reinforcement delivery for cats
Despite popular belief, cats can be trained. Training any animal, the key is finding the right reinforcement and reinforcement delivery! Many cats devour small training treats or kibble from a pouch. Some cats like to lick pureed food squeezed from a tube and others prefer a pea-sized amount of canned cat food or tuna on a small spoon or popsicle stick. Non-food reinforcers, such as interactive play, a scratch behind the ear, or brushing, can work well, too! Every cat is different. Experiment to see which reinforcements and delivery methods are purr-fect for your cat.
In this video, KPA Associate Director Gretchen Carey is teaching her cat Frankie to follow a Clik Stik. Frankie is wild about canned food, so Gretchen is reinforcing Frankie’s target behavior with a small amount of canned food on a spoon. As you will see in the video, it doesn’t take long for Frankie to follow the target with enthusiasm!
What is your cat’s favorite reward? For more inspiration and tips on training your cat, check out Karen Pryor Academy’s Train Your Cat course!
Happy Training!
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