Remember the BBC Horizon programme, The Secret Life Of The Cat? Feline experts John Bradshaw and Sarah Ellis worked together on the show, and have now teamed up to write The Trainable Cat – which, if you’re anything like me, will have you approaching how you engage with your cat in a whole new light.
As Ellis notes: why bother trying to train a cat? And are they trainable anyway?
Yes, is the answer, and it’s all about nurturing their wellbeing and happiness – as well as your own, explains Ellis, by enabling them to better cope with day-to-day behavioural expectations and things like moving house and living harmoniously with other pets.
Biologist Bradshaw, who founded and directs the world-renowned Anthrozoology Institute, and Ellis, feline behaviour specialist at International Cat Care, bring different skill sets to the picture and together they’re a dream team, explaining cat psychology and behaviour in straightforward, but engaging language.
Training instructions are clear and easily applied (you really don’t need to devote your life to these efforts; it’s mostly about being aware of how you might be reinforcing certain behaviours, and of your cat’s emotional responses).
But so much more than a practical guide, Ellis and Bradshaw have created a fascinating insight into the workings of our beloved felines.
Will Tinkerbell be leaping through hoops after a few weeks? Nope. But stick with it and you might find those ‘stubborn’, ‘naughty’ or ‘unpredictable’ moments become much more manageable.
Published by Allen Lane