Nitty Gritty of Cat Training: Compacted Version! Presented by Jacqueline Munera

While cats can certainly be trained, many people find them more challenging to work with than dogs. Even professionals that have a solid basis in learning science can struggle when trying to apply that knowledge to training cats. We need to take a cat’s-eye perspective and figure out what they want and need in order to feel comfortable. This session will focus on the real-world nitty gritty of cat training. We will use videos and photos to explore some cat communication signals and behavior that reveal Kitty’s readiness to interact, cover the importance of the relationship between cat and handler, and review how to set-up cat-friendly training sessions. We will also peruse the when, where, and how-to techniques of reinforcement delivery. Attendees are expected to already understand basic operant and respondent principles. This session is excellent for dog trainers and cat behavior consultants that want to learn more about cat training.

Learning Objectives: After this seminar, attendees should be able to

• Understand the importance of the relationship between cat and handler
  
• Recognize cat behavior relevant to a training session (e.g. cut-off signals, displacement behaviors)
  
• Set-up a cat-friendly learning environment
  
• Be ready to experiment with ways to deliver reinforcers

About The Presenter