right approach.
You can build a strong bond with your Bengal cat through patience and empathy. Instead of seeing their instincts as problems, you can use them to encourage good behaviour.
Positive Reinforcement: The Key to Success
Positive reinforcement is the secret to successful cat training. Instead of punishing your cat for bad behaviour, focus on rewarding the good behaviour. Use treats, praise, and affection to encourage your cat to use a scratching post or consistently use the litter box.
Consistency is Key
Consistency is crucial to your Bengal cat’s training. Set clear boundaries and stick to them. For example, if you don’t want your cat on the kitchen counter, make sure everyone in the household is on the same page. Inconsistency can lead to confusion and undermine your training efforts.
Training Strategies for Common Behavioural Issues
Furniture Scratching: Place scratching posts and pads throughout your home, enticing your Bengal to use them by placing treats or catnip nearby. If you catch your cat scratching furniture, gently redirect them to a scratching surface, and reward them when they use it.
Countertop Jumping: Cats love to climb, but countertops can be dangerous and dirty. Use deterrents like double-sided tape or aluminium foil to discourage jumping. I know, it doesn’t work for everyone.
Provide alternative elevated spots like cat trees or shelves where your Bengal can perch safely.
Aggressive Play: Bengal cats love to play, but sometimes they can get too rough. Set boundaries and use toys like feather wands or laser pointers to engage in constructive play and channel their energy away from aggression.
Inappropriate Elimination: If your Bengal cat is inconsistent with litter box usage, make sure it’s clean and in a quiet, accessible location. Consider changing the litter’s texture or type. Quickly clean up any accidents with an enzymatic cleaner to prevent scent markings that might encourage repeat offences.
Endurance and Perseverance
Training a Bengal cat takes patience and perseverance. Remember that every cat is unique, and progress takes time. Celebrate small victories and keep up the consistency in your training efforts. With dedication and positive reinforcement, you can train your Bengal cat to be a well-behaved and cherished part of your family.
Bengal cats don’t obey, they are here to make our lives more beautiful, and they know that. Therefore, by punishing your Bengal cat you are just writing your sentence of a future with a frustrated angry cat. Treat your cat with love, encourage good behaviour, give them space and time and you will get back lots of love and purrs.
References:
- Herron ME, Buffington CA. Environmental enrichment for indoor cats. Compend Contin Educ Vet. 2010 Dec;32(12):E4. PMID: 21882164; PMCID: PMC3922041.
- Feline behavior problems: Destructive behavior. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. (2019, April 2). https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-behavior-problems-destructive-behavior
- Syufy, F. (2021, July 13). Reasons why Kittens misbehave and how to stop it. The Spruce Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-to-train-a-kitten-555146
- How to train a Bengal Cat-a crash course. Untamed. (n.d.). https://untamed.com/blogs/cat-breeds/how-to-train-a-bengal-cat