dollface
March 28th, 2009, 04:18 AM
Has anyone been successful with clicker training a cat? Even more importantly, a skittish/feral cat?
I've just recently purchased a clicker training kit and have tried the beginning steps. The problem I'm having is getting my cats to touch the target. When I attempt this with Gizzy, he sniffs it but won't touch it. If I bring it out to him again, he runs away as if terrified of a simple pen. When I attempt it with Forest, he continues to sniff, got a few cheek rubs, but won't follow it. I've tried putting the treat down first and waiting til they get close to put the pen in front of the treat, but Forest tries to dodge it and Gizzy runs away. I'm using Whiskas Temptations treats, as those are the only treats I know both of them really like.
Some background info: Forest is your typical normal cat, really laid back, loves belly rubs, well socialized, 14-15 yrs, you can do almost anything to him (ie sudden moves) and he won't turn on you/get jumpy. Gizzy on the other hand, we've had him for 1 year, he will be 2 years old (in June), very skittish, if you try to pet him he crouches as if he thinks we're going to hurt him, he runs at any sudden movement, he wakes up if one of us sneezes, when we brought him home he hid for 3 weeks, has turned on me once recently, etc, etc... I was giving him Bach drops to correct this behaviour but once I saw results I stopped and he's slowly reverting back. Yes, I'm going to start again. I'm 80% sure he was actually a feral cat and me not researching enough on BYB, I end up with a dysfunctional kitty. BUT everything happens for a reason so maybe my mission is to try to rehab him, we'll see.
For the targeting, I've tried a pen, and a demolished da bird attachment. I thought I was getting somewhere with string attached to a stick but I'm not sure if that would be an appropriate target, because they would view it as prey instead of what I intend it to be.
Anyways, does anyone think clicker training would be possible with my two opposite cats? Does anyone have any ideas with the targeting? Or is it totally hopeless? Any suggestions on changing the treats?
I've just recently purchased a clicker training kit and have tried the beginning steps. The problem I'm having is getting my cats to touch the target. When I attempt this with Gizzy, he sniffs it but won't touch it. If I bring it out to him again, he runs away as if terrified of a simple pen. When I attempt it with Forest, he continues to sniff, got a few cheek rubs, but won't follow it. I've tried putting the treat down first and waiting til they get close to put the pen in front of the treat, but Forest tries to dodge it and Gizzy runs away. I'm using Whiskas Temptations treats, as those are the only treats I know both of them really like.
Some background info: Forest is your typical normal cat, really laid back, loves belly rubs, well socialized, 14-15 yrs, you can do almost anything to him (ie sudden moves) and he won't turn on you/get jumpy. Gizzy on the other hand, we've had him for 1 year, he will be 2 years old (in June), very skittish, if you try to pet him he crouches as if he thinks we're going to hurt him, he runs at any sudden movement, he wakes up if one of us sneezes, when we brought him home he hid for 3 weeks, has turned on me once recently, etc, etc... I was giving him Bach drops to correct this behaviour but once I saw results I stopped and he's slowly reverting back. Yes, I'm going to start again. I'm 80% sure he was actually a feral cat and me not researching enough on BYB, I end up with a dysfunctional kitty. BUT everything happens for a reason so maybe my mission is to try to rehab him, we'll see.
For the targeting, I've tried a pen, and a demolished da bird attachment. I thought I was getting somewhere with string attached to a stick but I'm not sure if that would be an appropriate target, because they would view it as prey instead of what I intend it to be.
Anyways, does anyone think clicker training would be possible with my two opposite cats? Does anyone have any ideas with the targeting? Or is it totally hopeless? Any suggestions on changing the treats?