As a Certified Cat Behavior Consultant, I am hired to help owners with their cats behavioral problems, such as inappropriate behaviors, human-directed aggression, and inter-cat aggression within the household. But, what if I told you that I could help you train your cat to take medicine easily, how to perform simple grooming on your cat at home, or make veterinarian appointments easier for the both of you?
What is Cooperative Care?
Cooperative Care is when I help you train your cat to willingly and happily participate in husbandry procedures or handling techniques in the comfort of your home. By teaching you low stress techniques and how to reward your cat for participating, I am able to give you the confidence to properly care for your cat and at the same time ease your cat’s fears during these treatments or procedures.
Not only is this helpful for home care, but a lot of these skills can be used in other situations as well, such as vet visits. A list of skills I can help you learn include but are not limited to:
- Nail Trims
- Brushing/Grooming, especially for long-hair breeds
- Ear Cleaning
- Breed Specific Husbandry, such as baths and face cleaning
- Basic Handling Techniques for simple treatments
- Carrier Training
- Harness and Leash Training
When Your Cat Is Sick, How Can I Help You Care For Them?
When your cat is sick and has been prescribed medication, it can feel like an impossible task for you to perform at home, especially if you live alone. I have come up with an easy and low stress way to be able to give your cat medication when it is needed, and I encourage owners to learn this technique even before medication is needed. By beginning medication training before a medical emergency occurs, you and your cat will have practiced to the point that there will be no stress involved for either or you. I can help with the following methods of medicating:
- Oral Medication
- Eye Ointments or Drops
- Ear Drops
- Injections
How Can I Help Make Vet Visits Easier?
I know how stressful it can be for an owner and their cat to prepare for a car ride and visit to the Vet. You bring out the carrier the day of your cat’s appointment, and your cat becomes fearful, runs away from the carrier, and even hides under furniture. This ends up with you trying to force your cat out of hiding and into the carrier, which leaves them traumatized and possibly leave you with wounds from wrangling your cat. This stress and fear continues on the car ride and spills into your cat’s appointment, which can make it difficult for a Veterinarian to perform a proper exam.
Carrier Training can be a useful tool to help prepare your cat for expected or unexpected trips out of the house. Some helpful carrier tips to get you started are:
- Never place your carrier in a closet or room when it is not in use.
- Keep your carrier out in the open and leave the carrier door open.
- Make it a comfortable space for your cat by placing a blanket inside of it or over top of it, creating a safe space for your cat to use.
- Place treats or catnip inside the carrier to encourage your cat to explore it.
- Incorporate your carrier into your play routine. Use your wand toy to invite your cat into or around the carrier to play.
- Move your carrier around the room or house a few times a week so your cat gets used to you picking it up and moving it.
Another way that I can help you and your cat for Vet visits is by teaching you basic handling techniques and ways to reward your cat during the appointment. By doing this, your cat will have an idea of what is expected of them while in certain positions, and he will know a reward will be coming if he cooperates calmly. Certain parts of the exam I can help with are:
- How to help with the exam for your cat’s eyes, ears, and teeth.
- How to get your cat used to touching on the chest, abdomen, and legs.
- How to get your cat used to positions for certain testing, such as blood draws, radiographs, or ultrasounds.
- Most importantly, how to keep your cat calm and feeling as safe as possible in a strange environment.
These are just a few ways that I can help you and your cat outside the typical behavior issues that most of my clients come to me for. If you are looking for better stress-free ways to care for your cat or how to help your cat through stressful experiences, please think about contacting me to learn more.