Cat Friendly Handling – why we do it

Posted on September 5, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

a cat is examined in her carrier — A cat is examined in a familiar place – the bottom of her carrier.

The other day a client brought her cat in for an exam and vaccines. This cat had been previously seen at the clinic and had been aggressive toward the veterinary staff and the owner. She had been prescribed gabapentin to reduce anxiety when coming in for vet visits. Gabapentin is bitter, so some cats will not eat it in food and may need to be given the pill.

The owner was unable to get her cat to eat the powder in food and brought the cat in unmedicated. This cat was in a soft carrier and was striking with her front paws at the carrier sides when approached. When cats are in a negative emotional state as was this cat, the two ways available to the veterinary professional to try change the emotional state are food and play. This cat was having neither.

A dilemma – proceed with the visit?

the veterinary staff

If we move forward, glove up and use thick towels, we can immobilize the cat and perhaps administer vaccines. Being in the soft carrier, she would be difficult to get out, but we could give the vaccine through the mesh sides, although there would be the risk if she wiggled loose a vaccine intended to go under the skin could end up in the muscle.

the cat’s point of view

When presented with a threatening scenario, a cat has three options: 1) flight 2) fight 3) freeze (learned helplessness).
The cat in question was in a carrier in an exam room so flight was out of the question. She decided to fight, which she was ready to do, striking at the carrier sides when the owner or veterinary staff approached.

Imagine being snugly enveloped by towels, you can’t see what’s going on nor can you move. Some cats will continue to thrash, kick, and bite; other cats will give up at some point. The exam may be very brief, perhaps just measuring the heart rate through the towel. Whether the cat continues to fight or gives up, the experience is negative. If the cat perceives that fighting is successful – after all, she goes home after the struggle – she may fight even harder on the next visit. The cat will stick with a strategy she thinks works.

the stress of the vet visit

So many owners are stressed about how their cat is treated at the vet clinic, they try to avoid bringing the cat in until it is absolutely necessary. Sometimes, to the cat’s detriment, health conditions have worsened by the time the cat receives medical care.

owner’s stress

The cat hides under the bed when the carrier comes out.
The cat has to be “dragged” out from under the bed.
The cat does not want to go into the carrier.
The cat cries constantly on the way to the vet.
The owner anticipates that the cat will be difficult and sedation will increase the cost of the visit.

the cat’s stress

You are placed in a box that you associate with fear and anxiety.
Your box (with you in it!) is placed in a larger box that moves and smells funny.
You are frightened, may be nauseated, or may soil yourself.
The vet clinic smells of other frightened animals.
You are handled by strange humans.

Each time “heavy restraint” is used, a cat often becomes increasingly aggressive, until the exam and treatments have to be done under anesthesia.

Cat friendly handling – breaking the cycle

Cat friendly handling is geared toward following the CAT handling guidelines.

Give the cat as much choice and control as possible.
Pay attention to the cat’s body language and tailor the handling to the individual cat.
Touch the cat where he prefers to be touched.
Positive Reinforement: Make unpleasant procedures (vaccines, sample collection) worthwhile to the cat, offering food or head rubs.

Low Stress vet visits require that the veterinary staff and cat owner work together as a team. Cat friendly handling begins at home and continues when the cat and owner arrive at the vet clinic.

“A BETTER VET VISIT FOR YOUR CAT“

Train your cat to comfortable in her carrier. Consider a carrier with a removable lid so that she can at least be examined in the safety of her “home away from home”.
Desensitize your cat to riding in the car – take a drive around the block where you don’t end up at the vet.
If the veterinary team recommends an anti-anxiety “cocktail”, figure out how your cat will take it. Consider training your cat to accept medication.
If your cat has a favorite treat or food that he likes, consider picking up his food the night before for a morning appointment or in the morning for an afternoon appointment. Bring the treats along and offer them to the staff to feed kitty during his exam or procedures.
Choose a Cat Friendly Practice where the staff have had some training in cat friendly handling.

What happened with the cat we talked about earlier?

The owner felt that a cat-only practice made her cat more reactive. We elected not to proceed with the exam and suggested the owner find a clinic that was a better fit. We can only hope that the cycle of aggression will be broken.

Like taking a toddler to the doctor, the vet visit can be scary for your cat. Cat friendly handling can make the visit less stressful for both you and your cat!

Want to keep up with the world of cats? Subscribe to The Feline Purrspective!

How does clicker training your cat work?

Posted on August 1, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Clicker training your cat pairs the sound of the clicker, a small handheld gadget, with a treat or some other thing the cat likes. When the cat hears the click, he knows that a treat or something good is on its way. If the cat sits when he hears the word “sit” and hears a click as he sits, he will look for his expected reward. If he receives the reward, he will be more likely to “sit” next time upon command.

At the core of clicker training your cat are two learning processes: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Let’s look at these two ways of learning.

Classical Conditioning – An involuntary response is associated with a stimulus

During the 1890’s, a Russian scientist, Ivan Pavlov was studying digestion in dogs, measuring the amount of saliva produced by a group of dogs presented with meat.

Pavlov noticed that:

the dogs would drool when food was placed in front of them
they would also drool before they received the meat, when they heard the footsteps of the assistant bringing the meat.

This started a series of experiments using lights, metronomes and, of course, bells to stimulate the drooling. Pavlov had discovered the learning process that we now call “classical conditioning”, where an involuntary response like salivating is associated with a stimulus, the ringing of a bell.

Operant conditioning – A voluntary behavior is associated with aN outcome

Likewise, snapping the lid off a can of cat food can help call the kitties to dinner. The dogs connected the ringing of the bell with food; your cats may be accustomed or conditioned to associate the sound of the can opening with being fed. This is another example of “classical conditioning”.

Your cat has heard the can opening. Now, he must decide whether he is going to come for dinner. Most of the time, he makes the decision to come when “called”, anticipating a dinner of cat food. This “voluntary” response is the learning process called operant conditioning – the cat has control over whether he comes or not.

Folks who study behavior have identified 4 different scenarios in operant learning: 2 that increase the likelihood that the behavior being trained will be repeated and 2 that decrease the likelihood that the behavior is repeated.

operant conditioning – 4 scenarios

INCREASE THE BEHAVIOR

POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

ADD a good outcome – the cat is likely to perform the behavior again.

We ask the cat to “sit” and when he sits, we give him a tasty treat. We REWARD the behavior of sitting.

DECREASE THE BEHAVIOR

POSITIVE PUNISHMENT

ADD something unpleasant to discourage a behavior.

Your kitty jumps up on the counter and you spray her with water. She jumps down. You have added an unpleasant spray of water (punishment) to getting up on the counter.

negative reinforcement

TAKE AWAY something unpleasant- the cat is likely to do what stops what’s unpleasant.

You are trying to trim your cat’s nails but the moment you touch her foot with the clippers, she growls and hisses and you stop. It is likely next time, she will growl and hiss to stop you from trimming her nails. You are reinforcing her behavior of hissing and growling at nail trims by “removing” the unpleasant nail trim.

negative punishment

TAKE AWAY something the cat likes to discourage a behavior.

Your cat wakes you up at night to be petted. You put her outside the bedroom and close the door. You are removing the opportunity for some stroking that your cat enjoys with the hope that your cat will not wake you up in the future.

THE PROBLEM WITH positive PUNISHMENT

It is difficult to get the timing right – you must spray the cat as she is jumping on the counter otherwise she may associate something else (you) with the spray of water
Punishment does not remove a behavior. There is an immediate effect – kitty jumps off the counter – but she may continue to jump on the counter if you are NOT there to spray her.
Devices like a SSSCAT (a motion-activated spray system) may keep her off the counter as long as they are working. A concern with these devices is injury if the cat is startled and falls off the counter.
Punishment can put the cat into an anxious, fearful state, anticipating a consequence (punishment) the cat does not understand.

“Classical” conditioning and “operant” conditioning with positive reinforcement form the core of clicker training your cat.

The cat learns to associate the “click” of the clicker with food or something he values.
He will choose to perform a behavior, like sitting upon command, anticipating a treat.

Positive reinforcement is the most successful training technique because the cat will not be fearful or anxious but will be in a positive emotional state, ready to learn – after all, something good will happen!

A POSTSCRIPT

What to try if your cat hates nail trims

Positive reinforcement!

Start by handling her feet and giving her a treat for each paw you pick up.
Move on to touching her feet with the nail clippers, and give her treats for each paw.
Work up to trimming a few claws at a time, and of course, reward her!

Counter Surfing

With kitchen counters, the drive to seek food is strong and difficult for a cat to suppress. Also, cats instinctively, “go for the high ground”, especially if they are avoiding something they are leery of.

Is your cat jumping on the counter to get food or avoid the dog and the toddler? You may need to control the dog or toddler.
Keep food off the counters unless you are preparing it.
Find a place (preferably high) for kitty to sit while you are working at the counter and reward him for sitting there.
Sometimes, using “aversives”, things cats don’t like, may help. For example, using a non-toxic citrus spray on the counter or using an upside-down carpet runner (with the “spikes” facing up) may deter jumping up on the counter.
If your cat is driving you crazy or may get hurt, put him in a safe place with all his resources while you prepare food.

Want to learn more about the world of cats? Subscribe to The Feline Purrspective!

Change how we think about cats

Posted on June 20, 2021July 3, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The other day I was walking with Gus around the pond on the condo property. A neighbor came down the path – Gus approached him with his tail up, in greeting. The neighbor did not reciprocate but instead stopped a few feet away from Gus. Gus sat down and stayed still. The neighbor then walked by and muttered “ typical cat” as he passed by.

The neighbor clearly did not understand the tail up greeting. I wondered what he expected from Gus – was Gus supposed to come over wagging his tail? Gus approached with his tail up in friendly greeting. When the greeting was not returned (the neighbor did not offer his hand or get down on Gus’s level), Gus sat, and tried to figure out where the interaction was going – was it hostile or neutral? It certainly was not friendly.

Cats – Mysterious?

Indeed, we are more familiar with dogs’ body language than that of cats. People see dogs as more social than cats. Someone getting a puppy will plan to take it places, walk it and play with it.

Kittens often stay at home and don’t venture out into the outside world – we don’t have to walk them; after all they have litter boxes. Once the kitten grows into a cat, people often don’t “play” with her that much – after all she is getting older and seems to sleep most of the time. Many cat owners are not aware of the importance of “play” or hunting practice to a born hunter.

cats – social and trainable

In the past few decades, cats have increased in popularity as pets. Consequently, cat behavior and cat care have become popular subjects to study. We have learned that cats are social animals and can be trained. The stereotype of the aloof, antisocial cat is starting to change. We are starting to change how we think about cats.

We have found that kittens learn most efficiently during the “sensitive period, 2-7 weeks of age. Kittens who are handled kindly and gently by a variety of humans during the sensitive period quickly learn to accept people and enjoy being with them. [What Makes a Friendly Cat? ]

In the veterinary world, the Cat-Friendly Practice initiative aims to make vet visits more pleasant for cats and their owners. The Cat Friendly Practice acknowledges that “ cats are not small dogs”. Handling techniques geared toward reducing stress and acknowledgement of the cat’s superlative sense of smell are highlights of this program.

Many of us have had more time at home with our pets in the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an increasing trend toward “humanizing” cats and dogs, celebrating their birthdays and giving them Christmas presents. While giving toys or tasty food on special days is harmless, we need to avoid treating cats as small humans in fur suits. They are CATS, a different species with their own behaviors and ways of communicating. [The Cat-Human Bond]

change how we think about cats

A quiet revolution is happening – be part of it. Change how we think about cats. Show people that cats are social and part of the family and that we can communicate with them by training them.

Train your cat to walk on a leash or ride in a backpack or stroller
Train your cat to a place in the living room where he can safely hangout while people are visiting
Video your cat sitting on command and post on social media
Are you or someone you know getting a kitten? Enroll in a kitten kindergarten or get a group of friends together to do your own!

So take on the challenge. Train your cat – become a “cat whisperer” and change how we think about cats!

Want to keep up with the world of cats? Click the button below and subscribe to The Feline Purrspective!

Exercising Your Cat

Posted on May 30, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Keeping active physically has a lot of benefits for people. It helps your mind work better – you learn things more easily. Physical exercise helps increase your muscle mass and strength. It also tends to induce a positive mood or emotional state.

Exercising your cat can give your cat the same boost we get from physical activity. Unfortunately, just like us, it is easy for them to become couch potatoes.

My 16 year old, Athena, is the equivalent of an 80 year old person. She has developed osteoarthritis and chronic kidney disease. To help with the arthritis, I have provided her with steps to get places and litter boxes with lower entrances. This winter I bought her a heated bed which she really likes. I noticed, however, that she was spending an awful lot of time in this bed and not moving around as much.

Although heat increases blood flow and makes connective tissue temporarily more flexible, it also stimulates inflammation and swelling. So some heat is good for comfort but I wanted to reduce the inflammation associated with Athena’s arthritis and cheer her up a bit!

Exercising your Cat – A good Rx

Exercise reduces inflammation: Your body’s cells produce proteins called cytokines that regulate immunity and inflammation. Humans with arthritis who exercise produce more cytokines that reduce inflammation. Cells in cat’s bodies produce similar cytokines so exercise can also reduce inflammation in cats.
Exercise strengthens the muscles that surround joints making movement easier and less painful.
Exercise improves mood, memory, reduces anxiety and helps the GI tract to function better.

The TAKEAWAY: Daily play (exercise) is good for cats of all ages!

Here are some exercises to work into your cat’s daily play time. Make sessions short and positive and work at your cat’s own pace.

Cat sitting up — Gus sits up on his hind legs.

More Please!: Holding a treat or toy above your cat’s head, encourage him to sit up with his front feet off the ground for a few seconds. This is good for kitty’s core muscles.

Catch the bird: A feather toy on a wand can encourage your cat to “stand up”, engaging his core muscles.

Catnip/silvervine Roll: If your cat enjoys catnip or silver vine, by all means indulge her. The catnip response lasts less then 10 min and often involves rolling around, which is good for kitty’s core muscles.

Cat walking on cushions — Athena has to shift her weight and balance to walk across the cushions.

Balancing: Have your cat walk over an uneven surface such as a bed or several pillows. She will need to shift her weight to keep her balance, exercising her legs, core, back muscles and more. She can follow a feather toy, target stick with food on the end or a trail of treats!

Strengthen back legs: Following a string up the stairs or cat tree will put more weight on the rear legs. Alternate exercise: have kitty stand with his front legs up on some cushions or books so more of his weight is on his rear legs for a few seconds. Start low at first. Pet his head and reward him.

Strengthen front legs: Following a toy or string (slowly) down the stairs or cat tree will put more weight on your cat’s front legs. Alternate exercise: you can use a soft towel or blanket around her lower belly to lift her hind legs, putting more weight on the front legs for a few seconds. Start in a stationary position. Work up to going forward. Head rubs and treats will make this fun for your cat!

Cardio! Do a little play with the laser pointer, wand toys or shoelaces. Make sure to put these toys away when the play session is done.

Exercising your cat will help her to be happier and feel better. Less pain and better mood translates to better relationships for your cat with people and other pets! Remember, this does not have to take a lot of time: 10-15 minutes should do the trick!

Want to keep up with the world of cats? Click the button below and subscribe to The Feline Purrspective!

Subscribe!

Your cat gets aggressive when playing…

Posted on March 21, 2021May 5, 2022 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Owning a cat does not mean that your arms and legs should be covered in bites and scratches. Is there anything you can do if your cat gets aggressive when playing?

First of all – understand “Play” for a cat is hunting practice and it is serious business.

Hardwired to Hunt…

Your cat is good at detecting fast motion – his eyes can process over 60 visual images per second. By comparison, we are able to process 20-30 images per second. Your cat is designed to detect the quick, rapid movements of mice and other rodents. Motion is what attracts him – if the prey “freezes” for long enough, it may get away to live another day.

A successful hunt ends with the capture of the prey. Sharp teeth and claws put an end to the game.

Why your cat gets aggressive when playing…

It may seem cute to let your kitten climb your legs, and pounce on your hands and feet. When your kitten grows to be a large cat, fully equipped with sharp teeth and claws, this kind of play can be dangerous.

Even if you use gloves and let your cat bite and scratch the gloves, she is still viewing YOU as PREY. After all, your arms are connected to the rest of you!

Cat bites and scratches easily become infected. Make sure to clean any bites and scratches with plenty of soap and water. Seek medical attention for bites and scratches that break the skin.

So, you feel your cat gets aggressive while playing. What can you do when he wants to play rough?

Use toys that keep your hands and feet away from him.
Don’t play games that have you pretending to be prey – if you want your cat to run after you, drag a string along behind you so that the string, not you, is the focus of his attention.
Zelda plays with a toy mouse on a wand toy.

What if your cat initiates “rough play”?

What is happening?

Stalking and attacking your legs and feet?
Wrestling and attacking your hands?
Stalking and pouncing on you or the kids?

When does it happen?

When you arrive home from work?
When you are working and not able to pay attention to your cat?

Where does it happen?

Does the behavior occur in a certain place in the house?

THE PLAN: DISTRACT YOUR CAT BEFORE THE “ROUGH PLAY” STARTS

Some examples…

Your cat attacks your legs and feet when you come in the door from work.

Have a basket of toys on a table near the door.
Direct her attention to a wand toy or catnip mouse BEFORE she starts to attack you.
If your cat does manage to complete the pounce, FREEZE – don’t run away, she will “hunt” you

Your cat pounces on you when go through the hallway

This often starts as playing “peek-a-boo” around the corner. It usually goes away on its own, but some more bored cats may make a game of it.
Have a cache of toys nearby or some treats that you toss BEFORE you get to the corner to distract him.
Or have a laser pointer in your pocket if this behavior happens at different corners
If your cat does manage to complete the pounce, FREEZE. Do not reward him by acting like a prey animal trying to get away.

Your cat attacks your arm and hands while you are on the sofa watching TV

Have a cache of toys on a table next to the sofa
If you can intercept your cat before he launches on to the sofa, toss a treat or toy and direct him to it with a laser pointer.
If he gets you in a “clawed” embrace, FREEZE. By not moving, he should lose interest in you.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

A sturdy sheet of cardboard and long pants/sleeves, socks and gloves can shield your legs, feet and hands during the “re-training” period. “Protective gear” will make staying still a bit easier.

Your cat gets aggressive when playing…Other things you can do.

Keep your cat busy and happy.

Consider meal-feeding her with food puzzles – she can hunt for her food and not you!
Have a regular play time around the same time every day.
Set up a “safe place” for your cat to go when things are getting too stressful

Planning ahead – Set up a “Safe Place” for your cat

A safe place should be a place your cat feels secure
A safe place should have all her resources in it
It could be a spare room or hallway with the doors closed

Put your cat in her safe place

when you are working
when there is just too much going on
when she becomes overstimulated

Your cat is a superb hunter. Make sure that he does not view you, your hands or feet as prey. Seek professional help if the simple strategies outlined here don’t work!

Tips for Taking Your Cat for a Walk

Posted on February 7, 2021October 1, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

I have seen a lot of advertisements and posts recently on social media about taking your cat for a walk. This can be a source of enrichment for your cat; it is also be a great time to take photos of your friend and bond with her more.

Just like many humans, cats don’t like surprises. If you want to try taking your cat for a walk, be prepared to spend at least a few weeks preparing him.

What you need

A harness made for cats – these should be adjustable with comfortable padding to distribute the pressure on his neck and chest if he pulls against the harness
a leash – a leash about 4-6 feet long will work. I use an extendable leash with a bungee leash on the end in case my cat goes after a rabbit or mouse.
“treats for the trail”

Training for the Trail: The Harness

Let your cat smell the harness.
Slide the harness over his head. Click, treat and remove.
Work up to clipping the back.
Leave the harness on for increasingly longer times.
MAKE THIS FUN – MAKE SURE TO REWARD HIM.

Training for the Trail: Walking Indoors

Practice walks inside – using the leash
if your cat has been trained to a target, get him to walk along for short distances on the leash following the target
Alternatively, toss a treat in front of him to get him to move forward

Taking Your Cat for a Walk: Choose the Place

A back yard or enclosed area is an ideal place to start
Choose a QUIET time for his first walks

Taking your Cat for a Walk: Venturing further Afield

your cat is a small animal who is a predator but is also prey
you must provide a safe place for your cat if predators or unwanted people show up
If you walk on sidewalks and paths, a pet stroller can be a wise investment
If you are more adventurous, a backpack can be a solution.

Both backpack and stroller are best introduced to your cat with training. Your cat will soon figure out the stroller or pack means safety from dogs and sunshine.

Hazards of the “Trail”

Cat Fights

Strange cats: Feral cats are most likely not going to be around when you are out – they avoid humans and typically hunt during the evening and night time hours. Free-roaming pets or community cats present more problems. This is when you want to have your cat leashed.

Be attentive to your surroundings – your superior color vision can sometimes pick out strange cats before your cat is aware of them. You may be able to put her in her stroller or pack or take evasive action before there are any hostilities.

Monitor you cat’s body posture (tense, alert?) and vocalizations (low growl?) – these can indicate the presence of a strange cat. Once your cat is aware of the stranger, AVOID picking him up. Encourage the stranger to go away, while keeping a firm grip on the leash.

I have had a cat stalk us while I was walking Gus. I did encourage the strange cat to go away, verbally and with a well thrown pebble while keeping a firm grip on Gus’s leash.

Dogs

When I started walking cats around my townhome, I very quickly learned that many dogs are not well-trained – they escape their owners, leashes flying the breeze and make a beeline for your cat.

Offer the stroller or pack to your cat as a refuge. Training your cat to sit when dogs approach can be helpful – if your cat does not run, the dog usually will not chase them.

Be calm and assertive to the approaching dog – firmly command them to “sit” or “down” or “stay” (common commands the dog may know). Don’t turn your back on on the dog; don’t stare directly at him. Back away slowly. More tips..

Cars

Cars are terrifying – we need to get kitty into a safe place.

Train your cat to be picked up so that you can hold her or put her in the stroller or pack. Cue is “up”, click while lifting, and make sure to reward when you put her down.

Want to keep up with the world of cats? Subscribe to The Feline Purrspective!

Food Does Not Motivate My Cat

Posted on January 10, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

In my job as a veterinary technician, owners often tell me “I can’t train my cat – food does not motivate my cat ”. ” My cat won’t eat his medication in a treat – he doesn’t like treats”.

Like people, cats are individuals – some are grazers and others will eat at any time. BUT… all domestic cats share common ancestry -Felis Libyca, the African Wildcat – and they have inherited a certain physiology.

The Behavior of Feeding

Cat on the Prowl — Marley looks for critters in the bushes

Cats have small stomachs and a short GI tract designed to digest meat.
They cannot wait until they get hungry to hunt – they will starve if they do.
Their lifestyle is one of being on the prowl most of their waking hours, looking for food
CATS ARE HARD-WIRED TO HUNT
“NEW PREY” IS A STRONG MOTIVATION

The free-roaming cat eats up to 8-10 meals daily. The number of meals depends on the size of the meal – it will take a bit longer to digest a rabbit than a few bugs!

You say “Food does not motivate my cat”? What if we try to mimic the prowling feeding style of the wild cat?

Feeding 4+ Meals a Day

How much to feed?

Daily meals for a cat — A cat’s daily food ration – 2 meals of canned food with two puzzle feeder meals of dry food.

What your cat will eat in one sitting.

watch your cat – pick up and measure the food eaten when he leaves the bowl -OR-
offer a “2 mouse” meal of about 50 kcal

Feeding 4+ meals if you are not home during the day

AM: meal feed: canned or dry food
DAY: (2) food puzzles with dry food
PM meal feed: canned or dry food
Snack at bedtime: Treats for training or play

How to Do It:

Use puzzle feeders/timed feeders

each puzzle has a “two mouse” meal
timed feeders with “two mouse” meals
some feeders can hold ice packs for canned food
“timed” puzzle feeders

Avoid leaving large amounts of food out. While it is convenient just to top up the bowl, you don’t know how much your cat is eating. Boredom can lead to self-soothing behaviors such as over-eating and over-grooming.

Food Security in Multi-Pet Households

My dog will eat the food puzzles

Food puzzles in boxes
Food puzzles in closets
Feed on counter or high places

My other cat will eat all the food

Use a microchip feeder Surefeeder
Feeding on different levels
Isolate cats when not at home

Move the puzzles and feeders around when you can. Once your cat is prowling to dine, he will be more interested in training treats and treats for medications. Train and medicate BEFORE meals. Find the treats he values or use his regular food as treats.

A timed puzzle feeder…

Find out more about food motivation and cats.

Training is a part of your cat’s day

Posted on January 3, 2021January 9, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

To train your cat to do a new skill, you will need to set aside a time and decide what you are training that day. However, training should not always be something you do at a scheduled time with specific goals.

Training is a way of communicating with your cat, so training is a part of your cat’s day.

My kitties wake up to a medication session. My oldest cat, Athena, is medicated twice daily. After having Zelda, the Maine Coon, dive in, snatch and swallow Athena’s medication, I decided to make training work for me.

Medication Etiquette

I prepare the medication (getting the treat box and wrapping the pill in a treat)
Marley, Gus, and Zelda COME and SIT on the floor by the dining table.
Athena is directed to the dining table.
Marley, Gus and Zelda are then asked to STAY.
Athena is given her tablet which she eats most of the time. If not, I give Marley, Gus and Zelda a REWARD and repeat the STAY command
I take an extra minute to pill Athena.
Marley, Gus and Zelda are REWARDED for the stay.
Athena is REWARDED for taking her pill.
I give all cats the ALL DONE signal.

The medication etiquette uses 4 skills the cats have learned.

COME when called
SIT
STAY
ALL DONE

It is a real time-saver when medication has to be given and I need to get to work.

Other times training is a part of your cat’s day…

Off the table!

You can ask your cat to move from place to place with your finger or a target stick. Let’s say that your cat jumps up on the table when you don’t want her to. You ask her to jump down; she does and gets rewarded with a treat.

Sit and wait for dinner!

You can ask your cat to SIT and STAY when you are fixing his food. You may need a few treats to keep the STAY going until his dinner is ready.

Behavior when you don’t want it

Sometimes, you turn around in a minute or so, and your cat is back up on the table waiting to jump down and get a treat. When training, we repeat skills several times to see if kitty has gotten the idea. So, it is not all that surprising when kitty repeats his skills when not asked, hoping to cash in on more treats.

It may be better to ask him to jump down, treat, then have him sit and stay for the count of 5. Then, give him a treat and the all done signal to let him know the session is finished.

The all-done signal is very important – it means that you will walk away and there are no more treats for the moment.

Of course, you must have reasonable expectations. For example, if kitty really likes seafood, it may just be better for everyone if you ask him to go a room and close the door while you fix the fish or shrimp!

Bringing a Wild Cat indoors

Posted on December 27, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Bringing a Wild Cat Indoors – A cat tale

This is a story about bringing a wild cat indoors. This is the story of Gus, a cat who was wild in a previous life.

Gus’s story starts in a neighborhood in Colorado Springs, CO. He is a young, intact male who wanders around hunting, fighting with other cats, and seeking mates. He is what we call a “community” cat – an outdoor, free-roaming cat who does not have a guardian. He hunts mice and rabbits but also will eat food that some of the neighbors leave out for community cats.

Gus’s Timeline

Early March 2019: Gus is trapped with a live trap
March 5, 2019: Gus is neutered. He has a weak positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and needs to have an indoor home.
March 25, 2019: Gus starts taking fluoxetine, for anxiety and aggression due to anxiety.
Clicker and leash training begin in early June, 2019.
Gus is adopted on August 2, 2019. Owner continues clicker training and outdoor walks.
Gus is weaned off fluoxetine by late November, 2019.

Gus’s Caretaker at the vet clinic says…

“At first he was absolutely untouchable. I couldn’t enter his room without using a flattened cardboard carrier as a shield to protect my legs from his vicious attacks. As I moved through the doorway, Gus would try his hardest to escape by lunging, striking, and biting at me. Once I was inside, he would rapidly alternate between seeking affection and getting over stimulated. He would often rub up against my leg, become overwhelmed at the sensation, and then hiss, yowl or bite me in response.”

Medication and Behavior Modification

At first, fluoxetine just makes Gus sleepy and dopey.

In a few weeks, he is allowed to roam freely around the veterinary clinic. He is exposed to people coming in and out of the vet clinic.

Gus takes well to clicker training. He begins to enjoy lunchtime walks several times a week.

Gus Today…

Gus is a member of a 4 cat household. He has been weaned off fluoxetine – his final dose was in late October, 2019. He is a little grumpier now that he is off fluoxetine. However, he is not aggressive toward his owners and visitors to the house. He goes for once to twice daily walks on a harness with or without a leash.

Gus is different from his three house raised feline roommates – he does not sleep on the bed; he does not greet his owners with a face rub; he does not sit with his owners but prefers to nap in a back room.

Bringing a wild cat indoors is not always successful. What went right for Gus?

Gus tolerated the behavior drug well. It reduced his fear and anxiety and made accepting his new surroundings easier. He got used to a variety of people at the vet clinic.
Clicker training gave him a way of knowing what people would do. Leash training helped him grow accustomed to indoor life with some exposure to the outdoors he grew up in.
Finally, Gus was a still a young cat when trapped. This gave him flexibility (social learning in cats continues up to 3-4 years of age). He also has a practical and unflappable nature which helps him with new experiences.

Train Your Cat to Accept Medication

Posted on December 13, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

The easiest way to avoid the drama of giving your cat pills is to train your cat to accept medication. Establishing a daily “treat time” can be fun and rewarding for your cat. The idea here is to get your cat accustomed to accepting “fake pills” – treats that are wrapped in pill pockets, cheese, or liverwurst. When your cat needs medication, she is already used to accepting treat-wrapped things.

Getting Ready

choose the place and the time – try to go to the same place every day around the same time.
cats don’t tell time, so pay attention the household routine – maybe treat time should be after dinner time or before bed time.
Have everything ready when giving the “pill”. Have a chair or stool nearby to park treats and “prepared” pills on. If you are giving a capsule, have some butter to lubricate the capsule.

You may want to train your cat to a particular mat or blanket that is used just for treat time!

Method 1 – Starting from Scratch

Lure your cat onto the mat or blanket using treats or a toy.
Once on the mat, reward with several treats and head rubs.
Work up to having your cat accept a “blank” pill in the stream of treats.
The next step is make a “fake” pill – break a treat into small pieces. Wrap one of these pieces in the pill treat, cheese, or liverwurst.
Put the doctored treat in the stream of the treats.

Method 2 – Using Previously Trained Behaviors

If you have trained your cat to target and sit, it is easier to train your cat to accept medication.

Using your target stick (or chopstick or laser pointer), direct your cat to the “pilling” spot and reward her with a treat.
Ask your cat to sit and again offer a treat.
Offer your cat the “blank” pill followed by a treat
Work up to offering the fake pill.
End session with the all done signal and another treat.

Method 3 – Train Your cat to Accept Medication Using a Pet Piller

I find the piller particularly useful when you are faced with giving a capsule.

Start by offering a treat on the piller – you can start with having your cat lick some baby food or pureed treat off the piller. This will get him used to having the piller in and around his mouth.
Offer hard treats using the piller; work up to using the plunger to put the treat in your cat’s mouth.
Accustom your cat to getting the treats off the piller with you behind him.
Give a stream of treats with the “fake” pill in it.
End the session with a reward and the all done signal.

Something to consider: If the medication you need to give is bitter, putting it in a capsule lubricated with some butter or petroleum jelly avoids risking your cat biting into a bitter pill.

It is a good idea to have your cat get used to you being behind him when offering the treat on the piller. This gives you more control when offering the pill and kitty will be more focused on the treat than on you giving the pill.