Gather Up Your Patience
Cats have a bad rap for being stubborn, independent, and untrainable. But only two of those things are true: according to animal trainer Samantha Martin, who founded The Amazing Acro-Cats, the reason people believe cats are untrainable is because they just dont think to train them in the first place.
Any cat can be trained to do something, she told Huffington Post. Patience is key. Generally it will take about three training sessions to really key into whats going on.
Dont Reward Unwanted Behavior
Dont want your dog to sit on your lap and make you feel as theyll crush you?
Fine. Then dont tolerate it yous shouldnt sit there and wait for them to get off.
Stand up and move away. Even better exit the room. Then wait between 5 and 10 minutes and reenter.
If your dog pushes their luck again, repeat the exercise.
Show them that such kind of actions makes you go away. Your dog will get the message. Theyre not in for losing the person they feel then closest to.
If you dont enjoy your dog leaning on you with the whole weight of their body, you can apply the same technique.
This doesnt mean that youll be depriving your dog of love if you do so.
There are other ways to give and receive affection, one of which is snuggling
Should I Discourage It
As we have discussed, there are a number of reasons for your dog displaying cat behaviors that are completely harmless and you may wish to consider it a little quirk of your pup. Some behaviors can appear funny at first but if your dog is in fact considerably bigger than your cat and still trying to sit atop tables or balance on a sofa arm it may be best to discourage this to avoid injury to them and destruction of your home.
The principles of discouraging cat behavior are the same as discouraging any unwanted behavior. Firstly, remain calm. Rather than shout at a dog who is doing something you do not want them to do, redirect them with play or treats to a more favorable outcome.
Try not to reward the unwanted behavior. It can be hard not to smile or laugh when your oversized pooch tries to squeeze into the cat tower, but a firm no and redirection will work better. If your dog is looking for attention by copying the cat this may be a sign, they require more outdoor activity or play.
Ultimately though as long as your dog is happy, safe, and healthy a little dose of cat-like intelligence and independence is definitely a good trait to have adopted. It is safe to say that although humans domesticated cats and dogs most owners of either would readily admit they have us wrapped well and truly around their paws.
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When To Worryor Not
Some kids dont intuitively understand when pretend play is appropriate and may need some guidance, says Michael Dickinson, a paediatrician in Miramichi, NB. He suggests parents try to stay calm and redirect kids to an appropriate activity in a positive manner rather than using discipline.
Getting upset can have the unintended effect of reinforcing the behaviour and making it worse, says Dickinson.
There is no need to worry unless the behaviour starts to negatively impact your childs ability to do normal daily activitieseating, sleeping, dressing or going outside. If this occurs, he suggests asking for advice and support from your family doctor or paediatrician.
Lapointe recommends intervening if you sense your child is stuck in a pretend play scenario that is troubling them. For example, if they are replaying an accident or trauma and fixating on harm, a helpful resolution would be to suggest that a helper arrives on scene. If that doesnt work, Lapointe says to be patient while your kiddo discovers the boundaries of their imaginary world. Try not to get tripped up or freaked out by your kids play and just lean into it and see where it goes, she says.
Lapointe suggests that my daughter morphing into a kitty during our park outings was perhaps her way of coping with her desire to be social with others conflicting with feelings of vulnerability.
What Veterinary Professionals Can Do
Veterinary professionals can keep themselves and their patients comfortable and safe by adjusting their approach based on how socialized a cat is. This is especially important as veterinarians carry out the Neuter stage of TNR, but it is a good rule of thumb for all of their feline clients.
Veterinarians should always keep unsocialized cats in their traps until theyre under anesthesia. Otherwise, they will struggle and strike if handled. Once the cats are unconscious, they can be removed from their traps to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and eartipped . The cats should then be returned to the same traps they were brought in to recover.
Because unsocialized cats are extremely stressed in a veterinary environment, Alley Cat Allies recommends returning them to their outdoor homes as soon as theyre ready, which is often within one day of surgery.
Learn more about surgery protocols for unsocialized cats at alleycat.org/Veterinarian.
Fear Free, a certification program, exists to show veterinary professionals and other people who work with animals how to utilize the above methods to increase cats comfort level.
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Pooping Outside The Box
Its not pleasant when a cat starts going outside of the litter box. If this is happening in your home, you should try to figure out the cause. Make sure the litter box is clean, easily accessible, and in a semi-private space.
You should also have an adequate number of litter boxes, which is one per cat plus an additional one. So, if you have two cats, you should have three litter boxes. You can try out a variety of boxes to see what your cat prefers.
If you have older cats, they might have trouble going up and down the stairs or getting into litter boxes with high sides. Try placing a litter box on the floor where your cat lives and purchase one they can get in and out of easily.
Litter box issues can also be caused by illnesses, such as a urinary tract infection. If you suspect a medical issue or if youre having trouble solving the problem, you should talk with your veterinarian.
Get the scoop on cat poop, including more tips on keeping your cat from going outside the box.
Be Curious About Everything
Cats have an unbridled curiosity, which makes them constantly reexplore their world. Every day is a new discovery, a little scrap of extraordinary fueled by this boundless curiosity. We can all benefit from learning a little each day, and being amazed more often. Learn something new every day: One moment of curiosity per day means 365 new pieces of knowledge per year, and believe me, it makes all the difference, not only to your ability to perform well in pub quizzes, but above all, to your happiness.
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How Cats Became Domesticated
Cats have shared our spaces for thousands of years and live alongside usindoors and outdoorsin every environment we inhabit.
Even so, were still learning new things about cats all the time. For example, research has found that cats early wild ancestors self-selected, meaning they adjusted their own behavior to live closer to humans.
Just as dogs evolved the facial muscles needed to give us puppy eyes to appeal to us, the bravest early cats adapted in order to gain something from people. They took courageous steps to make themselves at home around humans so they could take advantage of the plentiful mice and food scraps in their settlements.
In short, cats adapted to living in close quarters with people for easier access to meals and other human resources.
Over a long period of time and many, many generations of early wild cats living closer to people, the cats became domesticated. A species is considered domesticated when it has generationally adapted to live with or among people in order to benefit from them.
By becoming domesticated, these early cats, called Felis silvestris, became an entirely new species: Felis catus.
Puppy Cats: 21 Cat Breeds That Act Like Dogs
While felines arent known for sharing much in common with canines, there are some cat breeds that act like dogs, which means you just might have the best of both worlds if you have a puppy cat on your hands!
The idea of doglike cats certainly surprises some people as many believe cats to be aloof masters that look upon us as servants rather than loyal buddies. Cat parents know this isnt always the case with cats though! Our kitties certainly love us and enjoy a good snuggle, but some felines crave together time with their people far more than others, making them quite like a dog in their needs for affection.
Cats can also exhibit doglike personality traits in their need for mental stimulation. All cats require activities to keep their brains sharp, but there are some breeds that crave extra engagement in the form of learning obedience commands and even walking on a leash.
Remember though, just because your cat acts like a dog, doesnt mean they should eat like the dog, so dont feed the cat dog food. Sure, the kitty may steal a bite or two from the dog bowl and thats fine, but felines have a specific set of nutrient needs they cant get from dog chow.
But just because you cant give the kitty some dog chow doesnt mean you cant teach your feline best friend how to sit, stay, and roll over. All you need is patience, a sack of treats, and a clicker. To get an idea of how to start into clicker training, check out .
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What Does It Mean If Your Pug Acts Like A Cat
Dont worry, it doesnt mean that your Pug is going to pick up on the cat qualities. Pugs are companion dogs and enjoy being around people. Your dog will still likely follow you around like a shadow.
Youll still likely get snuggles and doggie kisses everyday, especially, if your Pug is that kind of dog. It just means that your dog will have some qualities like independence , which can be a good thing.
You likely wont have to worry about your dog jumping on counters, as Pugs cant jump that high. However, they may try jumping our couches, bed, coffee table or any furniture they can access when youre not looking.
If you notice your dog doing any unwanted cat behaviors such as climbing on your dining room table or perching itself on your expensive couch, youll want to put a stop to the behavior immediately.
The biggest difference between cats and dogs is dogs are much more trainable. It will take some time, especially, if your dog sees your cat continually doing those same behaviors. Its best to try to train your cat to stay off your furniture and kitchen counters, so your dog understands its not allowed. In the past, people used to spray cats with water to keep them off the counter.
However, according to feline behavior solutions, cats can associate the unpleasant experience of being sprayed with water with you, not the punishment itself. What works for your cat wont work for your dog, so, its important you learn how to train both your cat and your dog properly.
How Does A Dog Act Like A Cat
When you first think of cats, whats the most typical behavior that comes to mind?
If you think of purring and stretching, then youll be surprised to learn that your dog doesnt necessarily need to do that to still act like a cat.
Look at the below-mentioned signs to check if your dog does any of these actions:
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Is It Strange That Cats Act Like Dogs
As humans, we tend to give our animal human-like characteristics to explain their behavior. However, sometimes felines act like canines, and some canines can have feline tendencies. This article from Cuteness.com discusses why those differences may exist:
There are dog people, and there are cat people, and those groups tend to choose their companions of choice by the behaviors they exhibit. Sometimes, however, there may be some crossover in the way they act, and cats may end up acting more like dogs than most people would expect. This could be thanks to being raised in close proximity to a canine, or it may just be chalked up to a cats specific breed or personality.
While dogs and cats do have some personal characteristics in common, there are a few very distinct differences between them.
Most notable, perhaps, is the natural social nature of canines compared to the typically solitary personality of felines. While dogs are pack animals, most cats tend to operate alone. This means that many cats prefer to eat, sleep, and share their space with no one. Cats also have a hunters instinct that some dogs dont tend to act out on, and will often spend much of their time stalking or hunting anything that moves, outside and inside of the house. So Is it strange that cats act like dogs?
You Have Cats In The Home
Another reason you might have a “puppycat” around the house is that you have cats in the same home as your dogs. Dogs mimic behaviors that they see in humans and other animals.
Your dog could see your cat lying in the sun and think to themselves, “Hey, that would be fun too!” Or, your dog might watch your cat clean itself and think that might be a fun thing to try. While a dog might not think to do any of these on its own, it might get inspiration when it sees a cat doing something.
Naturally, the behaviors that each dog picks up on will vary. However, if you notice your dog starting to act like your cat, that could be the reason why!
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Ways Humans Would Act If They Were More Like Cats
The more I watch my cats behavior, the more I am fascinated by how some things transpire. I once watched my two very funny cats pull a food dish back and forth, as if they had hands rather than paws. As I watched this, I wondered what it would be like if humans adopted some of the cat behaviors that I see daily.
Heres what I think would happen if humans acted more like their cats:
1. Wed all sleep a lot more and more soundly
Ironically, this has been the story of my life for the past few days. Its Tuesday as I write this Saturday, a cold bug snuck up on me. All I have done is sleep for the last four days. Normally this would drive me crazy, but when your bodys fighting a bad virus, sleeping seems to be what you need to do. Im too tired to feel any guilt about the amount of time Ive spent facing a pillow. I never see my cats looking guilty about sleeping, either. Maybe I could learn something from them.
Woman asleep in bed with striped cat by Shutterstock.com
My cats sleep even when they dont have a choice. For example, theyre all currently shut in two not-too-big rooms, because theres some serious deconstruction/reconstruction going on in the bathroom, and I dont want the cats to get underfoot or hurt. Did they object at first? Yes. Odds are that they then simply went back to sleep.
Closeup portrait of a tired businesswoman sleeping by Shutterstock.com
2. Wed have spontaneous bursts of joy and play, followed by sleeping
Angry couple by Shutterstock.com
Embodying Your Cat Character
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What Are Typical Cat Traits
Many self-confessed dog people will express disbelief that someone would not want to be greeted at the door each evening by an over-excited pooch. They would joke that a cat will only come looking for you when they want something. Cats however can also exhibit oodles of affection for their owners although most would admit they make you work harder for it.