The words ‘cat training’ and ‘impossible’ have often been used in the same sentence. People would typically reject the idea of training their cats as it seems like an arduous task. However, contrary to popular belief, cats can be trained — much like dogs!
It still is undeniable that it is far harder to train cats. Thankfully, businesses, like Cat School, now exist to help cat owners in need!
Julie Posluns (the Founder and CEO of Cat School) is an expert in most things related to cat training! From training your cat in obedience skills to strengthening human-cat bonds, Julie can expertly assist in teaching cat owners what they need to know with the help of clicker training!
How Cat School Came About
Like most people working in animal welfare or rescue, it all started with a beloved pet. In this case, said pet is a cat named Jones.
Julie was a dog trainer and walker before she took in Jones. She had a special dog, Tyson, who had behavioral challenges — mainly displaying signs of aggressiveness. Julie used clicker training to help Tyson.
When she met Jones, she was not initially planning on keeping him; she only was supposed to foster him temporarily. Julie had kept him upstairs with her other cat, keeping him away from her dog to avoid any aggressive scuffle between them.
What Julie didn’t expect was for Jones to be a bold kitten. He courageously explored the house and even managed to befriend the antagonistic dog. Not long after, Jones also started to join her training sessions with Tyson.
“He started showing me how bold kittens or cats can be and what they enjoy.”
Julie began training Jones, primarily using treats as his main motivator. Surprisingly, her other cat expressed interest and started to join in as well. She was amazed and took that as a sign that cat training was possible.
Cat School came about after that.
Clicker Training For Happier And Healthier Cats
Cat School helps cat owners teach their cats practical and fun skills to improve behavior, strengthen their bond, and increase activity. They can teach several basic skills and commands, such as sit, down, stay, and come, much like a dog’s standard training.
“We don’t want cats to be obedient necessarily, right? We want them to have a lot of personality.”
The school also promotes leash walking and agility training. These help cats engage in physical activities and exercise to keep them in shape and burn out energy. Training also helps keep the cat’s mind busy and its body active.
“We’re not trying to crush their spirits. We’re trying to bring out their spirits. So, tricks are a fun way to do that.”
Cat School mainly utilizes clicker training. Over at their official website, they have clicker training tools that cat owners can use to train their beloved pets. They also have a monthly membership on their online training platform for those looking for hands-on courses.
Aside from their website, Cat School also has a YouTube Channel where they post various informative videos about cat training!
