Customer Reviews

Cat Training in 10 Minutes

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

I found this book quick and easy to read and effective. I have already adopted several of the suggested tactics on our kitten (4 mos old) and now have a cat that comes when called by name, comes when you say come, and is in the process of being toilet trained. So far everything suggested has worked , and we are optimistic that the toilet training will work too! I have had a number of cats over the years, never before tried the training suggested in this book and I highly recommend 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!

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.

I like this book for it's teaching methods concerning positive techniques, for example, teaching a cat to do tricks. It has good step by step instructions for novice cat trainers to use. But the book falls far short in the section called "Correcting Improper Behavior." The author almost seems to assume that you'll be present, for example, every time kitty jumps on the counter, & that's just not going to be the case for most people, especially working people. The author suggests correcting improper behaviors by hissing at your cat while using a water pistol. I've tried it, & it doesn't work. Part of the problem is that when you see your cat doing something undesirable, you have to go & get the water pistol. By that time, the cat's finished with the behavior & it's too late to follow the procedure. I don't tend to walk around the house with a water pistol in my hand or pocket all day long, & many times, kitty silently surprises me with what he's doing. Another option is to keep a water pistol in every room, also not practical! In addition, many people want to buy a book such as this one to halt improper behaviors, & there are very few such behaviors covered in this book. So for the positive approaches, it's a good book, but it's not sufficient for dealing with improper behaviors.

I have been clicker training my cat and this book gave me insights on how to get behaviors I was unable to get with other books by showing me hand positions and other tips and tricks on how to achieve what I wanted. Don't think you can't train a cat. They get addicted! My kitten found the clicker the other day and went nuts just to OWN it to tear around the house, but in the end, he wound up putting it at my feet. When I didn't respond, he jumped up and put it on my lap. Cats want something to accomplish and, since we discourage them from hunting, learning behaviors is a positive outlet for what we DON'T want them to practice. Just one behavior, the first: TARGET you can teach immediately, and you will be able to put your cat where-ever you need. This alone could save a life.

It's so much easier than you can imagine...and rewarding. Your cat will actually understand what you want....and since my cat doesn't speak English, this form of communication actually elicits a bond he displays with affection after he gets over the fact that we're done with that lesson. He can go longer than me. He sulks when I put the clicker away, and then I get unsolicited kisses.

If you are even CONSIDERING clicker training, you should own this book. It makes the lesson plan very straight-forward, easy to achieve and you can go at your own pace. The great thing about clickers are that you teach when you want. You don't have to have a rigid schedule to achieve your goals. Go at your own pace, build on each session as you build your relationship, and most of all, have fun!

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.

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.

I was quite skeptical about the idea of training a cat to do anything. Cats are highly intelligent but not interested in pleasing us the way dogs are. In addition, my cat has cerebellar hypoplasia and is challenged in terms of general mobility. The trick shown on the cover of this book seemed far beyond his capabilities. I decided to spend a few minutes before feeding times just teaching him what the clicker was and perhaps to come when called. I was shocked to find that Nugget loves his training sessions and will follow me around the house imploring me to get out the clicker when his normal training times are getting close. Forget trying to skip a session! Nugget has become far more interactive with us and confident in his own ability to move around. While he still is unable to jump vertically, he now has learned to use his step ladder to get into chairs and on the bed. You can see the contentment in his entire body when he is able to use a previously inaccessible sleeping place or window. Also, Nugget actually is able to "jump" from chair to chair as shown on the cover of the book. We set him up for success, but still he has exceeded our expectations and his as well. I completely recommend "Cat Training in 10 Minutes". We have had wonderful results following the simple, well-illustrated instructions. It's definitely worth training your cat, and this book will tell you how to do it.

This is an excellent book on cat training. I've been working with my cat based on information from dog-training websites, and I'm delighted to finally have instructions specific to cats (yes, there are differences). This book takes you step by step through teaching a cat to do almost anything, including walking on a leash and sit/stay. The behaviors are presented in concise, manageable sections, broken down into steps when necessary, and illustrated with very clear photos. I would have given it 6 stars if Amazon had that many.