Sue Hartley, Author at The Stray Ferret

Stray Mogs: Cat carrier training

Sue Hartley has a background in psychology and clinical animal behaviour and has been helping cats for over 10 years. Through a successful cat care business, volunteering with Cats Protection, as the Feline Welfare Manager at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London and now as a cat behaviourist in Harrogate through her business The Understood Cat.

Contrary to popular belief, training is possible with cats to support their welfare, whilst giving you the opportunity to interact with your cat in a positive, productive way. For example, you can train your cat to come when called, accept being touched or handled for basic health checks, and to help them into their carrier and to feel comfortable in there.

A survey by International Cat Care found that 50% of people struggle to get their cat into a carrier which is likely to be contributing to concern that many cats aren’t receiving the veterinary care they need (PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report, 2020).

At a basic level, cats learn by association. If a cat does something and the outcome makes them feel good, they’re more likely to do it again. The best way to train your cat is through ‘positive reinforcement’ – rewarding your cat for doing a desired behaviour.

With cat training, you’ll most likely be ‘shaping’ their behaviour by rewarding actions that get closer and closer to the end behaviour you want.

With carrier training, the first step is to get a ‘cat friendly’ carrier that looks like this:

Next, think about where to do training with your cat – you’ll need somewhere quiet and free of distractions (including other animals). Think about how to reward your cat so they’re motivated to learn. People often use food, but some cats may be more motivated by a chin tickle or play. Play involves lots of activity so might not work well if the training lends itself to calm behaviour which is the case with carrier training.

If your cat loves their food and eats quickly, use a portion of their normal daily food allowance. If your cat is less food motivated, try commercial cat treats or small pieces of meat or fish. Each reward should be small – about half the size of your small fingernail or a lick or two of a squeezy treat.

To help your cat learn, check they’re happy, healthy, rested, and hungry (but not ravenous as they may struggle to concentrate on anything but the food!).

I worked with a client whose cat was really frightened of her carrier, so we started with a completely new carrier that looked different to the old one but still had the features of a good carrier. After removing the door and popping a snuggly banket inside, the carrier was placed in a quiet and ‘neutral’ area of the home – not in the room where the cat used to be put in their carrier for vet trips. The client then started leaving regular tasty treats in and around the carrier (e.g. a ‘treat trail’ leading up to it, treats scattered around it or inside). This was repeated in different areas of the home before following International Cat Care’s series of ‘bite-sized’ videos that walk through the carrier training process step by step.

The cat now likes her carrier so much that she’s regularly found catnapping inside it!

Stray Mogs: How well do my cats get on?

Cats have evolved from a largely independent species who prefer to be alone so living with other cats can create challenges for our feline friends. Having an idea of how well your cats get on can help you create a harmonious home for you and your cats.

Cat relationships can be broadly categorised into three styles: friendly, tolerant, and hostile.

Friendly…

Your cats are likely to get on well if you see them:

Raising their tail up straight (usually with a slight kink in the end) when approaching each other.
Touching noses or tail wrapping (i.e. their tails intertwine).
Grooming each other either at the same time or by taking turns (rather than one always grooming the other).
Rubbing against each other, usually rubbing their chin, cheeks or sides of their body against each other. This should be reciprocal.
Sleeping or resting in contact with each other.

Many cats enjoy play fighting with each chasing the other, rolling around and batting each other with paws. The key difference between play and real fighting is noise: play fighting is usually silent with pauses as each cat repositions themselves, and any biting is gentle and claws are usually retracted. Play fighting can sometimes escalate though, becoming too rough for one cat. After play fighting, both cats will go back to normal with no obvious tension between them.

Tolerant…

Tolerant cats ‘co-exist’ but are unlikely to enjoy each other’s company or choose to interact or spend time together. They prefer to avoid each other, and may use these strategies:

Ignoring each other – rarely interacting or even looking at each other.
Maintaining distance – they may share the same ‘resource’ (e.g. sleep on a bed at the same time) but are more likely to be at opposite ends, usually facing away from each other.
Time sharing – they access certain resources and areas of the home at different times, so they don’t come into contact.
Separate territories – some cats may have specific areas of the home they stick to (their core territory) and other parts they tend to avoid (another cat’s core area).

Hostile…

Sometimes it’s obvious when cats don’t get on, other times it’s difficult to spot as cats can ‘intimidate’ each other in subtle ways.

Direct hostility might include:

Growling, wailing, yowling and hissing.
One cat chasing another away to ‘displace’ them.
Physical attacks including swiping with front legs, pouncing, grabbing, biting and kicking with back legs. This is more forceful than in play fighting and potentially causes injury. The cats will likely seem tense and uncomfortable before and after and one or both may retreat to safety afterwards.

Indirect hostility might include:

Staring – either directly at close range or across a room, usually with wide, unblinking eyes and a fixed expression.
Resource ‘blocking’ or ‘controlling’ – blocking stairs, landings or halls to prevent another cat moving freely throughout the home and accessing resources (e.g. one cat lies in the middle of a hallway leading to a cat flap or litter trays etc.).
Resource ‘stealing’ – for example one cat climbs over another to oust them from a resting spot.
Walking directly towards or near another cat to ‘displace’ them.

If you’re concerned about your cat’s relationship, here’s some advice on what to do.

Stray Mogs: C.A.T. friendly interactions

Some cats love to spend hours on your lap being stroked whilst others prefer only the briefest of chin tickles.

During interactions, some cats may quickly become over stimulated or find some forms of touch unpleasant or overwhelming, leading to a cat avoiding interacting, tolerating rather than enjoying the interaction, or sometimes behaving aggressively to get you to stop (for example by swiping).

Following the C.A.T. acronym helps you interact in a way that your cat will feel comfortable with, reduces the chances of you being scratched or bitten, and can encourage your cat to initiate more interactions with you. The C.A.T. approach was developed by Dr Lauren Finka, research associate at Nottingham Trent University, whilst advising Battersea Dogs and Cats Home on how to reduce stress for their cats.

This approach gives your cat choice, so they feel more in control during interactions. It’ll work with cats who enjoy lots of contact but may quickly become over stimulated, as well as for cats who are on the timid side.

C: provide your cat with choice and control during the interaction

Gently offer your hand to your cat, allow them to approach you, and let them choose if they want to interact or not. If your cat wants to be touched, they will rub against you. If they don’t make contact, they probably don’t want to be touched right now.

Allow your cat to control how much you stroke them by briefly pausing every 3-5 seconds to ‘check-in’ with your cat. When you stop stroking them, do they rub against you to ask for more? If not, they may be ready for a break.

A: pay attention to your cat’s behaviour and body language

The following signs suggest your feline friend is feeling uncomfortable. If you see any of these, pause for a moment and let your cat decide if they want to continue to interact:

Your cat moves away from you.
Their ears become flattened or rotate backwards.
They shake their head.
The fur on their back appears to ripple.
They lick their nose.
They go a bit still and stop purring or rubbing against you.
They sharply turn their head to face you or your hand.
They suddenly start grooming themselves, lasting only a few seconds.

T: think about where you’re touching your cat

Most friendly cats prefer being touched under their chin, around their cheeks and at the base of their ears. Try to stick mainly to these areas.

Avoid the base of the tail and tummy, and be cautious when touching your cat’s back, legs and tail. Pay close attention to their body language to see if they appear comfortable.

Image: Battersea Dogs and Cats Home

Green: Areas to focus on.
Yellow: Some cats will like these areas being touched, some won’t. Pay close attention to your cat’s body language if touching these areas.
Red: Most cats won’t like being touched here – try to avoid these areas.

Avoid interacting with your cat when they’re hiding, eating, sleeping, playing with a toy on their own, or when they seem frightened, frustrated or in pain. If you think your cat could be in pain, contact your vet.

Stray Mogs: Not all cats who wander are lost

Intrepid Puss hitched a 200-mile ride from Scotland to the Great Yorkshire Show and then went missing in the local area for two weeks before thankfully being found and reunited with her family. So why might a cat spend time away from home or go missing?

As with Puss, sometimes it’s down to human activity – getting shut in someone’s garage or shed whilst having a snooze or climbing into a car or delivery van when the driver isn’t looking. Cats can go on extended hunting trips, particularly in spring or summer, and unneutered cats roam in search of a mate (one benefit of having your cat neutered). Getting back through the territory of another cat can sometimes be tricky or a cat who’s moved to a new area and hasn’t yet fully settled in their home before being let outside. Cats who have moved to a new home close to their old one can get repeatedly drawn back to their old territory when they start to go outside.

Perhaps more commonly, a cat may ‘vote with their paws’ and decide to permanently move away as their ‘core area’ is no longer perceived by them to be safe. This can be due to a single traumatic event (e.g. building work) or chronic stress associated with the cat’s environment. A cat’s move away might happen overnight or could be more gradual with the cat spending less and less time at home before eventually not returning.

A common factor in cats deciding to move is other cats, like another cat coming to live in their home or issues with other neighbourhood cats. Dispersing is a normal response to an increase in the population density of cats in an area.

Moving to a new territory is probably seen by the cat as a better option compared to the threat posed by other cats or something else stressful about the home, such as a new family dog or the arrival of a baby. In addition to other animals, a cat may find interactions with family members stressful if they’re not particularly ‘cat friendly’.

Although cats are good at masking when things aren’t right, they’ll generally show some signs of stress prior to moving away from home. Here’s how to spot the signs that something’s troubling your feline friend.

If you’re thinking of rehoming a rescue cat (like Leah or Sox in The Stray Pets Rescue Club) or moving home with your cat, follow this advice to help your cat settle in their new home. Creating a ‘cat friendly’ home will go a long way towards ensuring your cat feels their ‘core area’ is safe.

Ultimately, microchipping your cat is the best way to ensure you’re reunited should they go missing – but here’s some advice on what else to do in that situation.

Stray Mogs: helping cats who scratch

The PDSA’s latest PAW Report on the wellbeing of our furry companions rates furniture scratching as the top ‘anti-social’ feline behaviour. The trouble is, scratching’s an important business for cats. It gives their claws and limbs a good workout and helps them ‘mark’ their territory through leaving scent and visual marks, so it’s a communication thing too, and may also be important for stress reduction.

Look at where your cat is scratching around your home to give you an idea of whether they prefer to scratch vertically, horizontally or both. Give your cat good quality posts, mats and pads to scratch on so they don’t need to take an interest in your new sofa, favourite chair or the carpet.

Scratching posts should be tall, sturdy and stable, and covered in material like sisal to give your cat something to get their claws stuck in to. Alternatively, securely fix a coir mat to a wall to save space and money. For horizontal scratching, go for a pad, mat or scratching box large enough for your cat to sit on and scratch at the same time. When I worked at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, our cats loved scratching on carpet squares that are inexpensive and don’t take up a lot of space.

Help your cat fall in love with a new ‘scratcher’ by roughing it up a bit with the tip of a screw or wire brush. Play with your cat around the post or pop some ‘catnip’ on it to get your cat ‘in the mood’ – some cats get a bit over excited by catnip though so take care.

Place the new post or pad near to where your cat is currently scratching and protect the area so it’s not as easy or enjoyable for them to scratch. Cover sofas or chairs with a loose throw or safely place a pile of books over any carpet being scratched – anything you’re happy to leave there temporarily. If this doesn’t deter your determined feline, cover the area with cling film or plastic. Double-sided sticky tape is an option but press your fingers against the tape a few times to reduce its stickiness – the idea is to make it inconvenient for your cat to scratch there but without hurting or frightening them.

Wait until your cat is regularly using any new scratcher before relocating it – move it gradually, only a few inches a day. Add other posts or pads in places that are ‘strategic’ from a cat’s perspective, like entrances to the home, internal doorways, their beds and food, or tops and bottoms of stairs.

A cat scratching box

I helped a cat recently who had taken to urine marking (sometimes called ‘spraying) inside his home as he was really unsettled by the presence of other cats in his garden and near the home – one had managed to get into the house through the cat flap. In addition to installing a microchip-controlled cat flap so other cats couldn’t access the home, we encouraged him to ‘mark’ in other ways inside the home through face rubbing and scratching. We made sure he had lots of good quality options for scratching that we felt would work for him and carefully placed them so he could make territorial marks and leave his scent in places important to him.

Another client who I worked with recently had a cat who hadn’t had the best start in life and was finding it difficult to settle and relax in her new home. A key part of our plan to support her involved ensuring she felt safe and secure – a priority for such a self-reliant species. We created a ‘kitty safe space’, containing everything she needed including places to hide and horizontal and vertical places to scratch so she could deposit her familiar scent so that it started to ‘smell like home’.

Sometimes a cat scratches the sofa or the carpet as the behaviour gets a response from their humans. If you think your cat may be scratching to get your attention, this may need a different approach so please seek help from an appropriately qualified cat behaviourist.

Stray Mogs: Explaining a cat’s ‘If it fits, I sits’ mentality

Sue Hartley has a background in psychology and clinical animal behaviour and has been helping cats for over 10 years. Through a successful cat care business, volunteering with Cats Protection, as the Feline Welfare Manager at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London and now as a cat behaviourist in Harrogate through her business The Understood Cat.

Clients often ask me why cats love cardboard boxes? Scientists have been exploring why our feline friends seem to have a “if it fits, I sits” approach to selecting ‘cat nap’ spots.

The 2017 social media ‘challenge’ #CatSquare saw people sharing photos and videos of felines choosing to sit in masking tape square outlines on the floor. In May 2020, this photo emerged of stray cats in the Philippines spontaneously sitting in circles marked out for social distancing.

If cats like boxes and shape outlines, would they also sit in a box that’s an illusion? Like people and dogs, cats also get caught out by optical illusions. The Kanizsa square illusion involves a square with the perception of edges that aren’t there. Researchers found that cats opted to sit inside this ‘fake’ square nearly as much as they would a ‘real’ square.

So why do cats like to sit where they fit? Cats seem drawn to enclosed spaces and may reflect how important feeling safe and secure is to them. Research suggests that one of the most important things we can do to help our cats thrive in a busy home is to provide them with places to hide – the more the merrier.

The Kanizsa square illusion

Hiding places should feel private and big enough for your cat to get in to easily and turn around and settle in. I recommend clients offer ‘igloo’ or ‘cat cave’ beds and cardboard boxes on their side with a towel draped over most of the opening.

Create hiding places under beds or by leaving the doors to wardrobes or cupboards open and pop blankets inside – but be careful not to shut your cat in!

Providing high-up ‘hideouts’ (e.g. on the tops of cupboards, wardrobes, shelf units) allowing a cat to survey their surroundings also go down well with our feline companions – check your cat can access them safely using steps, ramps or strategically placed pieces of furniture nearby.

You can even create your own ‘kitty hideaway’ by recycling a large cardboard box and an old t-shirt that smells like home.

Follow ‘cat etiquette’ by not disturbing your cat when they’re in their hiding places as they’re likely to have gone there for some ‘me time’.

Places to hide are also key for cats in rescues helping them to settle allowing their personality to shine through so they can be matched to their forever home.

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Friendly…

Tolerant…

Hostile…

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C: provide your cat with choice and control during the interaction

A: pay attention to your cat’s behaviour and body language

T: think about where you’re touching your cat

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