As well as being an enjoyable course, this is designed to be a serious introduction to the fascinating subject of feline behaviour. Obviously the subject matter is huge and it would be impossible to cover it all in a course of this size, however more advanced courses are available.
Course Modules
1. Ways of Explaining Feline Behaviour
- The effects of biology on behaviour
- Learning and behaviour
- One trial learning
- Do cats think?
- Non verbal communication
- Anthropomorphism
- The critical periods
- Feline Instincts
- What is a behaviourist?
2. Sexual Behaviour and Birth
- Reproduction: Asexual and Sexual
- Sexual maturity in cats
- The anatomy of reproduction in the queen
- The behaviour of the queen
- The anatomy of reproduction in the tom
- The behaviour of the tom
- Courtship and mating
- Artificial Insemination
- The Pregnancy
- Birth and problems during the birth
- After the birth
- Problems occurring after the birth
3. Kitten and Young Cat Behaviour and Psychology
- The first few hours of the kitten's life
- Physical development of the kitten
- Behavioural development of the kitten
- Genetic and environmental influences
- The learning skills including grooming and social learning
- Weaning
- Socialisation
- Classical and Operant Conditioning
- Positive and negative reinforcement
- Natural selection theory
- Innate and learned behaviours
4. Behaviour and Psychology of the Adult Cat
- Development Psychology of the adult cat
- Nature and Nurture debate
- Evolution of the cat
- The feline sense of sight
- The feline sense of smell
- The feline sense of taste
- The feline sense of hearing
- The feline sense of touch
- Maturity: Sexual, Physical and Psychological
- The cat as a social animal
- Cat's vocal communication
- Multi-modal communication
- The elderly cat
5. Unusual Feline Behaviour
- What is normal feline behaviour
- Innate behaviours
- Unwanted behaviour
- Redirected behaviours
- Stereotyptical behaviours
- Learned helplessness
- Feline psychogenic alopecia
- Feline hyperesthesia
- Feline responses to situations
- The social world of the cat
- Marking territory
- The difference between marking and spraying and inappropriate elimination
- Learned Aggression
- Attacking behaviour
- Fear Aggression
- Behavioural changes in the elderly cat
- Why might a cat learn unwanted behaviour
- How cats learn
6. Avoiding Problem Behaviour
- The effects of early environment on a kitten
- Toilet training
- Playing
- Stress in cats
- Minimising stress
- Introducing other animals
- Introducing children
- Cats and dogs
- Training cats
- How cats learn
- Behaviour shaping
- Clicker training
- An example of clicker training cats
- Punishment
