- There is a significant amount of text in this section, and we may need to create an index at the top with links to the different topics.
- Additionally, it would be beneficial to find images to include in this section.
- Consider creating a box to define reinforce and indicate what it is based on (e.g., individual cat’s preference). This can also be one of the definitions
- Several other sections contain a “Key Takeaways” summary box at the end of the Toolkit. Can we create one for this section?
Finding the Right Reward
Food is often considered the go-to reward for training, but 63% of cats preferred a reward other than food, highlighting the need to consider a broader array of rewards when working with cats. In a study of cat preferences:
- 50% preferred a form of human social interaction, (e.g., being petted/played with in a cat-preferred manner).
- 37% preferred food.
- 11% preferred toys.
- 2% preferred a scent.
Importance of Tailored Rewards
The best reward to use in training is one that is appealing to the specific cat.
- Since every cat has unique preferences, caregivers should identify what the cat prefers instead of deciding for their cat, providing the cat with some choice and control. This can be done with a simple preference assessment at the beginning of the training session:
- Pick a few possible rewards
- Present them to the cat
- Observe which item or items the cat interacts with the most
- If a cat is presented with a small amount of lickable tube treat, a feather toy, or petting over the facial glands and the cat spends the most time pawing the toy, this indicates the toy may be the most appealing item for training that day.
- Just like people, cats’ preferences can change based on their experiences. The same cat may prefer treats on days in which they already had enough social play.
- For more ideas of rewards, see the Behavior Modification Recommendations for Multiple-cat Households handout from the 2024 AAFP Intercat Tension Guidelines: Recognition, Prevention, and Management.
For a reward to serve as a reinforcer (in operant conditioning via positive reinforcement), the reward must strengthen the behavior you are rewarding. It is important to see how the delivery of the reward impacts the cat’s behavior. If the behavior doesn’t change in response to the reward, then try changing to another highly preferred reward and see if it reinforces (increases the occurrence of) the behavior.
Timing is Everything
Another consideration is the timing of the reward.
- The reward needs to be delivered immediately after the behavior you would like to reinforce. For example, to reinforce a cat for sitting, the cat should be given the reward immediately upon sitting.
- At times, especially for some advanced behaviors, it may be difficult to reward the cat immediately after they have engaged in the behavior. In these instances, the use of a training tool, such as a conditioned reinforcer (see below), may be appropriate.
- Don’t train if the cat demonstrates protective behaviors.
- Don’t train ill or painful cats.
- Ensure the reward is highly desirable for the individual and timing is right.
- Avoid distractions during training.
In all species, certain individuals are slower learners. Be patient with these cats as long as they are healthy and calm as they still benefit from learning.
Training Tools
Conditioned Reinforcers
Conditioned reinforcers, such as training clickers or a word or noise (e.g., click of a pen) used only during training, are common in cat training, especially for behaviors that are difficult to immediately reward. For example, if a cat is being trained to go through a cat door, it may be difficult to give the cat a reward the moment the cat steps through the door. In these instances, the conditioned reinforcer can be used to mark the behavior and help bridge the length of time between when the cat goes through the door and when the cat gets the reward. From Chairs: I think there should be a different example here, as shaping is needed for most cats to go through a cat flap. The way I understand it is the reward needs to be given immediately, so if a cat gives a paw/does a high 5 when asked, the conditioned reinforcer is used while the person fumbles or goes for a treat or other reward.
How Conditioned Reinforcers Work
- A sound (e.g., clicker, other noise, or verbal reinforcer) or hand signal is classically conditioned to have meaning by pairing the sound with a reward that immediately follows.
- Over time, an association is built between the neutral reinforcer and the delivery of a reward.
- Once conditioned, the cat will expect to receive a reward after the reinforcer.
- This then allows the trainer to use the conditioned reinforcer to guide the cat. When a correct behavior is displayed, it is marked with the reinforcer and followed up with a reward as soon as possible.
Challenges with Clickers
- Although clickers can be useful training tools that have been successfully used in kitten training and socialization classes, clickers might not be the best training tool for every cat or behavior. Research has found that some cats take longer to learn a task when taught with a clicker.
- The “click” sound can be too loud and aversive to some cats.
- To soften the sound, the clicker could be placed in the person’s pocket or wrapped in a cloth.
- Social praise, such as saying “Good Kitty!” can also be used in the same way to “mark” a desired behavior and may be less aversive.
- Use of a target stick to mark the desired behavior.
- For deaf cats and cats that are highly reactive to sounds, use a hand signal to train the cat.
Shaping, Luring, and Targeting with Primary Reinforcement
Although primary reinforcement—the reward given directly to the cat as soon as possible after the behavior is displayed—is difficult to do by itself, it can be used successfully with other helpful training tools such as shaping, luring, and targeting to help teach behaviors.
Shaping
Shaping is the practice of teaching behaviors in small, incremental steps, using operant conditioning via positive reinforcement. Shaping allows a caregiver to slowly train a behavior instead of expecting a cat to pick up on a complex behavior immediately.
Case Example: How Shaping Works
In shaping, a behavior is broken down into discrete steps, which build on one another. The criteria the cat needs to achieve to get a reward at each next step is slowly increased. To teach a cat to walk through a cat door, we can slowly shape this behavior by breaking it down into steps and reinforcing each step with rewards, as seen in this shaping plan:
- Reinforce any time the cat looks at the cat door.
- Reinforce any movement toward the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for standing near the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for putting any part of their body on the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for putting one paw on the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for putting one paw through the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for putting the head through the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for putting the front of their body through the cat door.
- Reinforce the cat for walking fully through the cat door.
Luring
Luring is the practice of using a reward to directly guide a cat’s behavior. Luring is also an application of operant conditioning via positive reinforcement.
How Luring Works
- Returning to the cat-door shaping plan (see box above), you could take a bit of food and place it in front of the cat and slowly guide them forward to the front of the door, effectively skipping to step 3.
- If you have a cat who prefers playing, use their toy to guide them to the front of the cat door, and then lure them through the door with the toy.
- After the cat has engaged in the behavior, reinforce the cat with their preferred reward, then try to repeat the behavior.
Challenges with Luring
Because the desired behavior is initially induced by the caregiver, and not independently and voluntarily initiated by the cat—which is a fundamental first step to learn via operant conditioning—luring may be less effective than shaping and capturing (see below) for teaching complex behavior.
Targeting
Targeting is the practice of teaching a cat to approach and touch an object. Options for target sticks include a commercial target stick that extends (best for cats that nip hands) or a household item such as a chopstick or a pen with the cap on as their target stick (see the Behavior Modification Recommendations for Multiple-cat Households handout).
How Targeting Works
To teach targeting, the following shaping plan can be utilized:
- Place the target stick directly in front of the cat’s nose and reward the cat for touching the stick with their nose.
- Place the target stick slightly further from the cat’s nose and reinforce the cat for touching the stick with their nose.
- Place the target several inches from the cat’s nose and reinforce the cat for approaching and touching the stick with their nose.
- Place the target a foot away from the cat’s nose and reinforce the cat for approaching and touching the stick with their nose.
- Continue to increase the distance between the cat and target stick.
By using these steps above, caregivers can see how approaching and touching the target stick can be slowly shaped.
Targeting and Luring Together
To further facilitate learning, a lure could also be used in conjunction with targeting. A preferred soft food or lickable tube treat could be placed on the end of the target stick, which will encourage the cat to sniff the stick and lick it to be immediately rewarded for the targeting behavior.
Capturing
Capturing involves the practice of reinforcing a behavior that your cat already performs.
Natural Behavior Capture
- Cats naturally sit down. This “sit” behavior can be captured and reinforced by rewarding the cat when they sit on their own.
- When the caregiver sees the cat sit, the cat can be rewarded with social praise, such as saying, “Good job!”
- Caregivers can also have treats or a toy handy, so they are prepared to reward the cat with a piece of food or play session following the sit behavior.
Identifying Opportunities for Behavior Capture
- Caregivers can watch their cat’s daily activities and find times when their cat often does the behavior they want to capture (e.g., the cat sitting while waiting for their meal).
- Capturing a behavior induces very effective learning via operant conditioning, as the desired behavior to reinforce is independently and voluntarily offered by the cat.
Putting Behaviors on Cue
Once you have taught a behavior, that behavior can be put on a cue so that the caregiver can ask the cat to engage in that behavior when desired.
Integrating Cues
- A verbal word (such as “sit”) or a visual cue (such as a hand signal) can be integrated so the cat can be asked to sit in the future.
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The cue should be introduced after the cat is reliably sitting; then, the cue can be presented at the same time as the behavior, then immediately before the behavior, and then slowly backed up so that it precedes the behavior. For example:
- Watch for the cat to sit. When the cat sits down fully, say the cue word “Sit” and provide a reward. Repeat this step several times.
- Watch for the cat to sit. Just as you see the cat beginning to sit (but before the cat’s behind is on the ground), say the cue word “Sit” and provide a reward. Repeat this step several times.
- Now say “Sit.” The cat should sit in response to the cue.
Cooperative Care
- Cooperative care is training a cat to willingly cooperate in their own care, both at home and in the veterinary practice.
- Common cooperative skills include training targeting and stationing, asking the cat to move into a certain position, or teaching the cat to offer their tail or limb voluntarily.
- Cooperative care replaces physical restraint, minimizing fear-anxiety and distress, as well as feline protective behaviors that can cause human injury. See 2022 AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines: Approach and Handling Techniques.
Implementing Training Tools in Cooperative Care
- Targeting is a great skill to start with because it can be used to “ask” the cat to do a behavior, rather than force them to do the behavior.
- For example, a caregiver can use the target stick to guide the cat into the carrier and then reinforce the cat once they have stepped into the carrier. This again gives the cat more agency and control over their own behavior and environment.
- Table 1 highlights a few skills that could be trained along with a brief explanation of how to train each skill.
| Training Tool | Cooperative Skill | How to Train |
|---|---|---|
| Targeting | Guide cat to location (e.g., into cat carrier or onto scale) or ask cat to change body position (e.g., stand up to expose belly). | Shape behavior by reinforcing approach and touching of target stick with the cat’s preferred reward. Start with stick directly in front of cat and slowly increase the distance the cat needs to move to touch the target stick. |
| Lure | Guide cat to location (e.g., into cat carrier or onto scale) or ask cat to change body position (e.g., stand up to expose belly). | Use an appetitive reward, such as a piece of food or a toy, to guide the cat’s behavior. |
| Capturing and Shaping | Place one leg outstretched (to cooperate in future venipuncture or vaccination procedures). | Watch for times when the cat outstretches their leg, such as before or after a nap when a cat is likely to stretch. When the cat’s leg is outstretched, reward the cat. Do this several times. Then, slowly increase the amount of time the cat must keep their leg outstretched before they can receive the reward. |
| Capturing & Shaping | Open mouth (for oral examination). | Watch the cat for any time the mouth may be open, such as when playing with a toy. Reinforce the mouth for being open and then slowly increase the criteria so that the cat’s mouth needs to be open for longer periods of time before the cat gets the reward. |
Reinforcement to Improve Welfare
- Cooperative care allows us to reinforce behaviors useful for working with our cats, rather than against our cats.
- There are other behaviors that might be important to teach for enrichment purposes. Enrichment allows cats the opportunity to express natural behavior, which can increase feline welfare and reduce unwanted behaviors.
- For example, although many cats are being kept strictly indoors, many would benefit from safe outdoor experiences (e.g., outdoor catio, cat enclosure, walking on a harness and leash) can enhance a cat’s welfare, allowing them to engage in natural behaviors, such as sniffing, scent marking, and exploration.
- This can be done through the provision of an outdoor catio or cat enclosure. The cat can be trained to enter and exit through a cat door, as described above.
- A cat can also be trained to walk on a harness and leash.
- Other welfare behaviors, such as scratching, can be reinforced the same way.
- When a cat is seen using their scratching post, the caregiver can praise the cat and reinforce with a treat or bout of play.
- The more this is done, the more the cat will scratch the post, rather than the person’s favorite piece of furniture.
- Training itself can be a form of enrichment for cats that allows them to solve problems. The more a cat’s welfare is met, the less likely the cat will be to display unwanted behavioral issues.