The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [2]
A friend jokingly calls me Dr. Doo, short for Doctor Doolittle, because of the number of times she has witnessed me talking through solutions with a confused cat owner. Of course, I’m not a doctor. I don’t even play one on TV. But I am a pet expert who regularly works with the very best in the fields of veterinary medicine and companion-animal behavior. I’m dedicated to providing you with the feline facts and practical solutions to your pussycat problems.
So, nix the notion that you can use “canine psychology” on your feline pal. What may work on your lovable Labrador won’t work on your attention-demanding Abyssinian. Instead, please paw through these pages with an open mind and a willingness to be enlightened and educated. The legendary Doctor Doolittle talked to the animals. I’m here to deliver straight talk to you.
Paws Up!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to thank all the veterinarians, animal behaviorists, animal-shelter officials, talented individuals from the Cat Fanciers’ Association and the Winn-Feline Foundation, plus the feline fans who generously shared their time, talents, and ideas in this book. Special gratitude to my team of feline behavior experts Joan Miller, Alice Moon-Fanelli, and Arnold Plotnick, as well as my editor, Lisa Hiley. Together, we can reach out and improve the lives of cats everywhere.
PART I
Feeling Fine about Being Feline
Ah, the life of a Cat. It all seems so, well, purr-fect. Guaranteed meals. Plenty of time for napping. A personal assistant to tidy up your litter box. It is easy to feel a tinge of envy for our felines, but how much do we really know about them?
For starters, we may adore our furry friends, but the ancient Egyptians literally worshipped them. Centuries later, the tide had turned completely and the superstitious inhabitants of merry Old England burned thousands of them at the stake. Loved and loathed — that’s been the cat’s fate through the centuries. Today, more cats than dogs roost in American households.
In this section, I discuss many aspects of being a cat. For one thing, they like to ponder. After all, they waited an extra 10,000 years or so after dogs were domesticated before deigning to hang out with humans. They like to pounce, which explains how your ankle may be mistaken for a heavy-footed mouse in the hallway. They will lure you with purring to obtain a cozy lap, a fishy treat, or a nice scratch under the chin.
Cunning, candid, and clever — cats have these characteristics and more. Read on!
Real Smarty Cat
Q Our household contains a Border collie, a poodle, and an Abyssinian. Those two dog breeds are known for their intelligence, but my Aby, aptly named Mensa, is no slouch when it comes to brainpower either. She comes on cue, walks on a leash, and goes to the kitchen and sits politely when asked if she wants a treat. How smart are cats and how do they learn?
A If there were a pet version of the popular game show Jeopardy!, your trio would trounce the competition, paws down. There is a lot of brainpower packed in that furry bunch, and you may not be surprised to hear that cats learn similarly to dogs and people.
Cats possess both short-term and long-term memories. That explains how they head for the litter box or food bowl kept in the same locale (long-term) or adjust if these feline necessities have been moved to a different room (short-term). Just like people and dogs, cats learn by observing, imitating, and trial and error.
Mensa may act like a dog when she performs those tricks on cue, but cats are big believers in the what’s-in-it-for-me philosophy. Whereas dogs tend to perform to please us and to reap the treats, cats decide what they’ll do and when they’ll do it. If they can reasonably determine that you will come through with an acceptable reward, then they may participate in coming when called, sitting for a treat, or doing some other trick.
Cats also learn by paying close attention to