training cats

Understanding cats

/ susanbulanda / Leave a comment

Just like any other animal, cats have a wide range of personalities from very shy and demure to the warrior cat who likes to attack and chase everything in sight.  It is very difficult to evaluate a cat or kitten’s true personality before selecting one to take home. This is especially true for cats and kittens that are being adopted from a rescue or shelter because they will not have the opportunity to exhibit their true personality in that environment. 

What can a cat owner do if their cat is the warrior cat who likes to get into and chase everything, even your feet when you walk? The first thing to do if it has not already been done is to spay or neuter your cat which will help calm the cat.

Next, be sure that your cat is on a high quality diet. It is has been my experience that nothing you buy at the super market is a high quality brand of food. I personally recommend Wysong or Annamaet.

What many people fail to understand is that a cat needs quality time with you playing with toys. Do not allow the cat to play with any part of your body or on your body. If your cat does try to do this, gently put them off of your body and say no. If your cat bites or claws you say “ouch” in a high pitched voice and remove the cat. Make sure that you ignore the cat for a few minutes after that. Only interact with your cat if the cat plays gently, which reinforces gently play.

If your cat does something you do not like, distract the cat from doing it by offering a favorite toy. When the cat focuses his attention on the toy instead of the bad behavior, praise the cat in a soothing voice.

Some cats like to have play sessions in the middle of the night and will wake their owners to join in the fun. If you do not want this to become a daily habit, do not get up. It is best to pretend to be asleep and ignore the cat. It may take a few nights but the cat will eventually give up trying to engage you in play.

What can help is to have a tiring (for the cat) play session before you go to bed, but pick a time that is convenient for you because it may become a daily habit and cats do not like changes in their routine.

A very busy cat might enjoy having another cat (or dog) as a companion. I always felt that adopting two kittens or cats at the same time works out the best rather than try to introduce a new adult cat later. Often cats are kept together in the rescue or shelter and have already bonded enough to live successfully together. Having a familiar companion can help the adopted cats’ make the transition to a new home easier. If you do adopt two cats, be sure to have at least two litter boxes for them. However, it is important that the litter boxes not be kept in the same location, or the cat will view the two boxes as one.

With a little planning, you can help your cat be everything you want him to be. Contrary to popular myth, cats can be trained and are happier when they understand the house rules. Consider purchasing one of the books available about clicker training cats. It is a very successful method to train cats.

Do cats respond to their name?

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Professor Toshikazu Hasegawa from the University of Tokyo with Atsuko Saito, Ph.D., who is currently an associate professor at Sophia University in Tokyo conducted a study to see if cats recognize their own name. The researchers felt that since cats are not as social as dogs and other mammals, that they may not respond to their name the way more social mammals do.

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What they found is that cats do respond to their name if their owners use the cat’s name often. It is interesting that previous research has shown that cats do distinguish between their owner’s voice and a stranger’s voice, can follow a person’s pointing finger to find hidden food, and may change their behavior depending on their owner’s facial expressions.

In my experience I have successfully taught my cats to come when called, sit and stay and do other things. This required that they understand and respond to their name as well as other words. I am glad that some researchers are looking into ways to validate the intelligence and abilities of cats. As for cats not being social in my experience some are very social, and some are not so social. I have owned cats that behaved more like dogs than cats. More research needs to be done.

Understanding your cat can be easier than you think

/ susanbulanda / 2 Comments

Cats communicate in many ways. They use vocalizations, body language and spatial position to communicate.

For example, a cat will gently paw you to get your attention. While batting things around is a form of play, a hard swat without their claws out can be a warning. A swat with the claws out is a much more aggressive act, either in defense or as an attack. Of course there is the kneading action with their paws that cats do when they are happy.

cat on cage

(my cat who was taught not to bother the bird, note the bird is not afraid of the cat)

When a cat vocalizes a short meow is like a greeting, or a friendly “how are you doing?” A meow that is a bit louder and perhaps longer typically is a request for something, such as dinner or to get to a place that is inaccessible. A longer meow is a more demanding request, typically if you ignored the cat’s earlier request. A high pitch meow is a protest, such as if the cat does not like to be groomed or have its nails clipped. Then there is a long, almost sad meow that sounds as if the cat is confused.

If an old cat does this and seems to be lost or confused, it is time for an examination by your veterinarian. The cat may be suffering from or starting to get dementia. A hiss is usually a warning to move away from the cat. Purring is usually a sign of contentment but a cat that is in pain or stress will purr.

Facial expressions are important, including the ear set, eyes as well as the mouth. Flattened ears show that the cat is angry or frightened. Large dark eyes also can mean anger or fear. An opened mouth with a hiss is anger or fear and it can be difficult for a cat owner to tell the difference between anger and fear.

A cat’s tail is just as expressive as vocalizations. A happy cat will have its tail up and often with a small hook at the end. A swishing tail is a sign of annoyance and sometimes anger. Of course there are many positions in between the upright tail and the swishing tail. Some cats will appear to be contented but the tips of their tail flicks up and down or back and forth, it can mean that the cat is irritated. When some cats are very happy their tail will stand upright and shake with the hair at the base of the tail puffed out.

As most people know, when a cat is angry or frightened they will arch their back and raise the hair on their back and tail. The tail will usually be erect or curved down and sometimes tucked between their legs.

To help our cats understand us, we need to be consistent in our body language and tone of voice. You can train a cat if you are careful not to give the cat mixed signals. A treat with a happy face and voice will show a cat that you are pleased with their behavior. A firm no and a serious face will let them know that you do not approve of their actions.

Cats sometimes do not recognize our space. Therefore, if a cat gets on you, near you or goes where you do not want them to go, such as on the table at dinner time, you can give the cat a stern “no” and point to the floor while you gently push them away. It may take a few times but the cat will learn.

For behavior that you want, you can smile, tell the cat that it is good and give the cat a treat. The cat will learn that this is acceptable behavior. Of course, you can clicker train a cat. https://clickertraining.com/cat-training

With a little thought, planning, and careful observation, it is not as difficult to communicate with a cat or understand what they are trying to tell us as a person may think. Your cat will love you more for the effort and you will understand your cat better.