by Shojai, Amy
· When you are there, use an interruption, such as a loud “OFF!” or clapped hands to get cats down. A long-distance squirt gun aimed at the backside may persuade some cats.
· When you aren’t around, the cat will still use the perch unless you make it unattractive. Cover stovetops with aluminum foil. Many cats dislike walking on this surface.
· Apply Sticky Paws (double-sided tape) to make other surfaces uncomfortable. Put the Sticky Paws on placemats set around on forbidden surfaces, so you can easily position them but remove them when needed. You can also use clear plastic floor mats placed spike-side up on tabletops so cats will avoid the area.
· Offer your cats legal outlets that are higher and more attractive than the forbidden zones, so they naturally choose the legal perches and leave your mantel alone. Cat trees are a big hit. Fancy ones are available from pet products stores, or you can make inexpensive fun feline furniture out of a ladder. Tie toys and ribbons onto the rungs, place a fluffy cat bed on the paint rack, glue rope around and around a step for a scratch surface, and you have an innovative cat gymnasium.
· Choose your battles and perhaps allow cats to lounge on the television as long as they leave the kitchen island alone. Place a cat bed on a “legal” countertop or bookshelf to invite the cats’ presence and they’ll be less likely to trespass where not welcome.
COMFORT ZONE
An innovative new training product called the Ssscat™ combines aerosol and a motion detector to get cats to move their furry tail OFF of forbidden real estate. When the cat’s presence sets off the motion detector, it triggers a loud HISS of air to startle the cat away from the area. You don’t have to be present for it to work.
DOOR DASHING
Cats seem to assume that doors are a challenge, sort of a game of “chicken” to race to the other side before it catches their tail. Door dashing not only can prove to be a tripping hazard for owners, cats that get outside may become lost and never return.
Cat escape artists can be extra difficult when you have more than one feline determined to door dash. While cats get very good at avoiding forbidden areas when you are nearby, the appearance of a visitor or salesperson at the door can be invitation to zoom out before you’ve realized what happened. Stop door dashers with these tips.
· Make Doors Unattractive. Associate the danger areas with a noise or experience that encourages the cat to keep her distance. An interruption such as a loud "SSST!" or clapped hands may be enough. Squirt guns aimed at furry tails often are recommended and cats do learn to back off when they see owners pick up the plant mister. But many cats enjoy games of water tag, or the spray doesn’t matter to them, so it’s not a failsafe or reliable technique. The SSSCAT is a cat-repellent device that sprays a hiss of air to startle the pet that triggers the built-in motion detector-you don't have to be present for it to work.
· Create Off-Putting Surfaces. Many cats dislike the feeling of walking on aluminum foil, so place a couple of sheets over the walkway. Another option is to apply Sticky Paws (double-sided tape) to make the surface uncomfortable. Put the Sticky Paws on placemats positioned on the forbidden area, so it's easily removed. You can also use clear plastic floor mats placed spike-side up so the cat will avoid the area.
· Make It Stink. You may also use smell deterrents to keep the cat away from forbidden doorway zones. Cats dislike citrus smells, so orange or lemon scents sprayed at the bottom of the door may help. Menthol also makes some cats run (but others like the smell). Try smearing Vicks on the door jamb to see if that will give your cats pause.
· Offer Something Better. Offer cats legal outlets that are more attractive than the forbidden zones, and they'll naturally choose to lounge there and abandon the doorway dash. Position a cat tree or kitty bed on a table top right in front of a window some distance away from the forbidden door. Make this the most wonderful cat lounge spot ever: hide catnip or food treats in the bed, for example.
· Distract With Goodies. Before you must leave through the doorway, offer your cats the best-treat-in-the-world, but only if she's on this cat tree/bed (a safe distance from the door). While they enjoy the munchies, make a safe getaway.
· Practice Your Escape. Get friends to help you set up practice comings and goings. Associate the ringing doorbell with treats in the cat tree/bed. That helps your cats learn that door dashes earn nothing while sitting in place garner treats.
DOWN TO EARTH
Cats enjoy recreational digging in terms of scooping out and covering up a toilet spot. They particularly relish fine, soft textures, which means the soil in the indoor potted palm or freshly planted garden may receive unwanted attention. They’ll also dig in these areas if their litter box situation doesn’t please them. Understanding why cats dig can help you figure out ways to stem the excavation.
· Cats seek alternate places to “go” when their own facilities are dirty, so keep litter boxes clean. Some cats won’t want to share a bathroom, so provide one litter box for each cat, plus one. Refer to the chapter on Toilet Techniques for more litter box advice.
· Sticky Paws for Plants works well to keep indoor plants safe from indoor pets. You can also turn plastic carpet runners nub-side up and set the potted plant in the middle, so the cats avoid walking on the nubs to reach the soil.
· Keep your own cats inside to prevent them using your garden as a bathroom.
· Dissuade strays by scattering orange or lemon rinds in the flower beds (they hate the smell of citrus), or planting rue—a natural cat repellent used by the ancient Egyptians. Refer to the section on shooing away stray cats for more tips.
DROOLING CATS
Why do some cats drool when petted? A bubble-blowing saliva-spewing kitty can be quite off-putting to owners seeking to show affection.
Sometimes drooling points to dental issues or sore mouths. While the sight of something tasty can get dogs soaking wet with slobber the same thing rarely seems to happen with cats. When a cat feels stressed, excessive grooming may be a way he helps calm herself and increase salivation.
But some cats salivate when petted. The more they get petted, the greater the drippy flow. The mechanism to turn on the water works has to do with the same pleasure triggers that prompt petted cats to knead/tread in satisfaction.
Cats’ impulse to knead hearkens back to the sensation they felt when nursing, and eating would trigger salivation. So it’s not a huge jump to attribute salivating and drooling to these same pleasurable sensations. Drooling when petted is one more way cats show us love.
ELEVATOR BUTT
The technical term is lordosis, pet owners may describe the position as “elevator butt.” This common cat pose looks like the canine play-bow in which the front paws and tummy touch the ground while the other end stands tall.
Lordosis posture serves as the intact female cat’s romantic invitation to males as a mating display. Some cats also use this position when urine marking, to spray their pungent scent higher or with better aim.
Neutered cats also practice the elevator butt pose around humans. The display places the cat in a vulnerable position, often with the tail held high in the universal feline friendly gesture. Cats also may do this to invite petting or scratching that hard-to-reach spot right at the base of the tail.
Elevator butt aimed at humans is a declaration of friendship, and an invitation to come closer and interact. By scratching or petting your cat in response, you reinforce the behavior so the cat will repeat the gesture. Petting also tells the cat you accept the offer of friendship.
GRASS EATING
Cats are obligate carnivores which mean they require meat to survive. They do not rely on vegetables, fruit or grain in the diet, no matter what might be on the pet food ingredient list. But pet cats can’t read and seem intent on surprising us. Many cats relish grazing on grass, flowers or other vegetation.
In the wild, cats eat the entire mouse. Partially digested plant or grain material in a victim's tummy offers nutrients that cats readily use
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Eating grass may also provide trace elements of vitamins that cats instinctively seek. It may also help provide fiber to move out hairballs or act as an emetic to clean kitty out from the other direction.
It’s likely that cats simply enjoy the flavor. Wheat grass often is a big hit, and fresh catnip is a lovely feline treat particularly useful as a training tool.
HUNTING GIFTS
Cats have been domesticated for centuries but the wild child remains just beneath the fur. Many cats become expert hunters adept at capturing critters, be they a feather toy on the end of a string, a cricket at the door, or even a mouse or lizard. Sheba doesn’t have to be hungry to hunt, either. Well-fed cats hunt better, because they have the energy to burn. The behavior is hardwired in the cat brain so that the scurrying motion and ultrasonic squeak simply triggers a knee-jerk (paw-jerk?) reaction to pounce.
So what do these well-fed cats do once they’ve captured that ferocious moth, or decapitated the vole? If they love you, some cats share the bounty. Such “gifts” may be displayed on the back step, in their food bowl, or even on your pillow.
The cat believes he’s offering you the ultimate compliment when he presents the result of his prowess for your inspection. Some behaviorists believe these cats look on their humans as inept hunters unable to bring home the bacon (or butterfly) without feline assistance. After all, he’s never seen YOU get down on all fours and pounce on your evening meal! These cats may even bring home live prey, and turn it loose in the house, much as they would do to train a kitten the ABCs of hunting.
Other experts theorize the cat simply brings his trophy to his nest—the house—with plans to play with, enjoy, and munch later. How frustrated our kitties must be to have their plans thwarted by dense, unappreciative humans.
Wearing a bell on the collar may help give the cat’s prey an early warning, and prevent or reduce the number of nasty gifts you receive. However, truly proficient cat hunters learn to move without ever ringing that bell. A better way to thwart the behavior is to simply keep the cat inside, and provide your indoor tiger with alternative toys.
Of course, some houses are more critter-proof than others. Critters crawl under doorways, or enter through attic spaces and (maybe?) deserve what they get from the resident feline. So, what’s a sensitive, caring owner to do when presented with these nasty gifts?
Smile, praise the cat, let him or her preen with pride when you extol exceptional hunting prowess. Then (when kitty isn’t looking) carefully dispose of the trophy and perhaps replace it with a more wholesome treat.
ROLLING CATS
A common cat behavior incorporates head-rubbing behavior with rolling about on the ground. Vocalizations may be included. Cats roll for several reasons.
Female cats roll in this manner immediately after mating. Similar rolling behavior occurs in cats during catnip intoxication, which is one reason the herb used to be thought to be a feline aphrodisiac. But cats also roll at other times, too, and what does it mean when in the presence of humans?
Dogs roll onto their back as a sign of deference or submission. But a cat on her back can be a defensive pose since it places all four clawed paws at the ready. In a defensive situation, though, the cat tends to remain still and vocalizations are defensive in nature (hisses, growls, spits).
The cat that throws herself at the feet of the owner may accompany the behavior with meows. This pose along with meows, rolling and rubbing the floor asks for attention and is a solicitation display. Rolling also spreads self-scent when Kitty rubs her head and cheeks on the floor, as well as providing a self-massage.
Cats love routine, so once a pattern is established, the rolling also becomes a comforting kitty ritual. Giving her attention in response to the rolling rewards the behavior—positive reinforcement that "pays" her for rolling. The cat that garners positive attention with rolling will repeat the behavior for more attention.
TELEPHONE TROUBLES
When the phone rings, many cats come running. A few become aggressive and have been known to bite through the phone cord. But the majority just turns into pestering problems. Why do cats have a love-hate relationship with the phone? Are cats jealous of you chatting with your BFF?
While acute sense of hearing might make it possible for cats to recognize a particular voice on the other end of the line, cats more likely don’t understand the notion of such long distance communication. It’s more likely that the ringtone simply prompts interest and the cat associates that sound with a benefit that rewards the pestering behavior.
Cats learn that using the phone typically happens in a specific place. Maybe that means you’re seated at a desk or pacing in the family room. My own cat knows that phone calls generally nail me in place for the duration.
Further, when you speak on the phone the cat only sees you present. Since our pets quickly learn that humans talk to communicate, and nobody else is there, cats must think we’re talking to them. Therefore, while owners pick up the phone, cats respond with attention-seeking behaviors such as meows, head rubs and rolling.
When owners respond to the cat’s solicitations, they’ve reinforced the behavior. That increases the likelihood that the next phone call will bring on even more meows and “pet me” demands.
TOILET PESTS
Cats often eagerly follow owners into the bathroom. If you closed the door in the cat’s face she may pester with paw-reaches under the door. What’s going on?
Human bathrooms tend to be one of the coolest places in the home, because of the tile, small space, and typically fewer windows. While many cats enjoy warmth, others prefer cool lounging spots like the tile surrounding the tub.
Cats also develop routines and stick to them, including chaining behaviors that link one action to another in a particular routine. In other words, cats become used to the sequence of actions, and anticipate/expect them to be repeated day in and day out. It only takes one or two repetitions for cats to learn that every morning when you wake up, you head to the bathroom to brush your teeth—so they meet you there.
Besides, the bathrooms generally offer very convenient cat perches. Sitting on the sink surround or vanity places a cat at human face-height when the owner is (ahem) enthroned. That’s ideal cat position for controlling the interaction. Owners will be in position for a specific amount of time, and won’t move away. The cats can approach (or stay out of reach) as she prefers with this captive audience.
Bathroom visits offer predictable behavior, and a specific location(s) the cat can anticipate. Each time the owner enters that room the cat can know in advance what sorts of behaviors to expect. There also can be a number of rewards to be found, such as lapping from the faucet. A closed door offers paw-pat-tag underneath the barrier, and may challenge cats to perfect their door dashing technique.
When you talk or pet to your bathroom buddy, turn on the faucet, or bring in a brush for grooming, you’ve rewarded the behavior. Cats may even decide that the under-the-door paw-pats that start as a game actually controls the movement of the door. After all, the longer those paw-pats continue the better becomes the chance that you will eventually open the door.
APPENDIX: EXPERT SOURCES
Bonnie Beaver, MS, DVM, is a behaviorist and chief of medicine in the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A & M University
Sharon L. Crowell-Davis, DVM is a veterinarian and a behaviorist at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia
Ian Dunbar, Ph.D., MRCVS, is a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, author of many dog training books, and a founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
Bruce D. Elsey, DVM is a veterinarian, owner of a cats-only practice, and creator of Cat Attract cat litter
Gary Lansberg, BSc, DVM, Diplomate ACVB, is a veterinary behaviorist at the Doncaster Animal Clinic in Thornhill, Ontario
Marie-Laure Loubiere, DVM is a veterinarian involved in pheromone research and marketing with CEVA S
anté Animal S.A., in France.
Andrew U. Luescher, DVM, PhD., Diplomate ACVB is an Associate Professor of Animal Behavior at Purdue University
Karen Overall, DVM, Diplomate ACVB, ABS, is a Research Associate at the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Psychiatry Department at Penn Med, PA
Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., is a certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and an adjunct assistant professor of zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Daniel Mills, BVSc, PhD is a researcher into pheromone applications and Principle lecturer in behavioral studies and animal welfare at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom
Dr. Patrick Pageat, DVM, PhD, is a Behaviorist Diplomate of the French National Veterinary Schools, and Research and Development Director of Pherosynthese s.n.c.
Patricia Pryor, DVM, Dipl. ACVB is an assistant professor in the Veterinary Behavior Services at Washington State University
Kersti Seskel, BVSc, MRCVS, FACUSc, MACVSc (Animal Behavior), is a veterinarian and behaviorist practicing at Seaforth Veterinary Hospital in Sydney, Australia
APPENDIX: ANIMAL BEHAVIOR SOURCES
There are several behavior organizations with professionals available who specialize in pet training and/or behavior problems. Behaviors such as aggression can be difficult to unlearn and require professional help teach cats how to react in new, more positive ways.
THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY BEHAVIORISTS