Mary Allen
For a long time, cats were not only considered idiosyncratic but also unteachable.? As intelligent beings, however, they can definitely learn. The person who wants to teach you something just needs enough patience.
Cats are considered individualists with a strong will. That’s why we love them. And that’s why we keep coming up against our limits. Namely, when the cat jumps onto the stove after the umpteenth rebuke, knocks over the flowers, or shows some other undesirable behavior.
At times like this, many cat owners wish they could train their cats “as easily” as a dog or even a child. But that just doesn’t work. If you want to teach your feline companion a few rules of the game, you must first learn to understand her behavior and respect feline idiosyncrasies.
«A dog understands and respects people as their pack leader, to whom they also orientate themselves. But cats don’t work like dogs, they are opportunistic individualists,” says animal psychologist Annette Ebner from Kilchberg ZH. The owner of “Aniwhisp” has specialized in the behavior of cats. And she knows: “The animals keep surprising us with their wealth of ideas and their willfulness. That’s why behavioral problems are tolerated for a long time – until they become a crucial test for nerves and relationships.»
Reinforce and Ignore
A cat’s behavior can be changed. The main rule here is: Reinforce what you like, ignore what you don’t want. That sounds easy, but it’s difficult for many people – especially if it’s not quick and easy. But: “Yelling at them or spraying them with a flower sprayer are simply not good and effective methods,” says Ebner. Because: “The cat brings the human in connection and does not understand the meaning of the action. It just makes her feel insecure about her relationship with her human.”
Many two-legged friends are also unsettled if they do not understand the cat’s signals or understand them incorrectly or too late. The classic: the so-called «petting and biting». This means the seemingly sudden and unprovoked biting of the hand that has just been petted contributes much to the reputation that cats are unpredictable and sneaky. In reality, people often overlook the fine body language signals of the animal and then experience the painful consequences. “The cat should only be stroked briefly and attention should be paid to its posture,” advises the behavior expert. As soon as the tailor even just the tip of the tail starts to move, you should calmly take your hand away.
Screaming Shouldn’t Be Worth it
Last but not least, the nocturnal disturbance of the peace is grueling. By spring at the latest, many cat owners complain that their animals keep them awake in the early hours of the morning with loud meowing and scratching at the doors so that sleep is no longer an option. Ignoring is a possible solution – but very few succeed. But whoever allows himself to be softened, stands up, and gives his cat food or attention, has lost. Because in this way he teaches the animal that it is worth screaming long enough and loudly enough.
“Cats that get loud at the wrong time and want to romp or play are usually under-challenged,” says Ebner. Therefore, the owner would do well to schedule a fixed play ritual for these animals again late in the evening and to “play them tired”. Afterward, there may be another small meal or a biscuit. It is very likely that the now tired and satisfied cat no longer causes any restlessness at night, or at least less so. It is important, however, that such game units are offered regularly, otherwise, frustration will arise.
Another particularly big challenge is the lack of cleanliness. Can you pull the cat out of such behavior? Does it help to punish her if she uses the bed or the carpet as a toilet? “We should be careful not to accuse the animal of wanting to annoy us by refusing to use the toilet,” says the cat psychologist firmly. Cats learned from their mothers how and where to bury their remains. If there are problems, research into the cause is the order of the day and not punishment.
Ebner doesn’t think much of punishment at all – even when it comes to potentially dangerous behavior. The behavior expert is convinced that penalties, for example, to prevent a cat from jumping onto the hot stove, make little sense. “Because if the person is out of the house and the cat is curious, it will still jump onto the table, cupboard, or stovetop.” It is better to observe animal behavior and intervene and distract one step beforehand. In concrete terms, this means that if you see your cat wanting to jump, you should get it to sit down and reward it immediately.
Even older or even disabled animals are able to learn and can be trained accordingly, says Ebener. “You just have to pick them up where they are.” Animals that have lost hearing or sight may need more patience or other help than young animals in order to be able to understand and implement something. “Here, the reference person is required to be creative and to develop ideas to help his cat,” recommends Annette Ebner: “He knows his animal best.”
Every cat reacts differently. While one is best motivated by food, the other likes to jump or solve any task enthusiastically. Humans can take advantage of these preferences when developing learning programs for their animals. “Raising cats requires a lot of empathy and even more patience,” says Ebner, adding: “But it’s definitely not an impossible task.”