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• Behavior Management: Enrichment and Foraging Toys

  Foraging toys are designed to provide mental and physical exercise and enjoyment by simulating hunting and seeking for food. Both dogs and cats are natural hunters and scavengers. They benefit from exercising this part of their brain on a regular basis. Providing enrichment in the form of foraging toys can decrease boredom, improve enjoyment, and encourage dogs and cats to engage in species-specific behaviors in a desirable way.

• Behavior Management: Feeding for Success

  Foraging toys are great for dogs and cats. They can be filled with treats or with the pet's regular food as an alternative to feeding from a dish. They offer mental and physical exercise while also providing benefits from sensory stimulation as they search for their meals. Dogs in particular benefit from the opportunity to solve puzzles in order to access food.

• Behavior Management: Pet Selection Guidelines

  Seeking guidance before obtaining a new pet can prevent many behavior and health problems in pets. Such a consultation will help you select the best pet for the household, but also provide information on how to prepare in advance for the new arrival.

• Behavior Modification – Clicker and Target Training

  Marker-based training such as clicker training is a positive reinforcement technique that allows great precision and can help animals learn complex behaviors. Charging the marker, marking correctly, and building a reinforcement plan will help with successful training.

• Behavior Modification: TTouch®

  Tellington TTouch is a technique developed by Linda Tellington-Jones for conditioning relaxation through gentle massage. The technique can be used in behavior modification programs designed to treat stress and anxiety in people and many species of animals.

• Bringing Home Your New Kitten

  Transitioning to a new home is a big step for even the most playful and outgoing kitten. Prior to bringing your kitten home, make sure you have all the items your kitten will need. Slowly introduce your kitten to your home, family members, and other cats or dogs in the home. Begin training your kitten as soon as your she is comfortable with all the members of your household.

• Cat Adoption: Bonded Pairs

  A bonded pair consists of two cats that thrive when kept together. Shelters recognize the benefits of housing and adopting out bonded pairs together. Potential cat owners should consider the pros and cons and make an educated decision regarding their adoption options. Caring for two cats means a commitment of more time and money, but it may also mean more joy.

• Cat Behavior and Training: Cat Neutering and Behavior

  Cats that are kept for companionship are typically neutered (castrated), unless they are intended to be used as breeding stock. Neutering prevents accidental or indiscriminate breeding and reduces the frequency of undesirable sexual behaviors, such as mounting and marking.

• Cat Behavior and Training: Crate Training and Travel

  Training your cat in advance for travel is ideal. Positive reinforcement training helps build good associations and makes travel safer and easier. Veterinary advice is sometimes needed for cats who become ill or are frightened during crate training or travel.

• Cat Behavior and Training: Enrichment for Indoor Cats

  Indoor cats can life long healthy lives, but many indoor cats are sedentary. Activity is important for a cat's mental and physical health. It is important to enrich the environment of indoor cats by providing outlets for interactive social play, exercise, and mental stimulation. Cats also need quiet places to sleep; placing a perch or cat tree in the main living area is recommended for most cats.