Hello APS, I have not visited in a while.
Recently I have sold my reptiles to prepare for a big move to Orange for me and the Mrs. I am currently living back at home until we get approved for a house there.
I have never been a cat person, and have always hated cats (mother claimed she was allergic). Watching a cat tear apart an adult buey scared me as a child. But I came across a kitten, with a sad background story and personality pouring out both ends. So I decided to go against everything I believe in, and purchased a cat.
My one rule with this animal, is that the second I find her attacking a reptile or other animal, She would be given away. Now over time I have become infatuated with this Kitten, and know down the track the inevitable will happen. Some one told me you cannot train a cat. I have trained a cat.
Where I am currently staying we have a lot of beautiful rainbow skinks breaking into the house, which defeats the purpose of having an Indoors cat. (She will never be an outdoors cat)
I caught The kitten ( Named Trippa) chasing a small rainbow skink across the room. I jumped on her, and stopped it, and it made me think there has to be some way to "unteach" some of these primal instincts. So I began training.
First using small plastic lizards, attaching them to string and recreating life like movements. She would claw them, and bite them, I then moved up to those Jelly like, rubbery toy lizards. She destroyed them. Over time I taught her how to stop attacking on command. She would jump the toy, put a paw on it, and go to bite the neck, I would then say stop. She then looks up at me and meows. It's been 4.5 months now without any toy lizard casualties.
Yesterday I was in my room, I could hear Trippa meowing so I went into the lounge room. Trippa is sitting in the middle of the floor, with a soft paw resting on a Rainbow skink looking at me, Meowing, Waiting for instruction. I said Stop, she took her paw off instantly, but was staring intensely at the skink. I then yelled come, and she came and sat by my feet watching the Lizard.
Glad I did all the practice drills before hand or I would be looking at a very sore lizard.
Now I know I will get the Cat haters, I was once with you on that. I thought I would just post my field findings on the Current cat situation. I will continue to train my kitten, She will never be an outdoors cat, She will NEVER be tested against future reptiles (owned or wild) for her ability to hold restraint.
{Note, this training was not conducted to see if I could let her and my reptiles play and tickle eachother. It was conducted to stop all possible reptile killings by my cat}
Thank you for reading, flame away.
Recently I have sold my reptiles to prepare for a big move to Orange for me and the Mrs. I am currently living back at home until we get approved for a house there.
I have never been a cat person, and have always hated cats (mother claimed she was allergic). Watching a cat tear apart an adult buey scared me as a child. But I came across a kitten, with a sad background story and personality pouring out both ends. So I decided to go against everything I believe in, and purchased a cat.
My one rule with this animal, is that the second I find her attacking a reptile or other animal, She would be given away. Now over time I have become infatuated with this Kitten, and know down the track the inevitable will happen. Some one told me you cannot train a cat. I have trained a cat.
Where I am currently staying we have a lot of beautiful rainbow skinks breaking into the house, which defeats the purpose of having an Indoors cat. (She will never be an outdoors cat)
I caught The kitten ( Named Trippa) chasing a small rainbow skink across the room. I jumped on her, and stopped it, and it made me think there has to be some way to "unteach" some of these primal instincts. So I began training.
First using small plastic lizards, attaching them to string and recreating life like movements. She would claw them, and bite them, I then moved up to those Jelly like, rubbery toy lizards. She destroyed them. Over time I taught her how to stop attacking on command. She would jump the toy, put a paw on it, and go to bite the neck, I would then say stop. She then looks up at me and meows. It's been 4.5 months now without any toy lizard casualties.
Yesterday I was in my room, I could hear Trippa meowing so I went into the lounge room. Trippa is sitting in the middle of the floor, with a soft paw resting on a Rainbow skink looking at me, Meowing, Waiting for instruction. I said Stop, she took her paw off instantly, but was staring intensely at the skink. I then yelled come, and she came and sat by my feet watching the Lizard.
Glad I did all the practice drills before hand or I would be looking at a very sore lizard.
Now I know I will get the Cat haters, I was once with you on that. I thought I would just post my field findings on the Current cat situation. I will continue to train my kitten, She will never be an outdoors cat, She will NEVER be tested against future reptiles (owned or wild) for her ability to hold restraint.
{Note, this training was not conducted to see if I could let her and my reptiles play and tickle eachother. It was conducted to stop all possible reptile killings by my cat}
Thank you for reading, flame away.
