Arden Moore - Teaching Your Cat Simple Tricks

50 Simple Ways to Pamper Your Cat, by Arden Moore. In a fun, easy-to-read format, Moore delivers creative, simple, natural, and fun ideas for pampering your cat. From recipes for gourmet treats to grooming hints, herbal flea repellents, pet comfort corners, cat massage techniques, and ways to understand how a cat thinks, this book presents easy-to-implement tips that support a happy, healthy cat and a strong human-feline bond. Paperback. 144 pages. ISBN 1-58017-311-X.

Cat Love: Understanding the Needs and Nature of Your Cat, by Pam Johnson. This essential cat-care guide includes chapters on choosing a cat, nutrition, training and behavior, grooming, and medical and reproduction issues. Voted Best Cat Book by the readers of Cat Fancy magazine. Paperback. 256 pages. ISBN 0-88266-594-4.

Dr. Kidds Guide to Herbal Cat Care, by Randy Kidd, D.V.M. Dr. Kidd, a holistic veterinarian and herbalist, explains how herbs can be used as a practical, safe, and effective part of pet care. He explains how herbs work, dosage and potency, and methods for giving herbal remedies to cats. Readers will learn preventive care, approaches to age-related problems, and the treatment of chronic conditions, from calming a nervous cat to getting rid of fleas, treating urinary tract conditions, and strengthening the teeth. Paperback. 192 pages. ISBN 1-58017-188-5.

The Family Butterfly Book, by Rick Mikula. Author Rick Mikula, the grandfather of butterfly farming, shares his vast knowledge, contagious enthusiasm, and deep respect for these fascinating creatures. Readers will learn how to attract, safely catch, handle, and support butterflies as well as how to create a butterfly habitat and the basics of butterfly farming. The book also features close-ups, including photographs and illustrations of eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, and butterflies, of 40 favorite North American species. Adults and children alike will enjoy this exciting, intriguing, and environmentally important book. Paperback. Full color. 176 pages. ISBN 1-58017-292-X.

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Great teachers know the best ways to motivate their students. To be a successful cat trainer, you need to know what makes your cat tick. If you pay close attention to his actions, youll discover some or all of the following traits.

Cats prefer set routines. They like to wake up at a certain time, eat at a certain time, and they expect you home at a certain time. They quickly learn your daily schedule and adapt accordingly. Cats regularity may partially explain why some wake us up a few minutes before our alarm clocks chime. When their inner body clock sounds the signal, its time to get out of bed and start a new day.

Cats abhor confusion and change. Thats why some scoot under the bed when your Aunt Dottie pays a surprise overnight visit or when they see packing boxes stacked in your living room.

Cats are place oriented. They feel most comfortable inside familiar surroundings. This is how they differ from dogs. Dogs are people oriented; they want to join their favorite people pals and go to strange new places. Cats prefer to stay at home. Your house is their castle.

Cats are place oriented, not people oriented. They are most comfortable when in familiar surroundings.

Cats love to sleep. Some Rip van Felines will snooze up to 17 hours a day. Ive yet to meet a cat with insomnia. They have favorite nap spots that they will risk life and limb to reach, especially if they are sunny, perched up high, or tucked inside closet corners.

Cats are refreshingly honest. They never pretend. They never lie. If they dont want to sit on your lap, they will make like Houdini to figure out a way to wiggle free. Its nothing personal, mind you. They would just rather be elsewhere. But if your cat wants to snuggle next to you, she will unabashedly march over and sit on top of the Sunday newspaper youre trying to read. Its your cats way of saying, Hey, look at me. Pay attention to me.

My animal behaviorist friends tell me cats can be trained by a pattern of behavior reinforced by rewards. The psychological term for this is conditioned response, the very same principle Ivan Pavlov used to elicit responses from hungry dogs using a bell.

Long before you picked up this bulletin, youve been training your cat using the conditioned response approach probably not even realizing it. Does your cat come zooming into the kitchen each time he hears the whirl of the electric can opener or the cush sound a tab top makes when you peel it off a new can of cat food? These sounds signal to your cat that if she goes to the kitchen, there is a good chance she will be rewarded with food.

It is important for you to reinforce a desired behavior with a special signal and reward. Always be consistent. In most cases, cats are motivated by food. Other popular motivators are verbal praise, friendly petting strokes, behind-the-ears scratches, and toys (especially cat wands or toy mice).

Its All in the Timing

Timing is critical in successful training. Pick a time to teach a new lesson or trick when your cat appears to be a willing student. Ive found the best times are just before mealtime or when your cat is in a spirited, frisky, playful mood. Each cat will react differently when a training session commences. Some may ignore you at first, while others may be very curious and eager to learn from the very start.

You should also recognize that your cat trains you. After all, the conditioned response technique can work both ways. Your cat knows that if he rubs against your leg, there is a high probability he will be rewarded with friendly petting. Or if he sits politely by the food bowl and meows sweetly, you will respond by feeding him.

Training success depends on how well you and your cat communicate. Of course you dont speak the same language, and, unfortunately, a handy cat-to-people translation dictionary doesnt exist. No need to fret. The cornerstone of successful training is addressing your cat by her name. This alerts her that you are talking to her, not the dog or your spouse.

Engaging your cat in conversation on a daily basis is the fastest way to teach your cat to tune in to your voice.

When your cat glides into the room and comes into view, offer a friendly greeting and call her by name. Say Hey, Callie, its good to see you. Use your cats name often so that she learns to associate hearing you speak it with happy actions such as getting praise or a tasty treat. Speak in calm, soothing tones so your cat will feel special and part of the household family. She will quickly learn how to interpret your voice tones and body cues if you are consistent in how you deliver them.