Training your RagdollAs with owning any pet, there is always some training involved to ensure that your pet exhibits proper behaviour as suited to your needs. The Ragdoll cat is extremely intelligent and is well known for being easy to train. As long as you are persistant with your Ragdoll, there is no reason that they will exhibit any unwanted behaviour. Here you can find some guidelines for the basic training your Ragdoll may require. Kittens will leave us with basic training - our kittens will all be litter trained and will be groomed frequently before the time that they leave us. It is up to the new owner to ensure that this training is continued when the kitten leaves our care at twelve to fourteen weeks of age. |
Training your Ragdoll to use a scratching post...It is particularly important with kittens that from the day you bring them home that you make sure they know where they are allowed to scratch. Make sure that from day one you have a designated are for them to scratch. One of the reason cats like to scratch is to mark their territory. That being said, it is important to remember that a scratching post tucked away in the corner of your basement may not be the best place to situate your scratching post and to ensure that your furniture does not become the objective of your cats desire to scratch. Also, keep in mind that if the scratching post is wobbly or unsecure your cat will most likely not use it. Make sure it is well balanced and sturdy. The next objective is to make sure your Ragdoll regards the scratching post as something pleasurable. Reward your cat with treats for using it, encourage him or her to play with it/on it by using a wand and offer praise when your cat shows interest in it. Try to make them use their claws on it without actually taking their paw and forcing them to scratch the post as this often is a put-off. Cats often want to scratch when they wake up from a nap so it is always nice if you can place a scratching post in your cats favorite place to nap. If your cat takes to scratching your furniture there are many things you can do to deter them. However, this should not be any issue if proper training is implemented as a kitten. One thing you could try is a deterrent spray that you can spray on anything in your house. These sprays have an odour that cats do not like and will generally steer clear from. If that doesn't work you can try using a loud whistle or a spray bottle when your cat tries to scratch something that they are not supposed to. It is important to be persistant with this type of training, and if you can try to get every member of your family involved until corrected. NEVER PUNISH YOUR CAT BY HITTING THEM! They will not understand why you have struck them and this will only elevate your problem and possibly cause behavioural issues within your cat. DECLAWING IS NOT THE ANSWER! We do not allow the declawing of our cats. This is an extremely inhumane method as not only is it very painful, it also will affect your cat after the surgery. This procedure will also often lead to behavioural issues with your cat. Scratching is a natural part of what cats do, it is important to know and understand this and to provide your Ragdoll with the proper training from the first day you bring it home. |
Training your Ragdoll to use a litter box...ALL CATS LEAVING OUR HOME WILL BE PROPERLY LITTER TRAINED! It is important to keep in mind that when placing your litterbox, it should be somewhere that your cat has easy access to. It should not be tucked away somewhere so far away that your cat forgets it even exists. If possible, it is always a good idea to have more than one litterbox, particularly in a large house. Secondly, make sure you always keep your litterbox clean! Your cat will refuse to go in a litterbox that has not been cleaned. This is also important to avoid medical conditions such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTI's).
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