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nebrets
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25 Jun 2012, 10:15 pm

On the subject of training cats, my currently baby is a 13 lbs. male 8 month bi-color abyssian-tabby mix (he's very prettty even if calico's are my favorite). He is also very skinny at that weight, and incredibly long. He was chooses for personality at 10 weeks from the shelter and as I took the anti-cat with me (my dad) this made sure that the new addition would be social and love people (he does, especially if you pet him-attention hog).

I tried toilet training, but my roommate's cat (5years old)had trouble with it no matter how slow I progressed the training I had to leave a litter box out. Thus about 2/3 the way through (when there was minimal litter on a cellophane wrap with a four inch hole over the water) my cat decided that the litter box was great and the toilet was for play. If my roommate goes on holiday for a few weeks with her cat (not likely as the cat generally stays, unlike my cat who travels with me) I might try that again.

My kitty is currently leash training with good results (walks on leash 30 min with harness in apartment) but is still having trouble moving to the out doors (but I will get there soon, I may need to try quieter times of day but I live next to two major freeways so maybe a new location).

I am looking for a way to train him to climb in my lap at a command or cue when I am becoming sensory overloaded, as his weight in my lap helps me to process and block out things.

But with all of this he will be in the USA a emotional support kitty, as cats apparently cannot be service animals. But he can still fly with me in the cabin for free and most times he is not required to stay in the carrier (depends on flight crew).

Forgive my grammar as I just took a Lortab for pain for my broken wrist (evil scaphoid fracture)


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Tuttle
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25 Jun 2012, 10:23 pm

nebrets, have you been doing clicker training? It's what I recommend, especially for training cats.

What I'm doing with Ada for training her to get into my lap is starting with saying "Ada, Lap", then picking her up, putting her in my lap (where this is not from very far away, just from sitting or standing next to me), and clicking her clicker, then giving her her treat. I'm having to start here because she's still somewhat uncomfortable about being in my lap at all (her previous owner taught her laps were not allowed places before abandoning her). If she climbs into my lap of her own accord I'm giving her more praise.

If its a cat that likes climbing in laps and is prone to it, then I'd probably skip the picking up step. However generally, give command, get response you want, use clicker immediately upon response, then give treat. Ada's treats are freeze dried shrimp, she loves them, and she got "come" quickly with clicker training with the treats she loves.

Ada also is great on her leash inside, even in areas she doesn't know well, but has issues as soon as we go outside. She's scared of cars. I'm probably not going to work on that any more because at the moment if she escapes through an open door she won't leave the porch because she knows that its outside off of it and she wants to be inside. I'll use her leash whenever she leaves the apartment though, she doesn't go in a cat carrier anywhere.



nebrets
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27 Jun 2012, 9:35 am

I have not tried clicker training (or heard of it before) thank you for telling me about it. I have relied on simple treat training, or for bad behaviors (getting in trash can, on table etc) I have a spray bottle with water and a teaspoon of vinegar.


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CyborgUprising
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27 Jun 2012, 9:42 am

Tuttle wrote:
shrox wrote:
Tuttle wrote:
...This means that its possible to have a home-only service animal, and that's like where Ada (my cat) falls...


That is useful for getting a place to live if an animal is an issue.


Well, Emotional Support Animals, are covered by the fair housing and air travel laws anyways. A non-public access service animal seems to have the same rights as an ESA, but is technically a service animal.

It might be relevant to some things to do with money and medical expenses.

But yeah, my kitty is allowed in most housing that doesn't allow pets.


Someone I know had trouble with her landlord about her cat. Her doctor gave him with a sheet explaining that the cat was needed for depression, but he still didn't want to allow it. Eventually he did under the (obvious) agreement that she would be responsible for any damages caused by the feline.



Tuttle
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27 Jun 2012, 12:44 pm

CyborgUprising wrote:
Someone I know had trouble with her landlord about her cat. Her doctor gave him with a sheet explaining that the cat was needed for depression, but he still didn't want to allow it. Eventually he did under the (obvious) agreement that she would be responsible for any damages caused by the feline.


Legally what its supposed to be for an ESA (in the US) is that the the animal is allowed, the person is not charged any extra in order to have the animal there, if the animal disturbs others they can be asked to leave (like a service dog from a restaurant or such), and the person is responsible for all damages caused by the animal.

So that's how its supposed to go anyways.



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27 Jun 2012, 2:25 pm

This thread has been an eye-opener for me, I'm so glad people posted it. I'd never heard of emotional support animals, and my knowledge of assistance animals is limited to the traditional role of dogs for people with visual or hearing impairment.

Anyway...two years ago I was offered a Bengal kitten. My previous cat had been run over a year or so before, and I'd decided afterwards not to have another cat because it's so distressing when you lose them. But when my cousin sent me a photo of the little leopard her neighbour was trying to home (the original owner-to-be had discovered she was pregnant after reserving the kitten, and decided she wouldn't be able to give her enough attention once the baby had arrived), my heart melted and I immediately said I wanted her.

She was such a little livewire as a baby – involved in everything, climbing everything, zooming around the house at 100 miles an hour, and she'd even get into the bath when I was having a shower (Bengal cats often like water). She was a delight, and I couldn't believe I'd gone a year without a cat in the house. I'd only ever had 'moggies' (crossbred cats) before, and I wasn't prepared for either her intelligence or her dog-like behaviour. She likes to play fetch, I trained her to play several games, and as soon as she was old enough to go outdoors, she started trotting along at my heels like a little puppy. There's a much stronger bond between us than there has been with my previous cats, which I think is also down to the breed.

One thing has always puzzled me, though. She's not a cat to sit on my lap for hours – she's still too young and lively, for a start – but sometimes she comes and cuddles up next to me even outside her regular sleep periods, staying for very long periods on occasions. I have a chronic pain condition, and after reading this thread and thinking about the patterns over the last couple of weeks, I've realised why she does this: she cuddles up when the pain is really severe. I've had three bad sessions in the last fortnight, and those are the only times she's done it. A couple of months ago I had my worst pain for ages, and she sat with me most of the night. I wonder how she knows? Unless the pain is extreme my behaviour doesn't change in any way I can pin down – I have M.E., and I have to sit resting with my feet up every evening whatever the level of the pain. Strange...I'll have to think about that one when I actually have severe pain to see if I can work it out.

I'd certainly recommend Bengals as companion cats: they're loyal, entertaining, talkative (literally), fun, naughty, affectionate and bright. They have the most beautifully, impossibly soft fur to touch, which is important for highly tactile people, and they're solid muscle, so when they sit on your lap their significant weight is very calming. They're also quite stunningly beautiful to look at. They're demanding cats – they need affection and for you to play with them – and I'd never recommend having one as an indoor cat on its own, like all intelligent breeds they need the stimulation and enrichment of being able to go outdoors and interact with the world. But I'd certainly never have any other type of cat now I've shared two happy years with my little leopard.



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28 Jun 2012, 12:11 am

^^^
I hear you on the Bengals, I have one too.

Bengals often still have many of the traits from the wild cats which they were bred. Depends how many generations away they are as to how much it shows. They prefer to be around you (hence the following) - in the same room as you but are not necessarily cuddly cats, unless need be. They can also be very one person cats, they tend to bond with one person to the exclusion of everyone else. They're also not the type to sit still for long - their senses are more alert than an average cat and they also usually have more energy.

Combine that with intelligence and it can mean they get bored easily and require more complex games. (the last time I gave mine a piece of mango, she took it, placed it in the middle of the yard, and hid in the bushes waiting for a bird or small animal to come along :roll: - I have only seen that type of behaviour in jaguars and leopards before)

I know my cat can smell when my blood sugar drops. I would assume there is some physical difference she can pick up on when you are in pain which alerts her to that fact.


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CyborgUprising
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28 Jun 2012, 8:55 am

Kjas wrote:
^^^
I hear you on the Bengals, I have one too.

Bengals often still have many of the traits from the wild cats which they were bred. Depends how many generations away they are as to how much it shows. They prefer to be around you (hence the following) - in the same room as you but are not necessarily cuddly cats, unless need be. They can also be very one person cats, they tend to bond with one person to the exclusion of everyone else. They're also not the type to sit still for long - their senses are more alert than an average cat and they also usually have more energy.

Combine that with intelligence and it can mean they get bored easily and require more complex games. (the last time I gave mine a piece of mango, she took it, placed it in the middle of the yard, and hid in the bushes waiting for a bird or small animal to come along :roll: - I have only seen that type of behaviour in jaguars and leopards before)

I know my cat can smell when my blood sugar drops. I would assume there is some physical difference she can pick up on when you are in pain which alerts her to that fact.


When animals are in distress (even ants), they release a "distress hormone" which can be sensed by surrounding animals. I presume humans would be no different.

We have a stray Bengal (we get strange cats people abandon because they can't afford them any longer or lose the desire to care for them) hanging around and I must say they are definitely a beautiful creature. The only problem is he refuses to go indoors, even with treats and coaxing. I'll probably build a fence to protect him from the cars and evil neighbors.



Cesar
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28 Aug 2012, 10:11 am

I have an adorable 147 IQ black cat. She guides me on this misterious planet.



Suspie
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04 Sep 2012, 8:48 pm

My cat is 50% Maine Coon. He walks on a leash and he plays fetch, actually it was his invention and he taught me to play it lol He comes when I call him and he talks a lot. He jumps from the floor onto my shoulder and stays there while i am doing things, we have both developed a way of moving our bodies so that he doesn't fall off if I bend over the sink to brush my teeth for example.
He does know when I am sad and comes and sits on me or looks straight into my eyes.
He is now 2 years old and he is a biggish cat, not as big as a pure Maine Coon but not small either.
Indeed they are very dog like, I hadn't thought of that before I read it on here...



shrox
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04 Sep 2012, 10:02 pm

They are all such good kitties.



purplepandany
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23 Jun 2014, 10:35 pm

im new to this site and was looking for a place to register my esa cat because theres so many fake sites out there and my landlord is fighting me on the fact that shes a esa and wants to see documented proof



ImeldaJace
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23 Jun 2014, 11:13 pm

Hi purplepandany! Welcome to Wrong Planet! :D

I don't know all that much about esa's, except I think you need a letter from a doctor stating that you need one. I believe that is all you need. There's a site/forum that might be helpful for you to check out. Here's the link to a page on it about esa's and housing.
http://servicedogcentral.org/content/ESA-housing
They have a sub forum for ESA owners, but I forget if it's a public board or if you have to register to view it or not.


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Tuttle
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24 Jun 2014, 9:37 am

ImeldaJace wrote:
Hi purplepandany! Welcome to Wrong Planet! :D

I don't know all that much about esa's, except I think you need a letter from a doctor stating that you need one. I believe that is all you need. There's a site/forum that might be helpful for you to check out. Here's the link to a page on it about esa's and housing.
http://servicedogcentral.org/content/ESA-housing
They have a sub forum for ESA owners, but I forget if it's a public board or if you have to register to view it or not.


It's a public board, but you need to register to post. Not all the ESA posts are made there though, so your questions may or may not have been answered already. Reading through that ESAs and Housing page should be helpful, and if you have questions still, then feel free to ask :)

The "registration" sites though; yeah, those are just scams and mean nothing. Documentation from your doctor is what is useful. Both my primary care doctor and my therapist are willing to write letters for my ESA cat (I currently am not living anywhere which needs one, but if I move or fly with her, I'd need one written up and it'd need to be current, newer than when I got her.) Generally either is acceptable to landlords, and proof that they're ESAs; its showing "I have a documented disability in the DSM; my doctor said so. My doctor also says that they think an animal will aid me." My cat definitely aids me. She's sitting here next to me currently mewing reminding me I should eat breakfast (i.e. feed her and then eat.)


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ImeldaJace
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24 Jun 2014, 2:47 pm

Tuttle wrote:
My cat definitely aids me. She's sitting here next to me currently mewing reminding me I should eat breakfast (i.e. feed her and then eat.)


My cat sometimes wakes me up in the morning by rubbing his wet nose and cheek to get me to feed him :) (I sleep like a rock and I do not resopond consistently to alarm clocks and miss classes because of it.) He's with me now too giving a cat version of deep pressure therapy.(He's a huge Mainecoon and he's good a pressing his body against my lap and abdomen.)


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