I’m sorry for the delay in posting this entry, but this month has been very trying. On December 2, my soon to be 89 year old grandmother (dad’s mom) fell in her seniors apartment and broke her left arm at the elbow. She couldn’t get up on her own, but she had a “Lifeline” button on her necklace and she pressed it. This caused her phone to contact an emergency operator who phoned dad. He rushed over to grandma’s and called an ambulance. The ambulance took grandma to the hospital, but they did not have an orthopedic surgeon available, so grandma spent the night at the local hospital and then was sent out via air ambulance to the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. She had her operation to pin the broken bones back together on Saturday, December 5, then flown back to the local hospital on Monday December 7. She is recovering nicely. On Thursday December 10, dad got his Windows 7 upgrade and he spent over 8 hours trying to get it properly loaded onto his computer so that the numerous crashes of Windows Vista would be a nightmare of the past. It was not an easy upgrade, as Windows 7 doesn’t use the mail system that Windows Vista used, so dad had to export all his mail contacts to another file and then import them into Windows hotmail. Quite a lot of dad’s software was not compatible with Windows 7, so it had to either be updated or removed before Windows 7 could be loaded. It was not a fun time, but hopefully everything is going to be OK….at least there have been no crashes so far today…unlike Vista which crashed multiple times a day…particularly when dad was trying to add a picture to these posts, or review his “my pictures file”. Finally he can post this entry for me. Enjoy!
Pets make your home more complete by being there to greet you after a hard day at work or snuggling up to you while you sleep. Cats have been termed the most fickle of creatures; however, they are sweet lovable animals if you raise them from infancy. Most cats will recognize you by the sound of your voice and the car you drive. They will particularly know you if you are the one who spoils them the most. Like dogs, cats can be trained. A cat can be trained to come to your call, to bring their toys when they want to play, as well as more domestic issues such as using a litter box. The key to training a cat or kitten is reinforcement.
Reinforcement starts at any age, but it is wise to start when they are still a kitten. Cats cannot distinguish words, but they are very astute at distinguishing the tones of your voice. They will know they have done something wrong just by the tone of voice you use. This is why it is important to use your upset voice when they have done something wrong, otherwise they will become confused. Let’s go back to reinforcement. Reinforcement is either positive or negative. Stern words are a negative reinforcement for a cat or kitten because they typically do not care for harsh tones. Positive reinforcement can be gentle hugs, full body petting, treats, or play time. (If you wonder why I said gentle hugs, it is because many cats become panicky if they are held tightly.)
To train your kitty to come to your call you must repeat her name while she is looking at you. Look right at your cat while you are using a nice tone of voice. Another way to call your cat is to have another sound, like snapping fingers, or clicking noises with your tongue. These typically gain the attention of your cat or kitten so they learn to come when you call.
Litter box training is perhaps the easiest part of having a kitty in your life. It is best to keep them confined to one room, the room you will have the litter box in, to train them. They will learn by you putting them in the box and allowing them to familiarize themselves with the smell. Mom and dad found that during the training period if you leave a small bit of damp litter in the litter box when you change the litter, the kitten will smell this and return to the litter box more easily. Cats by nature understand the feel of litter associating it with dirt. You may have to pick them up when they first begin to go, if they do not understand the litter box, and place them inside. Occasionally a cat does not like the litter you have purchased. They usually show their displeasure by using the floor. If this happens, try a different brand. Another thing that you must ensure is that the litter box is cleaned frequently. Many cats will not use a box that is full of stool and damp clumps of urine soaked litter. Cats are naturally clean animals and they do not like to be dirty. That is why they are easy to litter train and why they spend so much time grooming themselves. Most female adult cats will train their kittens to use the litter box, so it is important they do not leave their mother’s care too quickly.
Food works in much the same way. Once you show them where their food bowls are they will continue to go there. Cats are creatures of habit. Make sure that their food and water bowls are not located near their litter box. You do not like to eat your meals in your bathroom and neither does your cat.
Habits are how you will train your kitty to bring you toys. Some cats will simply meow when they want to play and casually bat their toy. However, if you respond positively by playing with them every time they carry a toy mouse or stuffed toy to you, they will continue to bring the toy without the reinforcement of a treat. For example, a family friend’s kitty, Spooky, brings a stuffed animal to the family friend every time she wants to play. She lays it down near the end of our friend’s couch and meows until our friend recognizes the good deed and begins to play with her.
Cats are trainable, perhaps not to the degree that a dog is trainable, but they can be trained to respond to your voice commands if you are consistent with both the tones and the words you use. Cats will enliven any home and, given a lot of positive reinforcement, they can be just as much fun, if not more fun, than other pets. This is especially true when they give you comfort by stepping onto your lap and begin kneading and purring. These moments can take away a bad day at work within a few seconds.
Cats, by nature, are very independent animals. However, if you make a fuss of them and treat them well, while allowing them to have their own “private time,” they will give you countless hours of love and affection. What more could you want from a pet?
Until next time,
Teia
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