วันพุธที่ 6 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2553

Can You Clicker Train Your Cat?

Clicker training is a reinforcement or reward for a cat when training them. Clickers are use most often for support when training a cat for a reward. Cats associate the clicker with a good behavior they will use for a long time. Clicker training is associated with classical condition were they associate the sound with food. and operant conditioning (cat will do certain movement to receive food).

Why use a clicker and not tell a cat or make a sound to get your cat to do a trick? A clicker has a sound a cat can hear and associate good behavior. With words, our tones in our voice can change from time to time, which a cat can become confused with the training. With talking for the commands, a cat could mistake the commands. With using a clicker, it is more of a training tool to get the behavior started with the cat. Then you can put the clicker away for that behavior or trick once a cat has learned the behavior

When taking the cat out for a walk or on a trip, the clicker is a good item to carry along with you. Cats can get distracted with other people, or animals in the area. With using the clicker, it will reinforce the behavior that you have taught them. In addition, a clicker can help you with having your cat walk with you instead of wondering around.

With the clicker, a cat can be trained using three easy steps: Get a behavior, mark a behavior, and reinforce the behavior. Get a behavior is the first step. A good example would be for the cat to jump a hoop. The cat will have to know that when you click that they get a treat. Start with very small treats in your pocket. Clicks, Treat, Click Treat do this for a few times until you see the cat coming for the treat on the click.

Next marking the behavior: You will have to show the cat the hoop. Once the cat touches the hoop, click, treat. Then show the cat to go though the hoop once it does click, treat. Continue to do this until the cat goes though the hoop on its own or your command. Reinforce the behavior Remember to have snacks handy so when you do see your cat go though the hoop a snack is available.

Training a cat with a clicker can be fun for both you and the cat. Taking steps in training will be rewarding to you and the cat. Try not to rush a cat in training, as they can become confused especially if they did not get the step before down. The training will take time and steps to achieve this behavior. Patience, love, and rewards will be the key factor in training your cat.

The clicker is a good exercises tool for a cat. 10 to 15 minutes a day you should get your cat to exercises. For exercising, you can have the cat use a hoop, play with a toy, and climb on the scratching post or something that focus on the cat getting exercise. Exercises will help the cat to stay healthy and help to keep it out of mischief.

Clickers can come with books to help you train, treats, and a clicker. Clickers come in many different size shapes, and color. You will want to research the clickers out. Check out a pet store, Internet sites give lots of information on training and using a clicker. Check out companies that make the clicker by using Internet to see what kind they offer and any additional information that you might need to get the process of training done. Check out articles about the clicker. Talk to someone that has used one. Talk to your area veterinary about training with a Clicker

Once you have used a clicker, the cat will get good exercise and be a healthy cat. The cat will be happier and you will be happier with the new behaviors that you have taught your cat.

By: Cat Lady

Help To Litter Tray Train Your Cat

One of the most daunting tasks that you have as a cat owner is toilet-training them. You would not like them to dirty your bed sheet or wet your beloved furnishings.
In litter-instruction your pet cat, make sure that you get going while they are young cats and they will unquestionably keep this tendency while they grow.
Here are the essentials on how you can successfully toilet-instruct your cat:

1. Familiarize your cat with the "secure" areas within your house.
You may possibly use cage-training whilst the kitten is new. This is so that they will not wander all-around the house without restraint while they are not suitably taught yet.
By giving them uncontrolled rein on every area or room in your house, you will let your cat believe that they can litter all over.
For starters, familiarize your cat with the places around the home where they can roam about. Therefore get going introducing the spot where the litter tray box is situated.
As a kitten owner, you would basically have an notion of when your kitten will relieve itself.
The most probable times are following feeding, when they wake up and following going outside and walking.

2. Feed them on a uniform routine.
Feeding your kitten on a uniform routine would help keep up a schedule of some sort within their system. Following feeding, try to entice them to go to the area where the toilet box is placed.
Fool around with them for some time and once they are about to eliminate, the toilet box is easily within reach.
Doing this on a regular basis would more or less educate your cat of the suitable place to soil or urinate.
Once your cat takes a catnap, place her in close proximity to a litter box when waking. Make sure that you muster encouraging expressions and fondle the coat to soothe her.
This is what's more your way of showing your cat that you are delighted about what she is doing.

3. Clean the litter box.
Kittens are very neat creatures. If they see or feel that the toilet box is unclean, they will not want to go there.
These are several ways to keep the litter box clean and train your cat to use it:
-Your cat would not utilize a toilet box that smells terrible. After your cat has used the toilet box, make sure that it is cleaned for the next time that your kitten wishes to use it.
-Discard the old litter immediately after use. Wash the toilet box with water.
You can add some lemon juice or vinegar to remove the scent of urine. This would make the litter box clean and pleasant smelling to your cat.
-Leave the litter tray box in an area that is simply available to your cat. If you assign one room for them, you could situate the litter box at the opposite end of their sleeping area.
Always provide your cat with clean water to drink, this could also be placed close to the litter box so that they can urinate there following drinking.
-If you have more than one cat, leave numerous toilet boxes in strategic areas.

4. If your cat unexpectedly stops using the litter box, it might be caused by anxiety.
Cats will respond to stress by urinating or soiling your favorite piece of furniture.
There are also physical reasons why your cat will soil your carpet or wet your bed sheet. Your kitten may well have urinary tract problems that you would not know about.
It is best to check with your veterinarian if your kitten suddenly urinates a lot or soils your furniture.
A unexpected change in your kittens behavior means that you should check with with a professional.

5. Do not associate the litter tray box with punishment.
You can additionally use psychology for litter tray training your cat.
If they litter on your carpet, do not direct them to the litter box after the fact.
If you do this, the litter tray box would serve as their chastisement and it will be extremely hard for you to get them to make use of it again.

By: Roy Weastt

Home Care for Cats with Diarrhea

A cat with diarrhea will only need to stay with the veterinarian in extreme cases. Most of the time you will have to take the cat home and deal with the mess that the cat will be making, added to that will be the stress of taking care of a sick cat.

Although generally cats are quite stoic and would not show you how they are feeling, this will not lessen your worries because you already know that they are sick.

Here are a few things that you need to do when you have a cat at home who is suffering from diarrhea:




1. Make sure that the cat is comfortable and as free from stress as possible. Remove any reason that may aggravate the illness that is causing the cat’s diarrhea.

2. Keep the surroundings clean, a cat with diarrhea means that the immune system is already at a weakened state and any further incursion can only make matters worse.

3. If there is more than one cat in the house, you should isolate the cat with diarrhea from the others. The fecal matter of the sick cat may also carry the bacteria that are causing its diarrhea, and you really don’t want to be dealing with more than one cat with that problem.

4. Follow the veterinarian’s instructions on the treatments or medication, if any. It is best to write it down on a piece of paper and post it at a place that you can see often.

5. Ask your veterinarian if there are any supplements that you can give your cat to strengthen the cat’s digestive system after the treatment or medication to avoid future problems.

6. Take care of yourself as well, because giving care to a sick pet can take its toll on you. The stress and the extra chores can make YOU sick if you are not careful, or at the very least it will compromise your ability to function and keep your temper in check.

Cats and other pets can enrich your life beyond measure, and the only thing that an owner can do is to give him the care he needs to live a longer and better life.

The happiness that a pet brings will never equal the small discomforts you will go through in taking care of them. Keep this in mind when things seem too trying in dealing with a cat with diarrhea.

By: Stan Eric

The Souls of Animals

At some point in our lives, we have all lost precious and dear pets, or at least know someone who has. Their passing is often as painful to us as when we lose human loved ones, sometimes even more so. When they leave us, we like to think that there is a place for them in eternity. It is important that we feel that somehow, someway, provision has been made for them.

Unfortunately, when we seek validation for these hopes from those we look to in spiritual matters, we frequently find that they hold to the view that animals are for this world only and that they do not possess eternal souls. We are told that when they pass, that is the end of the road for them. This only deepens our sorrow and pain.

I do not subscribe to this view. In fact, I find it to be both presumptuous and theologically immature. Presumptuous, because the Bible is clear that God valued the creatures he formed with his own hands and called them "very good" after creating them, indicating that their existence pleased him.


Further, the Bible gives indisputable record that God, motivated by his pleasure and love for his creation, personally and purposely protects and provides for his creatures from Eden past through Millennium future. We are told that he clothes the animals and provides sustenance for them. He directs their migrations to ensure their safety from the environment. He even gives instructions on how domestic animals should be treated. In short, he expresses and employs unending care for his creatures.

This should come as no surprise to anyone as it is in keeping with his original plan in Eden, which was that animals (like humans) would live forever. His immutability precludes variance from that plan; irrespective of the temporary setback caused by the fall of mankind. It would be presumptuous to think that God would change his mind on this matter, for his thoughts and plans are perfect and never in need of correction, change or update.

Continuing, the evidence found in scripture overwhelmingly supports that animals do indeed have souls, much like people. I say "much like" because there is a distinct difference. Animals are innocent creatures that are not in need of reconciliation and regeneration. Nevertheless, with this one exception, their souls are very similar to, if not exactly like our own.

In perhaps the oldest book of the Bible, the Book of Job, verse 10 of chapter 12 tells us "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing". This is a very profound passage. The initial, face-value perception is that God is speaking of all creatures, human and animal. The considered, in-depth study of the statement supports the initial perception. He is speaking of all creatures, human and animal.

The word "soul" is used in over twenty different ways in the Bible. Invariably, when people come across this word in scripture, they automatically associate it with redemption, so much so that in no matter what context it appears, the connection to reconciliation and salvation is always present in their minds and unconsciously applied to the interpretation.



In most cases, this is right and acceptable to the rules of exegesis, but there are times when it is not. Clearly, the gospel message is not for animals. It is exclusively for people. It is a reconciliatory outreach from God to people. However, to allow this truth to cause one to draw the conclusion that an animal therefore cannot have a soul, is to visit a gross injustice on scripture.

The Hebrew word "nephesh" (soul), appears many times in scripture and is used interchangeably to describe both the essence of man and animals. It does not make a distinction between the two and it does not delve into salvation in its application. Rather, it addresses the consciousness of the soul.

This passage in Job is a good example of this. The word soul is not used in relation to redemption, but rather addresses providential care. A clearer meaning of this verse would be "in whose hand is the life or essence of every living thing…". God is speaking of that part of humans and animals that contains or houses the "life" he has given to them, that part that departs the body when the body expires.

When we mesh this thought in Job with Romans chapter 8 and Revelation 5:9-13, to name a few corresponding passages, the meaning is clear. The life or essence of every living thing is in the eternal care of the one who created that life.

However, this word in Job indicates an even deeper thought for us to consider. We often refer to man (or woman) as a flesh and blood body with a soul. This is not so. In keeping with the absolute intent of this word, man is a soul that has been placed in a flesh and blood body. The distinction is subtle, but it is immense in effect. This is our essence, that we are a soul, not a body. The body is temporal, but the soul eternal.