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RESOURCE A FEAST FOR THE MIND

NEVER PUNISH A CAT

Cats learn best when they are rewarded:

they don’t tend to like people who punish them.

They will try to repeat any behaviour they

associate with positive feelings, so whenever a

cat behaves well – whether that’s staying calm

during grooming, entering their cat carrier, or

responding to a ‘sit’ command – immediately

offer a reward.

PICK THE BEST

REWARDS

The biggest reward for a

well-behaved cat is usually food.

Cats are carnivorous by nature,

so it’s no surprise that little

morsels of chicken, ham or fish

are the most valued treats. Cats

also love to play (it’s the perfect

outlet for their hunting instincts)

and some enjoy being groomed

and stroked – all of which can be

used as additional rewards.

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USE LURES

We all know that cats like to spend time relaxing and

sleeping. If your feline friend doesn’t volunteer his cooperation,

lure him to the desired location with his favourite reward. If you

want your cat to enjoy entering his carrier, for instance, drag a

toy or move some food to the entrance. Once inside, don’t

forget to let him have his treat so that he associates entering

the carrier with a positive feeling.

NOTICE THEIR MOOD

It should be fairly obvious if

your cat is disinterested in training –

common signals include turning their

head away, flopping slowly onto one

side, or grooming in a rhythmic and

systematic manner. Try to engage

them by minimising distractions,

offering tastier treats such as freshly

cooked meat, or regularly switching

between different types of rewards.

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PHOTOS: GETTY, ANGELA MOORE/MUSUEM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

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SET SUB-GOALS

Training usually fails when

too much is expected of the cat, too

soon. Break up any training goals

into smaller sub-goals, offering a

reward at each step. For example, if

the goal is to get them used to your

new vacuum cleaner, introduce

them to it over several sessions,

gradually increasing its volume and

its proximity to the cat.