Tag Archives: Cat Books

And They Say Cats Can’t be Trained :-)

Posted on by
Reply

The trainer in these videos uses the well established technique of using clicker and food to teach kittens specific behaviors. The premise is also used in training dogs, zoo animals and more. Food — the great tamer of them all :-)

From the You Tube description”
“Clicker training is not only enjoyable for cats, but it can be life-saving too. Suppose you had an extreme emergency and needed to get your cat out of the house immediately? A cat that is clicker trained will quickly jump into his carrier. Richard Norton clicker trains his Bengal cats, starting with very young kittens, as shown in this YouTube Video. Richard explains the click as a conditioned stimulus for operant behaviour. “This means that the click alone can elicit some of the same bodily responses and processes that food could elicit. This is achieved by presenting food and the click nearly simultaneously. Our experience is that 3 or 4, 5 minute sessions is more than adequate to fully establish the click as a conditioned stimulus for operant behaviour.“

Video explaining the clicker training process with a young kitten

Video of clicker training process to teach a Bengal cat to press a light switch

I tried out a few clickers at Petsmart (had to go to the dog training aids area), Then I found some healthy treats my cats might get excited about. While we have tried this technique before, I was unsure if my cats would really respond well. Having found these videos I am more determined to make it work this time.

If you have a cat behavior issue, you can visit Marilyn Krieger’s site The Cat Coach. She advises clients about modifying an unwanted behavior through clicker training and other techniques.

Some really good books about training cats from Amazon.com:

Cat Training in 10 Minutes
I just ordered this one. I will let you know how we are doing :-)

Getting Started Clicker Training for Cats

How to Get Your Cat to do What You Want

Cat Themes in Crafts: Idea Books for Year Round Fun

Posted on by
Reply

September is when I start my holiday gift shopping. I make handmade gifts year round (when I’m not sleeping, eating, blogging or at work… :-) )

I bead, sew, embroider, needlepoint, macramé, decorate cakes, bake, cook and write. I use my bread machine to make a sweet bread dough that I then shape into a cat face. Bake and decorate with a chocolate kiss smile and frosting eyes and licorice whiskers. Yummy! Next time I make one I’ll put a picture up. Did I mention I have a creative streak? :-)

Here are some more interesting books for multi-media crafty cat lovers:

Sassy Cats: Purr-fect Craft Projects interesting ideas

Cat Crafts (Kids Can Do It) Elementary school age cat theme crafts

Pet Crafts: 28 Great Toys, Gifts and Accessories for Your Favorite Dog or Cat some are child friendly. Toys or useful gifts for for your furry friend, or gifts of a feline theme.

A Year of Cats…in Hats: Crafts to Make You Smile a little cutesy, but interesting and fun

Cat Purr-sonalities in Cross Stitch I prefer needlepoint and embroidery, but the patterns in here are nice

For woodworkers and carpenters you can buy inexpensive plans for making cat trees from Cat Furniture Plans.

Or try these two patterns:

Scardy Cats Paper Woodworking Full Sized Plans Great for Halloween!

Cat’s Meow Scrollsaw Plaque Woodworking Plan a multi-depth pattern of jigsaw like cat silhouettes

For Quilters:

Two by the same author, I really like her realistic cats

Cats in Quilts: 14 Purrfect Projects

Kitty Capers: 15 Quilt Projects with Purrsonality

Also take a look at The Cat’s Meow: Purr-fect Quilts for Cat Lovers, 10th Anniversary Special Edition for lots of great ideas!

Cats On Quilts is quite different from some of the static feline representations in quilting. These cats are shown being cats!

Mornings with Agile

Posted on by
Reply

Agile was trapped by us last summer when he was about 5 months old. His parents were feral cats that people had dumped in our area. We fed them in the hope of taming these two, but it never happened. So when White Paws (as we named her) came with two kittens, we decided to try catching them with a humane trap we bought from Harbor Freight. Several days later we caught Agile. His sibling vanished soon afterwards.

Agile is over a year old now. Every morning when I walk into the kitchen, he immediately approaches, loudly meowing for attention. He is not satisfied until I follow him into the living room where he lies down to be rubbed, petted and scratched.

First I scratch his rump, then rub his ears and cheeks. If he is really calm, he will roll on his side and purr happily while I rub his belly and chest. His eyes half-close in delight. All the while I praise him and say how handsome and wonderful he is and how grateful we are that he came to live with us.

By the way, if you want to know the whole story of his early life with us, you can read Birds, Mice and Apple Pie.

“Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” A Tasteful Read

Posted on by
Reply

“Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” A Tasteful Read
For Cat Lovers

RESCUE, CA – February 1 – Animal expert Susan Fiedler introduces readers to life from a cat’s perspective in her newly-released “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” (ISBN 0-9778580-1-4) , a non-fiction paperback published by Spotted Cat Designs.BMAP cover

Fiedler tells her tale from the viewpoint of a third-generation feral kitten adopted by a family of humans. Six cats from different backgrounds tell their stories to the young kitten with a mix of matter-of-fact compassion and humor. Through these stories, readers are given a cat’s-eye view of feline life, shelters, catteries, birth, dying with dignity, and human cruelty and kindness. As Fiedler puts it, “Those creatures who dare to share their lives and love with us deserve our respect, compassion and love in return.”

Fiedler draws from almost 40 years of experience taking care of animals and pours her love for them into this timeless book. Without heavy-handed moralizing, “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” provides a heartwarming glimpse into the lives of abandoned and unwanted cats. And in the tradition of books such as May Sarton’s “The Fur Person,” Susan Fiedler’s cats come to life in a unique way that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Readers can also visit the companion web site to “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” at SpottedCatDesigns.com where they can read articles on cat care, browse the latest cat news, and ask questions about interacting with their own cats. “Birds, Mice, and Apple Pie” is now available from major booksellers including Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. For more information, or to order a signed copy, readers can visit SpottedCatDesigns.com.

You can also read the stories at places like Publishers Newswire , Send2Press , News Media Release , PR Leap , Newswire Today , PR.com

Continue reading →

Coping With Cat Fur

Posted on by
Reply

Coping with Cat Fur

Fur, fur everywhere and not just on my cat…

We love our feline companions, but often wish for ways to control or clean up their shed fur. Here are some ideas to help you (and your cat!)

Why cat fur is shed everywhere

Cats have at least two layers of fur (some have three!) and the one we see most often is the longer upper layer. This layer is not shed in great quantities by cats. It is the dense shorter underlayer designed to insulate cats during weather of any kind that is shed. Shedding of old fur occurs year-long, with a seasonal increase after winter being the most prolific. A cat’s self-grooming of this seasonal shedding is what leads to spring and summer hairballs and the resultant problems for your cat and you. Having said this, we turn to ways of decreasing shed fur, first on your cat, and then in your home.

Continue reading →