Cat Training and Behavior
- 1. Surviving the Feline Teens
- 2. Dealing With Nighttime Troublemakers
- 3. Channeling Predatory Play Aggression
- 4. Keeping Cats Off Counters
- 5. When Cats Don't Get Along
- 6. Wild Animals Killed by Cats
- 7. Keeping Cats Out of the Garden
- 8. Preparing The Cat For A New Baby
- 9. Petfinder's Top Ten Tips for a Contented Cat
Channeling Predatory Play Aggression
Jacque Lynn Schultz, C.P.D.T., Companion Animal Programs Adviser. National Outreach
He's young and lean and hides in the shadows. Silently, he waits for the most opportune moment to dart out and launch his attack on passing ankles and calves. He's...your cat!
Catch as Cats Can
When left to fend for themselves, feral cats, barn cats and
outdoor cats hunt birds, insects and small mammals to survive.
According to the July 1995 issue of Catnip, a publication of
Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, "The cat has
evolved into a superb spotter, tracker and pouncer. Cats have
highly developed acuity of vision for movement." These skills of
stalking, lying in wait, pouncing and, especially, killing are
taught to them by their mothers. The feline who merely "plays"
with prey probably didn't get lessons from Mom.
Kittens with hunting mothers may show preliminary skills in the art of the kill at just four weeks. It is understandable, then, that the average, pampered young household tabby redirects these energies to his unsuspecting human caretaker's body parts. The most intense and frequent of these misdirected attacks occur during late kittenhood and adolescence (a stage of peak feline fitness and energy), leveling off or ending by adulthood at 1-1/2 to 2 years of age.
Take heart -- we rarely hear complaints on the ASPCA Behavior Helpline about bedtime "twitching toe attacks" beyond Simba's second summer. But there's no need to just grin and bear it until the cat matures. The answer lies in redirecting the predatory-play behavior. In other words, divert the cat's interest to something that appears to be alive (to the cat, anyway) but won't be hurt by that fast flurry of teeth and nails.
Living It Up
It is up to a cat's human family to engage the cat in interactive
play throughout the animal's life. This is achieved by using toys
that can float, twirl, dart and fly in ways that simulate live
prey. The human puts life into the toy by dragging it on the
floor, dangling it from a wire, swooshing it on the end of a
dowel or other such imaginative motions. Wiggling fingers should
never be used as they only encourage aggression toward human
flesh.
Interactive toys such as the Cat Dancer™, feather wands or Kitty Tease™ can be purchased at pet supply stores. Do-it-yourselfers can easily make their own. An old sock stuffed with paper and a little catnip, knotted at the top and dragged on a piece of string, makes a great target for predatory play aggression.
Now You See It...
Interactive toys should be securely locked away when the game is
over, for two reasons. First, they may have parts that are unsafe
for cats to ingest. While it is unwise to knowingly purchase toys
made of dangerous materials such as tinsel or Mylar, most
interactive playthings require a string or wire to distance toy
from handler; these toys are safe for the cat to play with as
long as there is human supervision. Second, toys are more
exciting to the cat when they disappear and then suddenly
reappear days later. Too often, cat owners complain that they
have purchased dozens of toys that their cat ignores; this is
usually because toys that are always available quickly lose their
allure.
To be most effective, interactive games should be played several times a day. Engaging Simba just before mealtimes is ideal, as it completes the entire "stalk, pounce, kill and feed" sequence. Duration depends on your cat's energy and concentration levels, but three to fifteen minutes per game is usually enough time.
Interactive play provides many benefits for you and your cat.
In addition to greatly reducing predatory-play attacks, a game
before bedtime often calms down a nocturnal noisemaker, tiring
him out enough to keep him sleeping through the night. Play
sessions will also reduce your cat's stress level and help keep
neutered cats in trim form. A better bond with your cat is the
best by-product of all.
Next in
Training: Cat Training and Behavior:
Keeping Cats Off Counters
