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.

When cats don’t get along – bullies and pariahs

Posted on November 22, 2020July 17, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Do you have a cat that is picked on by your other cats? Everyone else seems to get along okay but this one cat seems to be singled out for torture. He or she does not fight back, just tries to slink away and hide. You may have heard the term pariah used for such a cat – a pariah is an outcast, someone who is not part of the general social group.

Often, one or more cats will pick on the “pariah”. These feline bullies may..

stalk and track their victim
stare directly at their victim
attack her or him
prevent the pariah cat from using critical resources – litter boxes, food, sleeping places.
Bullies can exist within any multi-cat household – like human bullies, they tend to pick on the timid, old or sick that respond to threats.

Why should you intervene when cats don’t get along…

The victim may develop a stress-related illness due to the constant threat presented by the bully.
A out and out cat fight may result – fear and anxiety can lead to overt aggression on the part of the bully or the victim.
Unlike the outdoor colony, the victim cannot vote with his or her feet and leave.

In an outdoor colony, “membership” is loosely “managed” by the group of core females. If a cat pushes the limits with bullying behavior, the core females may drive him or her off, if they perceive a threat to their kittens or resources.

Our indoor colonies rarely have a group of mother cats at the core – as the surrogate mother cat, the cat guardian must police the bullies and promote harmony in the group when cats don’t get along.

When cats don’t get along: the bully/pariah emergency

First Aid: Separation

Separate the cats involved. You may need to redirect the bully (with a laser pointer, wand toy) to allow the other cat to escape or separate the cats physically and herd them away from each other
Remember cats are socially flexible – they can live alone or in groups. Put your pariah cat in a room of his or her own with litter box, cat tree, food and water while you figure out what to do. The pariah may need to remain in this room for several weeks. Make sure to give him or her attention and play time!

Assess the Situation:

Identify the social groups in the house : identify the bully(ies), the pariah(s) Social Groups of Cats
Evaluate resources – enough litter boxes, feeding stations, water sources? Are these separated so that all cats have access?
Is there enough room for cats to avoid each other? Try to “think like a cat” and draw the paths a cat must take to get to his food, water and litter boxes. These paths must give enough room for cats to pass each other comfortably. Beware of potential ambush spots – you may need to move some furniture.

Houseplan cat resources — A sketch of your home can help with locating resources, eg. litter boxes

Your cat is indoor-outdoor and is being bullied by a neighborhood cat…

keep your cat inside or accompany her when she goes outside
identify the aggressor cat and where he or she comes from
if possible, speak with the owner and find out when the bully cat goes out and see if a time-sharing arrangement can be worked out

Restoring Harmony…

Once you have gotten the cats separated, consider veterinary exams to determine if any of the cats are sick. Sickness can be frightening to healthy cats – their housemate may not smell right or behave quite right.
If all cats are healthy, make a plan to reintroduce cats slowly and gradually with some environmental modifications if needed. Introducing Cats: A Short Guide

Other Options if Aggression continues or become worse…

Consider re-homing the victim.
Under the direction of your veterinarian, give the victim and/or bully anti-anxiety medication and implement a behavior modification plan. If you decide to choose this route, make sure you are willing to work with your cats daily to desensitize them to each other.

When Cats don’t get along: A Tale of Two Siamese Cats

Demian and Rupert were two neutered Siamese cat who had lived amicably for over a year. Rupert would bully Demian, stalking and attacking him; there were no injuries. The tables turned one day and the victim became the aggressor – Demian stalked and attacked Rupert and backed him into a corner behind the toilet in the one bathroom in the 1 bedroom apartment. Demian would not let Rupert move. After separating the two cats, Demian went to stay with a family member for about 10 days. Fortunately, we were able to reintroduce the two cats afterwards.

Carrier Training Your Cat

Posted on November 8, 2020November 11, 2020 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Carrier Training Your Cat

Cats tend to be homebodies. Most are not very fond of traveling. However, with some training and attention to their needs, trips to the vet and even cross-country do not need to be a traumatic experience.

Choosing A Carrier for Your Cat

There are lots of options out there. The traditional plastic box works well; it is secure and easy to clean. Make sure the top is easily removable – some carriers have more bolts (9+) than necessary. If you have one of these, you can often remove about 1/3 of the bolts even if your cat is heavy.

There are more and more styles of fabric carriers – if you are looking for one, choose one that has side panels that open up, or a top that zips open. Think: How will you get your cat out of the carrier? How will you get him back in (if he is reluctant)?

Make sure the carrier is big enough. Cats are masters at squeezing themselves into small spaces but the carrier needs to be comfortable in case your cat must stay in it for a bit. Your cat should be able to stand up and turn around in her carrier.

Method #1- Feeding in the Carrier

Using method #1 for carrier training your cat, you will feed your cat in his carrier.

Place your cat’s food bowl near his carrier. Over the next few days to a week, you will move the food closer to the carrier, then put it just inside the carrier, then finally put it in the back of the carrier.

Gus was trapped as a feral cat. He was reluctant to enter the carrier, so we removed the lid for him.

Once Gus was comfortable eating in the bottom of his carrier, we placed the top on the carrier without the gate.

Once he was willing to eat in the carrier with the top on, we introduced the gate.

First, we had him eat with the gate open; the next step was to close the gate for a minute. Some food on the gate helped him stay calm for this.

Method #2 – Using Targeting

Carrier training your cat using method #2 is based on a clicker training technique called targeting.

you start by luring your cat to the back of bottom half of her carrier using the target stick.
once she will sit in the bottom half of the carrier calmly, place the top on the carrier. Have her enter following the target stick and then sit.
work up to having her stay for the count of 5
once she is calm with this, close the door and have her stay for the count of 5

Extra Credit:

Once your cat is comfortable in her carrier, lure her in with a snack or target stick, close the door and move her to another room. Upon arriving in the other room, open the door and reward her with a snack!

Make sure to take your time. Cats are individuals and some learn faster than others. You may need to break up the training into smaller steps if your cat is reluctant to enter the carrier. Gus, a former feral cat, is leery of things that may be traps – it took longer for him to accept the carrier than Zelda, who appears in the video above.

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat

Posted on November 1, 2020February 3, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat

From Your Cat’s Purrspective…

You know something’s up – your carrier is out. You hide under the bed but your human pulls you out and proceeds to squeeze you into the dreaded box.

You swing along in the air and then are loaded into a larger box that moves and smells funny.

You finally stop moving and swing through the air some more and arrive at another house where you smell lots of other animals. Oh no, not this place again! You can smell other cats – most of these cats too are afraid. As you move through the fog of smells, you arrive in a small room with a metal table.

A strange human opens your carrier door and tries to coax you to come out – you’re not sure what is out there but now your carrier seems like a good place to stay. Suddenly, your world tilts and you slide out of the carrier onto the cold, hard table.

You hiss your displeasure. Another strange human proceeds to look into your eyes, put a hard plastic thing in your ears, and presses a cold metal disc against your chest. Then, the strange human pokes you with a needle and you are finally allowed to escape back into the dreaded carrier – at least, it has taken you back home before.

A Better Vet Visit for Your Cat – What We Can Do

CHOOSING A CARRIER.

The plain-vanilla plastic carrier sometimes is the best option – safe and secure, easy to clean, and sturdy.
For your veterinary team, the removable top is a bonus. It allows your vet team to work with your cat in a place he knows – the bottom of his carrier.

MAKE YOUR CAT’S CARRIER A SAFE PLACE.

It should have a comfortable blanket or towel in it that smells like her.
Leave the carrier out a home – your cat may nap or play in the carrier.
Offer some food close by or in the carrier for her to enjoy.
Play games in and around the carrier.

Cat and Car — Athena is ready to get in her carrier for a ride!

TAKE KITTY FOR SOME RIDES THAT DON’T END UP AT THE VET.

Start with short rides, maybe just around the block.
Work up to longer rides to pleasant places – if you have a cat stroller, you could work up to going for walks in the park.
ALWAYS move at your cat’s pace – if he is hunched up and hiding, slow down and shorten the ride.

HANDLE AT HOME FOR A BETTER VET VISIT FOR YOUR CAT

Take time at home to handle her feet and head
Work up to gently lifting her upper lip to look at her teeth.
Get her used to being picked up.
Make sure to reward her with tasty treats!

Spray Carrier Facial Pheromones — Spraying the carrier with feline facial pheromones signals that this a familiar place.

SPRAY THE CARRIER WITH SYNTHETIC PHEROMONES 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE RIDE

BRING SOME TREATS ALONG TO MAKE THE VISIT MORE PLEASANT.

Limit kitty’s food prior to the appointment
he will be more willing to eat some treats

Train Your Cat to Sit

Posted on September 27, 2020April 2, 2023 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Train Your Cat to Sit

Teaching a cat “tricks” or behaviors is much more than just entertainment for us. Having a cat learn to do something on cue allows you to communicate with him. Training can give your cat physical exercise and keep him from becoming bored and restless.

Clicker training pairs a clicking noise (made by a “clicker”, fingers snapping, “mouth click”) with a reward. When your cat responds to a cue to do something and hears the “click”, she looks forward to receiving a treat, head rub or other reward. The behavior is positively reinforced by receiving the reward and your cat is more likely to repeat the behavior when cued.

Why Train Your Cat to Sit?

train cat to sit — Athena begins to sit as she targets a treat

Let’s say it would be handy for your cat to wait while you fix his dinner or you need him to sit still so that you can look at his teeth or eyes – train your cat to sit!

Getting Started

Choose a time that the cat is calm and up and about. Avoid situations with distractions – have a quiet room where you can have one-on-one time with your cat.

Have treats your cat likes and aim for a time when she is hungry. If she is free fed, you may need to pick up food a few hours before training. If kitty is on a special diet, you may need to train close to meal times and use her regular food to reinforce her.

First, teach your cat that

Click = Treat

This will set the stage for further training and communication.

Train your cat to sit by “targeting” and clicker training

let your cat see and smell the treat
hold the treat in your hand and raise it slowly up and over kitty’s head
he will “target” the treat. When he sits, click and give him the treat.
Repeat 4-5 times a session.
After kitty has mastered this, add a verbal cue “sit” – say “sit”, and move your hand over his head.
When kitty starts to sit, click immediately. You can give the reward once he is seated but make sure the CLICK HAPPENS AS HE STARTS TO SIT.
After several sessions, the cat should sit on cue. Some cats will take longer to learn this than others.

TIP: Start with holding a treat in your hand, then move to having the cat “target” on your hand or finger without the treat.

“Shaping” the “sit”- teaching “stay”

We can use the word, “stay”, and a hand signal, an open hand, to cue a longer sit.

Say “stay” as you slowly move your open hand toward your cat.
Click and treat if your cat is still sitting as you count to 3; otherwise lure her back and start over.
Extend the sit counting to 3-5 seconds. Click and treat if she is still sitting.
work up to a 15 second sit
establish an “OK” cue to mark the end of the sit; you could say “OK” and have the cat target your pointed finger and move away. Be sure to click and treat the “OK”.
when working with my cats, I use the words “all done” combined with a hand signal where I cross my open hands back and forth several times

TIPS:

Make training sessions short – 5 minutes or less
For hearing impaired cats – use visual cues
For sight impaired cats – use auditory or olfactory cues
If you are using food, be careful feeding the treat directly from your hand – cats do not see well really close up and may inadvertently nip you trying to get the treat.
Mark the end of all your training sessions with an “all done” signal

Training Your Cat: Targeting

Posted on September 19, 2020January 9, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

Training Your Cat to Target

Training your cat is a way of communicating with your cat. In Training Your Cat = Communicating With Your Cat, we talked about pairing a “click” with a treat or other thing your cat values. You can make the click noise with your mouth or with a gadget called a clicker.

Basic Vocabulary: “Click” means “Treat”

You can’t say to your cat, “if you sit quietly on that mat, I will reward you” because words don’t mean anything to him. We must find other ways to communicate what we are asking for: Capturing, Luring, Targeting and Shaping.

Capturing

If your cat is already does a behavior, you can “capture” it by simply waiting until she does it, then click and treat. You mark the naturally occurring behavior using the clicker, reinforce it with a treat or reward, and then link it with a cue.

Luring

If you need to get kitty’s attention, you may need to “lure” him with food or a toy; for example, you may “lure” him to the area of the room you are using for training by having him chase a wand toy.

Targeting

If you use a stick or your finger to point to a spot on the floor and your cat moves toward the stick or your finger, the cat is “targeting” the stick or finger. Training your cat to target will make it easier to tell him to move from place to place.

Shaping

To fine tune a behavior, for example, to make your cat walk further when leashed, you can “shape” the behavior by rewarding him for going a little further on his leash.

Training Your Cat to Target

What you need

Treats your cat values. (The reinforcers can be something other than food but food is the easiest to use).
A stick – for example, you can use a chopstick
A clicker (or you can click with your mouth)
For the gadget oriented, a click stick combines both functions; some are telescoping!

Tips

TIP: Train when your cat is likely to be hungry: pick up food a few hours before training if free fed; use her food as reinforcers if she is on a special diet.

TIP: Dip your target stick in a moist treat; if your cat is a dry food addict, rub the tip of the stick in some crushed treats to get the smell on the end of the stick.

Targeting: Step by Step

Allow your cat to approach and examine the stick
When he touches the stick, click and treat
Repeat 4-5 times

If your cat loses interest, try training later
Frequent and short training sessions work best
Make sure you have a quiet environment, free from distractions

Treating is key part of training – like people, cats don’t like to work for free. Make sure the reward comes at some point – once your cat hears the click, she will look for her reward. Make sure to reinforce her!