108 Chapter 7● Then reward only for sitting on the bed.
● Then reward only for sitting on the bed for more than 10 seconds (gradually
increase the time).
● Then reward only for lying down on the bed.
● Then reward only for lying on the bed for more than 10 seconds (gradually
increase).
● Then reward only for signs of relaxation when lying on the bed.
The cue
This is the signal that precedes the behaviour and tells the animal what it is that we
want it to do, more commonly known as the ‘command’. This can be a verbal cue,
e.g. a specific word or phrase, or a visual signal, e.g. a hand-gesture.
Exactly when to bring in the cue can vary depending on the behaviour we are hop-
ing to reinforce and how we are training. If the training involves setting the cat up so
that the chances of it performing the correct behaviour are very high, then the cue can
be introduced at the very beginning of training. But, if the cat has many different
options as to what behaviour it could perform, a common mistake can be to bring in
the cue too early, before the animal has any understanding of what it is expected to do.
This increases the risk that the cat will make an association with the cue and a behav-
iour other than the one we want, or it may never make the correct association, because
the cue and the behaviour are not yet sufficiently well defined. In this case it can be
better to wait until the cat has a good idea of what is expected of it and then bring in
the cue as it performs, or is just about to perform, the desired behaviour. Signals used
in luring, e.g. holding the hand as though about to give a treat, causing the cat to sit
and look up, can also be adapted as cues and later paired with verbal cues.
However, if we are shaping a behaviour it may not be necessary to wait until the
cat is performing the completed sequence, the cue can be introduced as soon as the
cat has a general idea of what is expected of it.
Practical feline examples
● When teaching a cat to come to call, you would start with the cat reasonably close
to you and lure it towards you with a food treat or other sufficiently rewarding
enticement. In this case the cue (the signal used to call the cat) can be introduced
very early on because there should be a very high chance that the cat will come to
you to get the reward.
● If teaching a cat to sit ‘on command’, repeatedly saying ‘sit’ before the cat has any
idea what is required of it is unlikely to be successful. It is better to wait until the
cat does actually sit and then bring in the cue as it sits or is just about to sit. One
way to lure a cat into a sitting position, however, is to hold a food treat in the air
just above its head, so that the cat sits as it looks up at your hand holding the
treat. This method of luring can then be adapted to be used as a visual cue that
can later be paired with a verbal signal (Fig. 7.2).
● If teaching a cat to go and relax on a mat, the cue can be introduced as soon as
the cat is actively going towards, and at least treading on, the mat. Shaping can
then continue as described above.