It is a widely accepted
notion that it is impossible to train cats. But, then again, why
would you want to? Most people acquire a cat because they view her
as a relatively low maintenance, relatively independent pet that
they can interact with when they want or leave to her own devices
and desires.
To some extent, they’re right. Cats do tend to be more independent
than dogs and some were literally born to walk by themselves. Their
temperaments vary from self-absorbed to curious, from social to
anti-social, and from stable to highly volatile. The average
slightly inquisitive, reasonably friendly and tolerant cat is a pet
that, like Victorian children, tends to be seen but not heard.
At either end of the behavioral spectrum, however, are cats that
keep to themselves and react negatively to attempts to force them
out of their shell and demanding in-your-face cats that won’t take
no for an answer. Although it is possible to cater to shy cats,
coexist with the middle-of-the-road variety, and work around the
more demanding types, such strategizing isn’t necessarily the way
that things have to be.
Training cats is eminently possible and can help to improve the
quality of life for both cat and owner. It has been said that if a
cat is trained to perform one new trick per month, the likelihood of
behavior problems is substantially reduced. But how do you train a
cat?
Not with a collar and lead, that’s for sure. And punishment
doesn’t work well with cats, either. So what does that leave? The
only remaining strategy is to employ positive reinforcement to coax
the cat to perform the behaviors that you want.
Professional cat trainers have known this for years and their main
training tools are delicious cat food and a spoon with a clicker
attached to the handle. The clicker, itself, is not absolutely vital
but, when clicked, serves to illustrate a precise point in time that
the cat has performed a desirable behavior. During the time it takes
to say, “Well done, good cat,” the cat may have performed
several different behaviors following the one desired.
The click, however, is precise and serves as an audible mark that a
preferred behavior has been successfully completed. Training with a
clicker produces an instant reward that signals the imminent arrival
of the real reward. This methodology is easy for most owners to
grasp and produces results quickly. Using click and treat training,
as it is called, the “trainer” goes with the flow of nature and
rewards behaviors that the cat naturally performs, initially at
least. The behavior can then be progressively “shaped” toward a
more desirable form.
Using clicker training, it is extremely easy to teach a cat to sit
or lie down, or to jump up or down from a surface. With patience,
cats can be trained to run through tubes and boxes, to leap from
place to place, and even to complete complicated behavioral chains
of activities.
A strange thing happens when you train your cat. Instead of the two
of you coming together briefly at feeding time and when the cat
presents herself for petting, the whole dynamic relationship changes
from cat to owner and owner to cat – and for the better. It’s as
though a mutual appreciation society emerges from an otherwise
perfunctory relationship, and the cat’s and owner’s lives are
both enriched.
Once the positive training interaction has become a regular feature
of daily life, all it takes is for the owner to stand up and say,
“Wanna have some fun?” and to show the cat the clicker, and the
cat will resonate with excitement in anticipation of the impending
activities. Interactive training of this type, for just a few
minutes a day, will exercise the cat’s mind and promote
relaxation. It seems that a short period of intense concentration
during such training sessions is equivalent, output-wise, to a much
longer period of physical activity.
But cats should be aerobically exercised, too. I encourage owners to
play with their cats using a feather wand or “pull toy” for at
least fifteen minutes a day to discharge pent up predatory drive and
keep the cat in good physical condition. A trained and
well-exercised cat is a happier and healthier cat than one left to
spin her wheels and figure things out by herself. Trained cats have
a better interaction with their owners and will have fewer, if any,
undesired behavior problems.
Behavior
Problems
As with dogs, there are
some genetic influences that underlie behavior problems, and their
degree of influence ranges from minimal to key. Suboptimal
environmental or nurtural influences can compound genetic
predispostions or create behavioral problems on their own. From
whatever cause, behavior problems in cats are the leading causes of
their premature death, which occurs mostly in the nation’s
shelters and pounds.
Admittedly, some of the cats that are killed are unwanted youngsters
and others arrive in shelters as the unfortunate spin-offs of modern
life, but directly or indirectly, behavior problems are at the root
of much of the carnage. Most cats arriving in shelters have not been
trained and failed to develop a proper bond with their owners.
Training, though an invaluable preventative strategy, will not
circumvent all behavior problems. Some of these problems are “on
the cards” anyway due to familial, environmental, and medical
factors.
So when behavior problems are established, from one cause or
another, can they be successfully treated? The answer is yes, for
most of them, anyway. With the current state of knowledge, the
majority of seemingly refractory behavior problems are now
resolvable as long as the cat owner is prepared to consult an
appropriate expert and follow through with his recommendations.
The number one behavior problem in cats is inappropriate
elimination. Owners can tolerate a lot from their cats but when
their carpets and floors are ruined by cat urine, and the house
begins to smell like a latrine, it’s often the last straw. Other
common cat behavior problems are aggression, either owner-directed
or between cats, fear-related behaviors, and compulsive behaviors
that cause problems for the cat and perplex the owner. What can be
done to thwart these behavior problems?
Important Information
Understand normal cat behavior and communication: Because
many problem behaviors stem from normal cat behaviors, it is
important to understand and accommodate for cats’ normal
behaviors, including social behavior, elimination behavior,
grooming, and feeding. In addition, it is helpful to know the range
of cats’ visual abilities, hearing range, and olfactory
capabilities, and to understand how they communicate with each
other.
Know how to care for your cat: Proper care and management
should minimize stress, prevent conflict and provide appropriate
outlets and facilities for cats’ normal behaviors.
Learn how to approach a housesoiling problem: Determine
possible medical causes, optimize litter box arrangements,
understand the role of anxiety, hormonal influences, and odor
neutralization strategies.
Prevention, and treat aggression: Understand
“petting-induced aggression” (a.k.a. alpha cat syndrome), fear
aggression, redirected aggression, territorial aggression, sexual
aggression, pain-induced aggression, pathological causes of
aggression.
Prevention, and treatment of fear-based conditions: Work to
neutralize fear of strangers, separation anxiety, and sound phobia.
Tackle compulsive behaviors. Find out what constitutes one
and what can be done about it.
Find where to go to seek professional help: Start with your
local veterinarian.
Conclusion
Prevention is always better than cure. If an owner selects a cat,
with a temperament suited to his or her lifestyle, understands his
needs and limitations, and socializes and trains the cat to be a
good pet, there is no reason why that cat should not turn out to be
a highly valued friend for life. Owning a well-behaved and friendly
cat is a pleasure that enhances the quality the lucky owner’s
life. Fortunately this utopian situation is not a rare occurrence
and a little forethought and planning makes it come true for many
people.
However, the old adage, “When they’re good they’re very good,
but when they’re bad they’re horrid,” does apply to some cats.
Occasionally “horrid” cats are not so much born that way (though
genetic factors are often involved) as they end up that way as a
result of inappropriate/unfortunate lifetime experiences. With cats,
in particular, it is extremely important to understand them and to
work hard to foster a cat-friendly environment for them, paying
particular attention toward establishing positive inter-cat and
cat-to-human interactions.
Early in their lives, cats should be shielded from extremely adverse
experiences and pain that can lead to fearfulness, with or without
aggression. All cats also should be provided with meaningful
activities to keep them occupied, particularly if they must be left
alone for extended periods. Like humans, cats need “a job” if
problems arising from boredom and frustration are to be avoided. The
results of appropriate selection, proper raising, care and
management, and training of cats is so extremely gratifying that it
behooves us all to learn as much as we can about these subjects so
that we can be successful “cat parents.” The look in a closely
bonded cat’s eyes and her affectionate squints and raspy purrs let
us know when we have succeeded in our quest and is reward enough for
all our endeavors.
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