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.

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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.

Medicating Your Cat – the basics

Posted on November 29, 2020January 9, 2021 by felinepurrspective_u3q4o6

At some time in your cat’s life, he will probably need to take some medication. Giving pills or injections to a cat can strike fear into the most stalwart cat guardian! The best way to proceed is to find out what works best for your cat – what will make taking the pill or getting the injection the most fun.

Medicating your cat : The feline purrspective…

From the cat’s point of view, taking a pill is unnecessary and unpleasant. When you least expect it, your person levers your mouth open and shoves something down your throat. You feel like you are going to choke! You gag and spit that thing back up; then run and hide.

As cat guardians, we don’t wish to distress our cats but we do want them to take their medication. After all, we just spent money for an exam and possibly diagnostics to find out why our cat is not feeling well! We just want her to feel better. Medicating your cat can be feline friendly – pick a spot, pick a treat, and give the pill!

cat in prefeered spot — A favorite spot with a soft blanket.

Pick a Spot

Does you cat have a favorite spot, a preferred basket she sits in, a blanket she likes?

Make this spot pleasant – offer treats, attention, play time here.

What does your cat like?

Does you cat have particular treats that he values? Can we get something that is special – say some of the lickable treats, chicken baby food, crunchy hard treats? If your cat is not all that food-motivated, pick up food a few hours before giving medication. He will more inclined to eat the pill if he is hungry.

Establish a Routine

Offer your cat treats or head rubs when in her favorite spot.
Get her favorite spot ready and give the medication close to the same time every day.

You may think that surprising your cat and sneaking up on him to give pills would be a good way to pill him – after all, he is not expecting it! But…sneaking up on him can result in his being fearful and hiding from you – after all, you may be coming with the dreaded pill at any time! A routine lets him know the pill comes at particular time and once the pill is taken, it is over with.

Medicating Your Cat – taking a pill in a treat or a stream of treats

Your cat is in her favorite spot. What next?

You can use a commercial treat such as “Pill Pockets” – these are soft, flavored treats with a modeling clay consistency – to disguise the pill. Break a small piece off the pill pocket and mold it around the pill. Alternatively, you could mold a piece of sliced cheese, a bit of liverwurst, or anchovy paste around the pill. Some cats will eat the pill in a treat.

Your cat, being a solitary hunter, may be suspicious of this new food item. You may need to entice him to accept it. If your cat has treats he likes, you can start by offering a treat, followed by another, then a “blank” (the pill pocket without the pill), followed immediately by more preferred treats. Wait a bit then offer the treats, the pill in the pill pocket, then more treats.

Give the medication around the same time every day in the favorite spot. You may find your cat will anticipate the activity and go to her spot and wait.

Be Creative!

Let’s say your cat likes laser pointers. You may be able to guide him to a treat with the pointer, then the pill wrapped in the pill pocket, then another treat. Finish with a fun laser pointer session.

“My cat is not falling for these tricks and she needs her tablet! ” Each cat is an individual and each medication is different. In the next post, we will look at other ways of making your cat feel safe and secure, and giving a tablet or capsule using traditional pilling or a pet piller!

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.

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