Treats For Kitty Too!
Sunday, September 2nd, 2007Many of us often associate the whole enterprise of treat-giving with dogs and not with cats. Our perception of dogs is often colored with their inexorable weakness for table scraps and bone-shaped treats, while cats…not so much. To the cat owners who believe this…boy have you been missing out!While treat-giving is in fact a fantastic way to train canines, it’s equally effective for our felines as well. Through using treats, you can train your cat to do a plethora of things, from fetching small things and coming when you call him, to toilet training. HealthyPetNet’s Gourmet Cat Treats - Hairball Formula are the perfect treats not only for positive reinforcement, but also for shameless cajoling. Not only are they yummy, but they are also great for intestinal health, which is so important to felines because of their hair.
Using Positive Reinforcement
to Train Your Cat Treat-giving is an integral part of positive reinforcement. In fact, we think it is one of your most powerful tools for shaping or altering your cat’s behavior. Positive reinforcement is essentially a form of mental conditioning. We believe that positive reinforcement or giving your pet something rewarding immediately after a display of desirable behavior, makes your pet more likely to repeat that behavior in the future. Some people give their cats treats while others combine treat giving with a gentle brushing.
ImmediacyCorrect timing is crucial when using positive reinforcement. For example, if your reward doesn’t occur within seconds after your cat has used the scratching post for the first time on her own volition, then she may not associate the treat with that action, but with something else.
So, it’s best to keep treats around different parts of the house. Having the treats readily available will give you more opportunity to respond immediately to a good deed, breaking off pieces of treats whenever brilliance strikes. Throw her pieces of a treat while she is using the scratching post and make her chase them as a reward. Cats still enjoy hunting for their food and its good exercise.
Consistency
Consistency is also an important element in training. When your cat is just beginning to train, continuous reinforcement should be used, meaning, she should get a reward and praise every time she displays desirable behavior. Giving treats erratically without perceptible aim or purpose can send the wrong signals to a fledgling cat. It’s also important to get your household involved; make sure everyone uses the same commands for the desired actions and rewards the cat for the same desired behaviors. For example, if little Johnny bestows a treat at the dining room table after you’ve just made it known that the cat is not allowed on the table, the cat will no doubt demand his own dinner setting.
Intermittent Reinforcement
Once your cat becomes reliable with the good behavior, you’ll have to find a way of weaning her from the treat-giving every time she does a good thing. This is where intermittent reinforcement begins. Start by rewarding her only three out of every four times she does something good. Then, over time, you can only reward her for half the time, then a third of the time, until rewards only come occasionally.
This doesn’t mean that the praise should stop. Continue to praise her every time, though it doesn’t have to be with the same amount of zeal as before. She will learn that if she keeps engaging in desired behaviors, she’ll remain on your good side and get what she wants—praise and occasional treats.
