Cat Training in 10 Minutes

by Miriam Fields-Babineau and Miriam Fields Babineau

Book Overview

Cats are intelligent curious animals that enjoy learning new behaviors and skills. This book will show you how to train your cat in just minutes a day. The training is based on positive reinforcement,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0793805309
• ISBN13: 9780793805303
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Tfh Publications, Inc.
• Length: 142 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Love the book! I am excited!

Beautiful book full of illustrations. I am just so excited to get started training my cats!!!

The definitive resource for clicker training

After reading the reviews of this book and the similar Clicker Training for Cats by Karen Pryor, I purchased both so that I could compare them and possibly benefit from two different sources. However, after reading both manuals and having been clicker training my cat for several months now, I can say with absolute certainty that Cat Training in 10 Minutes is far superior in quality and content to Karen Pryor's book. 1. Comprehensiveness of Clicker Theory: 5/5 stars. The theory used in Cat Training in 10 Minutes is operant conditioning. Using a clicker followed by a reward, you can reinforce desired behavior in your cat. Verbal commands (come, sit) as well as specific hand signals are incorporated in this book. I find the hand signals to be just as essential as the verbal commands: upon seeing the signal, my cat immediately knows which action she is to perform and will begin to do it even before I give the verbal command. 2. Accessibility: 5/5 stars. Cat Training in 10 Minutes is written in easy-to-follow expository style, with occasional narrative anecdotes. It has color photos on every page depicting the specific command/action, how to signal with your hand, and how your cat will likely react. The instructions are clearly numbered and succinct. 3. Organization: 5/5 stars. The first chapter is an introduction that discusses the theory behind clicker training and the tools you'll need. Each following chapter covers one specific command/type of behavior, and the chapters are arranged from easy to hard. There are a few "bonus" chapters at the end of the book that discuss cats in our lives, correcting bad behavior, and professional/movie industry cat trainers. I was pleasantly surprised by this last chapter: it was an enjoyable read and informative to boot. 4. Correcting Undesirable Behavior: 2/5 stars. In this book's sole weak spot, the author discusses only furniture scratching, inconsistent litter box use, and walking on countertops. Despite this chapter's short length, I personally found it to be more helpful than its counterpart in Ms. Pryor's book. Why? Because Cat Training in 10 Minutes actually lists specific instructions for correcting bad behavior using a clicker. I've implemented some of these tactics, especially regarding furniture scratching, with my own cat and have had great success. 5. Helpful/Extra Features: 5/5 stars. First, the author's short anecdotes are contained in colorful call-out boxes along the side of the page, which lends a nice organizational layout to the text and keeps the instructional body uncluttered. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the book has several appendices (hand signals, adoption/rescue resources) and an alphabetical index. In summary, I highly recommend Cat Training in 10 Minutes to anyone looking to clicker train their cat, as its quality and content are head-and-shoulders above Karen Pryor's book. Good luck, and here's to your cat learning some great new tricks!

Have Fun with Your Cat

Don't know what else to do with your cat besides petting and playing a game catch the string or ball? Have fun, train your cat. I just got this book and already my cat and I have spent time doing the beginning tricks and she's loving it! She bit my finger though trying to get the treat, so I suggest you follow the book and make yourself a training spoon. As for getting a 'clicker' I haven't found a good reason to use it. (After trying the 'come here' command successfully several times without the clicker, I tried it with the clicker and the sound scared my cat--maybe we'll work on it...) Good info in this book--it would be nice if they can make a cat training DVD. It's nice to see it working.

It's easy, and it really works!

I'm a HUGE fan of this book. It has straightforward, easy-to-follow instructions with clear illustrations, and it really works! I'm working my way up to the bigger things (like walking on a leash), but so far, with only 5-10 minutes of "training" a day, my cat has quickly picked up both the "come" and the "sit" commands. This book suggests particular hand signals to pair with the voice commands (which the pictures clarify) and they REALLY seem to make a difference. My kitty even responds to the hand signals alone now, which is great. But to pick up these behaviors in a day or two is truly impressive! I can't get over how fast he's learning all these things, and all credit goes to the book. It's a great resource for training your cat, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Buy this book!

I purchased this book and another entitled "Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats". The latter is absolutely useless! It is filled with antedotes and very little to almost no instruction. What a waste. "10 mintues" is the only book you need to clicker train your feline. My very energetic kitten has responded almost instantly to clicker training. It gives her something to do and think about, as well as use all the excess energy! After three 10 minute sessions my kitten targets, comes, sits, and twirls, as well as taking treats from my hand politely. What more can I say? Buy this book!

Full-color photographs and straightforward instructions

Cat Training In 10 Minutes by cat owner, trainer, and communicator Miriam Fields-Babineau, is an easy-to-follow guide to instructing a beloved feline companion to perform simple tricks with a minimum of time and effort. Full-color photographs and straightforward instructions teach the reader how to train a cat to walk on a leash, speak on command, use the commode instead of a litter box, and more. Cat Training In 10 Minutes is an "user friendly", practical, and effective resource for cat owners.