Creature feature

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

I have a neutered tabby named Denny. He’s a cat that we got at the animal shelter a few months ago. He’s a great cat, very friendly, and has really adapted to living indoors. The problem is that he still tries to run out the door when we open it. It scares me to death. I don’t want to lose him or for him to get run over by a car. We live on a busy street. Can I teach him to stop trying to get out the door? Will he be happy being an indoor cat?

Cats that have lived outdoors can indeed become very happy indoor pets and can be trained to do many things, including not trying for a great escape when an outside door opens.

People are often surprised to hear that cats are trainable, but they are. Just as with dogs, it requires consistency and patience. Rewards and praise, too, are essential. One of the most effective ways is to use a target and a clicker, which is a small device that makes a clicking sound. You can find one for about $1 at the counters of pet supply stores. Your vet may even have them available. A target can simply be a wooden spoon.

Vetstreet.com provides steps to training a cat to perch instead of dash. The perch can be a real cat perch, a seat in front of a window, a chair, his bed or a rug. The point is to create a “station” or place for him to go when prompted.

Before the training begins, you’ll need to “load” the clicker, which means you want Denny to associate it with something good. With Denny beside you, click the clicker while at the same time offering him a treat, such as a small piece of chicken or kibble. Keep doing this until he associates the click with the treat. It’s the same principle as the can opener and food; he’ll hear the sound and come running. Once the clicker is loaded, begin training.

Teach Denny to follow the wooden spoon, or target, by holding it in front of his nose. When he makes any move toward it, mark the move by saying “good” or clicking the clicker, then immediately reward him with a treat or toy (like a catnip mouse or his favorite toy). Work up to getting him to touch his nose to the target. The point here is focus. You want his focus to be on the target and, by extension, you.

Over time, move the target farther away and over obstacles, such as a chair or the sofa. Each time he follows the target, click and reward him. Eventually move the target to his perch. Once he’s there, step away. If he stays in place, reward him. If he doesn’t, try again and move a shorter a distance the second time.

After he’s consistently following the target and staying in place, add a verbal cue such as “place” or “perch” one to two seconds before you show him the target. You’re teaching him a prompt to go with the action. The goal is to get him to go to the perch when you speak the word.

Say the word, then have him follow his target to the perch, then say the word again. Reward and praise.

“Fade” the target by showing it to him farther and farther from the perch or by making it smaller, until Denny goes to his perch entirely in response to the verbal cue.

Practice until he responds to the cue while you are standing at the door. Then when you are at the door, turning the knob. When he goes to his perch and stays, reward him. Continue practicing,working up to opening the door a crack, then until he’s staying on his perch when the door is fully open (make sure the screen or storm door remains closed). If he jumps off his perch, close the door and try again.

Practice this several times a day, making sure all members of your family take part in training so that he responds to the cue no matter who says it. Keep training sessions short.

In tandem with training, make your cat’s indoor environment stimulating and fun. Add cat window seats (perches mounted on window sills) so he can sun himself and see outside. Hide a portion of his food in random places around the house so he can “hunt” for it. Make sure he has interactive toys and plenty of play time with you every day.

Give Denny places to explore by adding cat tunnels and cat trees. Get some use out of cardboard boxes and paper sacks by leaving them where he can hide in them. Create a great indoors so he won’t miss the great outdoors.

Do you have a question about pets? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Rhonda Owen, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail [email protected]

Family, Pages 34 on 06/26/2013