Is your cat crazy--John Wright--Chapter 1

Jennifer say:


I had recently read this great book 'Is your cat crazy' by animal behaviorist, John wright ( a PH.d psychologist whom is refer by vet when the vet cannot solve cats problem). Some of the tips in this book are so extremely useful. I goin to summarise the tips in my blog today. Noted that all tips will never be related to cat litter box.many problems that wright solved are actually cat litter box problem when they refused to use the box ..but for me, i felt that cat can be taught to use the toilet like mine..if u see my blog, u can see sweetie using the loo..so smart... and cheap too.

Some info abt John Wright:
he of course an animal behaviorist as mentioned above. Often he is referred by the vet to visit the vet where the vet clients will calle wrigth regarding the cat problem. Often there was no guarantee query esp when ppl asked him if their cat can be problem free. As mentioned in the book,"It is never ethical to guarantee the outcome of ths or any other treatment program where an animal's behviour is concerned. As all reputable animal behaviour consultants will readily point out, living things will never be as predictable as cleaning products or kitchen gadets."
more info on him on this site: ( i try finding if he publish his work online but none from this book..)
http://www.puppyworks.com/speaker/wright.html

Behaviour-oriented qns are often asked when wright goes on a house visit. It is impt for a house visit as wright needed to find more abt cat livin condition, the size of the house, the ppl living in it and the area of the cat sleeping, litterbox and of course more from the owner her/himself and seeing the cat behaviour outfront himself. Often changes took place (after wright recommende the owner to do this or that for solution of cat problem) within two week. Otherwise plan B or C will need to be in place later.

well..here goes the tips and some facts of cats: I Have decided to create a new post for each chapter as the tips are too long...

Taken from Chapter 1: "In search of a prefect cat"
1) cats sleep 80% fo the time.

2) The cat's big, beautiful eyes, with their ability to gather lots of light, offer a rationale for nocturnal felien friskness. The cat doesn't just shut down at night as humans (and most dogs) do. To a cat, there's not a lot of differene bwt night and day, except that the human they live with are inactive in the dark. At 1/10 the ligght level we use to grope our way to the bathroom, our purring pets can inspect the premises after lights-out without any problem.

3) When felines do rest at night, their sleep takes the form of catnaps. While their eyes are closed, their senses are apt to be on alert--at least to things that interest them. Cats can filter out unimportant sounds while they sleep, yet be instanly awake if they hear, say, the patter of litte rodent feet.

4) Some behaviourist find that predigreed cats have a slightly higher incidence of behaviour prolbmes and that the well blended gene pool of the alley cat yields a more behaviorally healthy animals.

5) Guidelines when adopting an animal

Alertness - A cat can be active and or cuious. If she is active, she zips and move around a lot. If she is curious, she approaches and explores changes in her environment.

Sociability-WIth people, a cat can be sociable, fearful, hostile or tense(very careful in movement)

equability-does he get along well wiht other cats? does he interact with others easily and camly or not?

6) Animal behaviorits identify two types of friendly personality cats:

One prefer play

One prefer petting

7) Other researchers have 3 catergories of behaviour towards unfamililar people:

Initiative friendly

reserved friendly, depending on whether the cat initiates interaction with human

and lastly unfriendly or fearful

8) When selecting a cat, try to determine if she like to be around people, then observe her behaviour style, is she playful or a lap sitter?

9) If you already have another cat, consider the adoptee's equality:

Neutering can change relationships, sometimes in subtle or nonsexual ways.

A couple of females are likely to get along as well as would two males. Females are more likely to solicit rubbing than males do, so if you want cat that rub, get females or a female or male pair.

If you want your kitten to play with other cats, rear him with others. Kitten are a lot more playful if they have siblings to roll around and play fight with.

If you plan to adopt more than one kitten, or if u already have a resident cat, you probably want to stay with the same sex.

If you already have 3 females, you will have more sucess with a 4th female rather than a male which provide more competition in the same housing area

Psychologists found that similarities attract initially but what keeps relationships together in long term is the complementarity of needs. eg..if both cats like playing but one love chasing, and the other run away, their needs are complementary and the two might be a compatible pair.

How cat personabilties vary depend on their genetic makeup and their maternal and early experience in the litter.(when they still with their sibling and mummy)

9) Case study--from chapter 1: A cat named Pumpkin wil usually pounce on his owner legs, wright taught his owner to play with him by throwing him toys and talking to pumpkin. Within a few week, pumpkin learnt that arms and legs werenn't avaible to bite as often as his toys adn that change cut down the number of bites on his owner. lesson learnt: redirect cat to release his asswertive tendencies on acceptable objects provided by owners to encourage him to be less aggressive towards his own owners. eg as in the book, use a toy to play with him rather than wait for the cat to attack ur legs.

10) How to select a cat:

Look at the cat past experience before adoption

All cat are products of several sources of influence broadly cassified as genetics and experience. Knowing or observing the parents might give you a key to understanding what kind of kittens will be produced..

Kittens should not be separated from their mother before 7 or 8 week of age. Those extra weeks are impt for kitten development.

most cats form a close bond with owners and family members because they have learned from a early age of trust and enjoy human companionship. The sensitive formative period in felines occurs bet the ages of 2 and 7 weeks, during which handing or lack of handling, by ppl can influence the cat to become more or less affectionate as a household companion.

Do not take the cat by the neck..it is better to hold the kitten securely against ur body with one hand around the chest and the other under the hindquarters.

Kittens handled frequently in spite of parental admonitions are more likely to grow up liking and seeking out ppl for affecton.Early handling of kittens are extremely imopt.

11) Steps recommended to bring a kitten home

Select a room the kitten can use as home base for the first day to several days. The room should have a door or some means of privacy and protect ur kitten from the chaso of daily living.

In a corner opposite the door, place the kitten litter box, preferabley contaiing the sandy, clumpling type litter the majority of cat seem to prefer.

In a different corner, as far away from the litter box, place fresh water and food. Eating and eliminating involve competing motivations for a cat and keeping dishes and litter boxes well seperated help to enable the cat to do the right thing in the right place.

select another corner or area aways from the litter box for the cat to sleep.

Get the kitten

12) (really like wright recomendation of adopting a cat from a animal shelter, here in singapore, thousands of cat are put to sleep becoz no one wanted them) adopt cat from animal shelther esp if breed or age is not impt. In america,5.7 million to 9.5 million cats are put to death each year. To adopt a cat from an animal shelther, try to see several cats at a quiet room to observe their play and how they react to you.

13) To get a kitten to feel comfortable and approach you, squat down and stick your fingers out as he walks nearby. Allow him to approach and touch his nose to your fingers. He will sniff and rub his head on your hand and go to rub some more and sit by you. Touching nose (your finger is probably percieved as a surrogate nose) is a form of greeting among cats.

13) When 2 cats approach each other, one cat will raise her tail in the air. If the second is friendly and raise her tail as well, you can bet that they are about to simultaneously rub. If the first cat tail is raised but the second isn't, then the first cat will rub till the second cat responds in kind.