There are a lot of debates regarding cat training. Can cats be trained or if they should be trained? With over more than five hundred million domestic cats in the world, having a home where you and your cat(s) can live happily does require some training. Without boundaries for our cat-like companion, we can't enjoy their company.

Having a better understanding of felines, both in terms of body and mind is a good starting point to successful training.

A cats tail is one of the ways they communicate.

If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her.

Cats wag their tails when it's in a stage of conflict. The cat wants to do two things at once, but each impulse blocks the other. For example: If your cat is in the doorway wanting to go outside, and you open the door to find it raining, the cat's tail will wag because of internal conflict. The cat wants to go outside, but doesn't want to go into the rain. Once the cat makes a decision and either returns to the house or leaves into the rain, the tail will right away stop wagging.

Cats rub up against other cats, and people, in an attempt to "mark" them with their scent glands. They most often use the scent glands between their eye and ear (near the temple area) or their scent glands near the base of their tail.

If a cat is up set it will twitch the end of its tail.

A tail held high in the air means your cat is happy, whereas a tail pointing down will most of the time indicate it isn't happy.

If you encounter a surprised cat, or one that is in fear, the hair on its back may become raised, along with its tail.

All these “signals” give owners important clues when training their cats. If a cat is twitching her tail, she's not receptive to you or what you're attempting to teach her. Very much like children. Part of cat training is knowing when to train.