how to train service cats ?

plenty of service dogs out there, because they take to training like
ducks to water.

But I want to train service cats, because they're better at several
things than dogs are.

How do professionals trtain cats? Any literzture out there, or on
the net?

In article , alanh_27
@yahoo.com enlightened us with...
plenty of service dogs out there, because they take to training like
ducks to water.

But I want to train service cats, because they're better at several
things than dogs are.

How do professionals trtain cats? Any literzture out there, or on
the net?


This is not what cats are for.

Cats don't have the same mentality as dogs. Even service dogs are
specially bred and raised. Not all dogs can be service dogs, no matter
who trains them.

Cats would rather you serve them. They once ruled certain parts of the
world worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.

--
--
~kaeli~
What do they use to ship styrofoam?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

In article , alanh_27
@yahoo.com enlightened us with...
plenty of service dogs out there, because they take to training like
ducks to water.

But I want to train service cats, because they're better at several
things than dogs are.

How do professionals trtain cats? Any literzture out there, or on
the net?


This is not what cats are for.

Cats don't have the same mentality as dogs. Even service dogs are
specially bred and raised. Not all dogs can be service dogs, no matter
who trains them.

Cats would rather you serve them. They once ruled certain parts of the
world worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.

--
--
~kaeli~
What do they use to ship styrofoam?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

From: kaeli

Cats would rather you serve them. They once ruled certain parts of the
world worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.


Hah! You've got that right! LOL

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From: kaeli

Cats would rather you serve them. They once ruled certain parts of the
world worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.


Hah! You've got that right! LOL

Lauren
________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm

From: kaeli

Cats would rather you serve them. They once ruled certain parts of the
world worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.


Hah! You've got that right! LOL

Lauren
________

Ha! We have an old senior citizen black cat at the shelter. Nobody wanted him
really, so far anyway. But we discovered he's so laid back, he actually likes
to go to the nursing home and be carried around and petted. So that's his job
for now. I think that's the closest thing to a service cat you're ever gonna
find.

Sherry

From: kaeli

Cats would rather you serve them. They once ruled certain parts of the
world worshipped as Gods. They have not forgotten this.


Hah! You've got that right! LOL

Lauren
________

Ha! We have an old senior citizen black cat at the shelter. Nobody wanted him
really, so far anyway. But we discovered he's so laid back, he actually likes
to go to the nursing home and be carried around and petted. So that's his job
for now. I think that's the closest thing to a service cat you're ever gonna
find.

Sherry

On 30 Dec 2003 09:18:30 -0800, (Alan Horowitz)
wrote:

plenty of service dogs out there, because they take to training like
ducks to water.

But I want to train service cats, because they're better at several
things than dogs are.

How do professionals trtain cats? Any literzture out there, or on
the net?

Well, cats train best using classical operant conditioning
(ie, clicker training). There are a lot of people out there who have
had a lot of success with clicker-training their cats to do all sorts
of behaviours. My boys have basic dog-style obedience (sit, down,
stay, come, loose-lead walking), stupid tricks (sit up, speak, wave),
and agility-related behaviours (jump through a hoop, over hurdles,
catwalk, etc). We'll be competing in ICAT as soon as it gets over
here to the East Coast.

However, cats are unfortunately not good candidates to be
service animals. They lack the essential desire to please that
successful service animals must have. But do go ahead and
clicker-train your cat! It's wonderful mental stimulation for them,
and a great opportunity to bond with your cat.



Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid

On 30 Dec 2003 09:18:30 -0800, (Alan Horowitz)
wrote:

plenty of service dogs out there, because they take to training like
ducks to water.

But I want to train service cats, because they're better at several
things than dogs are.

How do professionals trtain cats? Any literzture out there, or on
the net?

Well, cats train best using classical operant conditioning
(ie, clicker training). There are a lot of people out there who have
had a lot of success with clicker-training their cats to do all sorts
of behaviours. My boys have basic dog-style obedience (sit, down,
stay, come, loose-lead walking), stupid tricks (sit up, speak, wave),
and agility-related behaviours (jump through a hoop, over hurdles,
catwalk, etc). We'll be competing in ICAT as soon as it gets over
here to the East Coast.

However, cats are unfortunately not good candidates to be
service animals. They lack the essential desire to please that
successful service animals must have. But do go ahead and
clicker-train your cat! It's wonderful mental stimulation for them,
and a great opportunity to bond with your cat.



Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid

On Tue, 30 Dec 2003 20:22:42 +0000, Sherry wrote:

Ha! We have an old senior citizen black cat at the shelter. Nobody wanted him
really, so far anyway. But we discovered he's so laid back, he actually likes
to go to the nursing home and be carried around and petted. So that's his job
for now. I think that's the closest thing to a service cat you're ever gonna
find.

Sherry, you bring up an interesting point.

My wife has told me in the recent past about organizations that will place
pets - generally cats - with senior citizens, for the specific purpose of
giving them something to care for or somesuch. I believe the idea is
that, by giving these people something to care for, it pulls them out of
whatever depression they may be in.

--
Dennis Carr - | I may be out of my mind,
http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way.
------------------------------------+-------------------------------