Animal Behavior Cats n Clickers

Transcription

1 Animal Behavior Cats n Clickers Thank you for volunteering in the Animal Behavior department as a Cats n Clickers volunteer. This packet includes information to familiarize you with the Animal Behavior area and Dumb Friends League policies and procedures. Cats n Clicker volunteers provide enrichment and clicker training for shelter cats. Individual behavior sessions are designed to relieve stress, improve health, and help cats remain in their new homes. This is a promotional position; you need to meet the following requirements to work as a Cats n Clickers volunteer: 1. Complete 15 hours in Animal Care kennels. 2. Attend the Learning Theory class and the Cats n Clickers class. 3. Complete on-the-job training with current Behavior staff. 4. Complete hands-on training in the Cats n Clickers program. Please be sure to ask plenty of questions. These are the managers and supervisors that can assist you in your training: Attendance and Vacations If you are unable to make it in for your shift, please contact Volunteer Services at or volunteer@ddfl.org. This way we know that you will be out and we may be able to find another volunteer to fill your shift. If you would like to change your position or the time and/or day you come in, please contact Jasmin Rice at Getting Started Please wear your volunteer name tag and t-shirt for all shifts. Pick up individual hand sanitizers. Please return the sanitizer when your shift ends. Refills are available in the supervisor/ manager s office. Clock in at the time clock for every shift. Check in at the Behavior office at the start of every shift. At the Buddy Center, check in with the Director or a Supervisor. 1. Put your initials next to your name. 2. At the end of you shift put a check mark next to the name of the cats with which you have worked. Getting the Cat When you check in with the Behavior staff, you will be given a list of cats that have been assigned to you for the day. When you find a cat from the list, make sure you are checking that its tag and description both match, confirming you are working with the correct pet. Approaching the Kennel

2 Get the cat s attention before opening the gate by talking calmly and softly; avoid using the S sound. When you open the gate, do not block the opening with your body. Allow the cat to come to you. o Some cats respond well to doing the slow blink soft eyes to the cat, or kneading to the cat. Let the cat smell you before picking it up. Don t rush! If the cat does not seem to want to be handled, leave it alone and tell the appropriate staff. It is important to check that the cat has also been eating and using the litter box while it has been at the shelter. If it has not eaten or used the litter box, notify the appropriate staff. It may need to be a stim-eat cat or be looked at by a veterinarian. Removing the Cat from the Kennel Make sure you always use a carrier when moving a cat from its kennel to the kitty comfort areas. When you are picking the cat up from the kennel, use the football hold control the cat s head and support its body weight while controlling the front feet with your hand. Try to keep the other cats out of this cat s vision as some cats are cat reactive. If the cat begins to struggle let it fall to the floor. Cat Clicker Training Clicker training uses a precise sound (a click) to tell a cat that it has done something to earn a reward. Think of the clicker as the shutter of a camera; you click when you see the correct "picture" of the behavior you're training the cat to perform. Once you click, you immediately give the cat a treat. Remember, behaviors that result in a "good" consequence for the cat (positive reinforcement) will most likely be repeated. The cat quickly learns that it can get you to give it a treat by performing a certain behavior. Clicker training is fun for your cat to train you and fun for you to train your cat!

3 First Step: Association Begin clicker training by helping the cat associate the click sound with a treat. Click, then give the cat a treat; repeat 5 times. Click when the cat is in different positions and when you're in different positions. For now, the cat doesn't have to do anything to get the treat these are "freebies." A good indication that the cat understands this association is to click when it s distracted (looking away from you). If the cat turns its head toward you when you click, it probably does associate the click with a treat. Tip: Don t hold the clicker too close to the cat's face some cats find this intimidating or startling, and other cats fixate on the clicker. Try muffling the clicker by hiding it behind your back or in your pocket. Tip: If you have a sound-sensitive cat, the sound of the clicker may be too scary. Try holding the clicker in your pocket or wrap it with a handkerchief to make the sound quieter. If the cat is still frightened of the sound, you can use a visual marker (such as a flashlight") instead of a clicker. Tip: Only click once. Always give a treat following the click. Tip: When the cat associates the click with a treat, try to "capture" a behavior. If you catch the cat doing something you like (maybe the way it tilts its head) click and treat whenever the cat exhibits the behavior. You'll find the cat will start to exhibit the behavior more often in order to get the treat. Second Step: Shaping Choose one spontaneous behavior or something the cat does that you like. Some examples: sitting, looking at you, raising a paw, or lying on its bed. Each time you see the cat exhibiting this behavior, click and treat. You need to be observant and have your clicker and treats handy at all times. When you catch the cat doing something right, let it know. Caution: Once you start clicking/treating the cat for a behavior, prepare to see the behavior often! Don't choose a behavior that will become obnoxious when performed frequently. Tip: Reward (click and treat) partial steps in the right direction, gradually getting closer to the final position. Repeat until the cat performs behavior easily. This is known as "shaping" a behavior. Tip: Start training in a place with no distractions (other household pets, children, squirrels, neighborhood cats, etc.). Tip: Gather together a variety of motivators. Food treats should be small, soft and smelly. Let the cat select its favorites. Other motivators such as petting, toys, games, or walks, work well at the end of a training session. Always combine food and other motivators with verbal praise such as "good job!" Tip: If you make a mistake and click at the wrong time, don't worry about it, but do go ahead and give the cat a treat anyway. The click must always mean a treat is coming. Next time, pay attention and be ready to click at the precise moment the cat performs the behavior (e.g., butt hits the floor for a sit). Tip: It is better to click too early than too late. If you click too early, you can shape the correct behavior by rewarding progressive steps. If you click too late, you may be reinforcing the wrong behavior.

4 Tip: Cats learn at different rates. Don't get frustrated if a cat doesn't seem to learn as quickly as you'd expect. Make sure you're being consistent in the cues you give (verbal and nonverbal). Third Step: Name It Give the verbal cue (e.g., "sit") and/or a hand motion (which will become a hand signal). Click and give the treat from your other hand. If you get no response or an incorrect response, don't click and treat. If you still get no response or an incorrect response, go back to shaping the behavior a few more times and then try again Tip: If the cat doesn't immediately perform the behavior, the temptation is to repeat the cue. Don't fall for it! You don't want a cat to get into the habit of responding only after the third or fourth time you repeat the cue. Tip: Check your posture. Work toward an upright posture rather than bending over the cat. Tip: Don t assume that the cat will instantly associate the name with the behavior. Lots of repetitions may be needed before a cat will reliably perform the behavior on cue. Tip: Keep training sessions short even 30 seconds at a time will do. Fourth Step: Up the Ante Gradually require more from the cat to earn the click and treat; e.g., have the cat perform two or three behaviors before rewarding; increase the time or distance (not both) of your stay; work in a more distracting place; change your position in relation to the cat; reward the faster or straighter sit. Praise the cat for correct responses, but instead of rewarding every response, reward the second, third, or fourth response. Tip: Start by working on the basic behavior in every room of your home. When the cat is reliable in these settings, work with it outside (on leash) with few distractions at first. Don't assume that the cat is ready to perform around other animals. Tip: Don t be discouraged if the cat seems to "forget" all of its training when it s in a new location. The cat may do it perfectly at home but then stares at you dumbfounded when you try to show off your training skills. Make it a little easier at first (go through the shaping steps again). Tip: When you increase the difficulty of your training (e.g., by adding distractions), also increase the value of the reward for a successful performance; choose a better treat than the one you normally use for training. Tip: Don t ask for too much too soon. If the cat is losing interest in the training session, take a short play break as a reward for an easier task. Then resume your training.

5 Training Procedure Mastering any new behavior usually involves these four steps: 1. Get the behavior. 2. Name the behavior, using a verbal or visual cue. 3. Make it a little harder, changing distance, duration, speed and precision, one aspect at a time and in small increments. 4. Add distractions. Play Therapy Play is an important component of a cat s health and well being. Play therapy provides specific cats with office time and routine structured play sessions to reduce overstimulation and kennel stress behaviors. It is also shown to reduce stress of cats with more needs that general kennel enrichment and clicker training and provide the needs of cats in our care. Play therapy also gives the cat a chance to get some appropriate energy release while in our care. First step: Find a place to play If the cat is kenneled in a colony room, you can play with the cat in the room it is in. If the other cats interfere with your play session or the cat is in a single kennel, take the cat to an office or visiting room. Greet the cat in the kennel and place the cat in a carrier using proper handling techniques. Let the cat explore the new room until he/she is adjusted, then you can start playing. Second step: Choosing a toy If this is the cat s first play therapy session, choose either a Da Bird, Neko fly dragonfly, or Neko fly mouse located in the cat enrichment closet in West Obedience. Write the cat s name and ID number on the toy s bag. If the cat has already had at least one play therapy session, locate the cat s toy in the cat enrichment closet in West Obedience with his/her name & ID number. Third step: Play! Play with the cat as if it were hunting the toy. If it is a bird or fly, moving the toy in the air or having it jump around on the ground is ideal. If it is a mouse, play with the toy on the ground, moving it around with quick, jerky movements like a real mouse would. Some cats will engage right away, leaping in the air and making a large effort to catch the toy. Other cats may watch the toy with intensity and stalk the toy as it goes behind things and reappears. It is important to find the cat s play style so they get the most out of their play session. Allow the cat to pounce and catch the toy and bat it around, and then start again. End the play session by allowing the cat to capture the toy. Your session should be long enough for the cat to get tired, generally minutes but this time can vary depending on the cat s age and energy level. Ideally, the cat will be stretched out on the floor, panting a bit. Fourth step: High protein About five minutes after the end of your play session, fed the cat something in high protein. This can be tuna fish or chicken/turkey flavored baby food. You can find either of these items in the kitty comfort closet in the basement stairwell or in the refrigerator in West Obedience. This snack will mimic a cat eating at the end of a hunting session in the wild and help satisfy her prey drive.

6 Cats are enrolled in the Cats n Clickers program to help with different behavioral concerns. 1. Frustration. Cats that are pacing, yowling, and pawing at anyone who walks by are often extroverted cats that are frustrated. 2. Anxiety/Fear. These are cats that try and hide under their blankets or in their litter boxes, are wide-eyed or tense in their kennels. They may be backed into the corner and may not want to come near you when you open the kennel. 3. Depression. These are cats that are asleep and may not wake easily when you try to interact with them. Or they may be sitting huddled with eyes focused down. They often look ungroomed and their food bowls may appear untouched. 4. House soiling. Cats that have a history of not using the litter box in their previous home or while at the shelter. These cats have first been medically evaluated to make sure there is not a health reason for their soiling. 5. Stress. These cats may be open mouth breathing, not eating or drinking, and not grooming themselves. Cats that are currently enrolled in the Cats n Clickers program are listed in a Chameleon report. 1. Sign into Chameleon a. Location = Q or BC b. Username= BHVOL c. Password= PASSBH 2. Click on the drop-down menu for reports 3. Click Run a Report 4. Find: BEH-Cats N Clickers Daily Rounds / BEH-Play Therapy Daily Rounds 5. Make sure shelter location is Quebec or Buddy Center date range is today s date. Click Okay. This report includes the animal s kennel number, A#, name, status, sub-status and any important notes.

7 First Time a Cat is Worked If you are the first person to work with this cat you will need to enter your notes under the baseline session. Enter notes here. The Cats n Clickers Chameleon window will look the same for all categories except for Play Therapy.

8 If someone else has already worked this cat, you can add your notes in the next available session. Cats Needing Extra Attention If you are working with a cat and it doesn t seem to be improving, or if you feel it is becoming worse, please fill out a Needs Attention slip and/or add a note to Chameleon (find these in West Obedience). Be sure to note its Cats n Clicker notes in Chameleon. Some signs to look for if a cat is upset or uncomfortable: The cat is in motion to get away from its current location. Frantic movements, attempting to avoid touch from people or other perceived threats. Skin that ripples with any sensation near the skin surface. Fur standing up for the length of the body. Ears that are pinned to the head or airplane ears that go to the side. Eyes that are wide open with dilated pupils. Rapidly flicking tail. Other Responsibilities Stock the enrichment carts. Discuss cat behavior and answer any patron questions. Provide enrichment to cats that are not enrolled in the Cats n Clickers program if time allows.