By Kristin Avery of MyRescuedLife.com
For the last six years, Little Bit has lived in the shadows, only letting volunteers get so close, no more than six inches, before running away. This pretty Tuxedo girl wanted to be brave, but humans and their reaching hands were just too scary. But thanks to Cat Pawsitive Pro, Little Bit is finally letting volunteers pet her and recently even climbed into a volunteer’s lap for a 30-minute cuddle fest.
“I was in my car when I received the text about Little Bit letting a volunteer pet her,” recalled Beth Hayden, Cat Pawsitive Pro Team Leader. “I was so happy, I sat there and cried.”
The Independent Cat Society (ICS) in Westville, Indiana, focused their Cat Pawsitive Pro(CPP) training on their shy and less socialized cats, affectionately known as the “Scruffys”.
Little Bit is just one of many Scruffy success stories!
Prior to Cat Pawsitive Pro, Pierogi, a grey domestic shorthair, spent much of her time hiding beneath a blanket in the back of her cage. But now this gorgeous girl is way more confident, greeting visitors, making eye contact, and even snuggling.
And then there’s Pyewacket, who the ICS team originally considered the most challenging of the Scruffy cats. This black beauty was nervous and reactive around both people and cats, hissing and swatting at anyone who approached him. Volunteers worked to build his confidence and reduce his stress level around other cats. He rocked the training, mastering the challenge courses and nailing high fives. Not only does he now sometimes sit in laps, he is less reactive and has even been caught napping with his fellow Scruffys!
“The ICS team are amazing. Using the positive reinforcement training techniques that they learned from CPP, they broke down walls and built relationships with the cats in their care. Even the shyest cats became confident enough to enjoy petting and interacting with the ICS trainers,” said Lisa Stemcosky, Cat Pawsitive Pro Trainer-Mentor.
The ICS team has been trying to make headway with Little Bit, Pierogi, and Pyewacket for years. But in spite of good intentions, they felt like they were just spinning their wheels and not making any real progress.
“We now have a greater understanding about how to use the Cat Pawsitive Pro techniques to help build confidence and subsequently, increase sociability with people and other cats,” Beth says. “I have learned the building blocks of training, the importance of reading cats’ body language, and meeting the cats where they are at.”
Throughout the program, ICS team members focused on eye contact, coming when called, touching target stick with nose or paw, and basic sitting. Beth admits that timing was challenging, and it took awhile for the cats to make the connection between behavior, clicking, and reinforcement (the treats).
“Making a simple connection like eye contact was HUGE and without the trust built early in the program, we would not have had the later successes,” explained Beth.
They also quickly learned the importance of consistency, teamwork, and communication so that everyone was on the same page with training.
“Some of the training techniques seemed more intuitive than others. Luring is easier than capture. However, capture was invaluable in forming relationships and a starting point with our more reticent cats,” says Beth.
Although none of the Scruffy cats have been adopted yet, the ICS team is thrilled with the progress they have made and believe it is only a matter of time until some of these special cats find forever homes.
“My ultimate takeaway from Cat Pawsitive Pro is that with guidance and training all cats can change and grow which in turn increases their chance of adoption,” said ICS volunteer Gail Frieden.
The ICS team now looks forward to sharing what they have learned from Cat Pawsitive Pro with the community and other volunteers.
“The Cat Pawsitive Pro program has greatly benefited cats in our shelter. Not only the cats specifically targeted by the program, but cats in other rooms also became more outgoing and enjoyed interactions with visitors and other volunteers. We hope the team can pass on their knowledge to more volunteers and we can work with other cats that still need some socialization, as well as new cats who come to us, and find them homes more quickly,” exclaims Jocelyn Vereb, ICS president.
YOU can improve the lives of cats at risk. Donate today to The Jackson Galaxy Project’s Cat Pawsitive Program and transform the places and people that support at-risk pets!
