Does your cat do something...

mrblanche

TCS Member
Thread starter
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
that you know you must have trained it to do, but you can't figure out how, when, or why?

An example: When I pour myself a cup of coffee, I go over to the kitchen table to get some packets of Splenda. I take (usually) three packets and hold them together, then shake them to get the Splenda at one of the packet so they'll be easy to pour.

That shaking causes Punkin to come running. At the very least, he will come in and check out what's going on, but often he'll actually stretch full length up to my waist with his big paws.

No idea. No clue.
 

twstychik

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
5,720
Purraise
4
Location
Northern IN
Could just be curious about the noise... I shake treats.

Wickett loves following me into the potty. I do know how I trained him to do it sort of. He's very dog like and will follow me all over any way but a few times getting home from work and he'd follow me up stairs and wait for me to change out of my work clothes. Then he'd run downstairs as I came out only to realize that I wasn't behind him. I had stopped in the bathroom. We never close bathroom doors unless it's going to make a stink
so he followed me in and did his iresistable flop and roll on the floor at me feet. I couldn't help myself... I gave him a good tummy rub so now every time I go upstairs to use the bathroom he follows me and flops down at my feet. He tries it with DH as well but DH likes to potty in peace so I have to distract Wickett so DH can close the door.
 

persi & alley

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
6,313
Purraise
15
Location
Farmers Branch, Texas
Originally Posted by mrblanche

that you know you must have trained it to do, but you can't figure out how, when, or why?

An example: When I pour myself a cup of coffee, I go over to the kitchen table to get some packets of Splenda. I take (usually) three packets and hold them together, then shake them to get the Splenda at one of the packet so they'll be easy to pour.

That shaking causes Punkin to come running. At the very least, he will come in and check out what's going on, but often he'll actually stretch full length up to my waist with his big paws.

No idea. No clue.
Are you sure that you are not the one that has been trained?
 

twstychik

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
5,720
Purraise
4
Location
Northern IN
Originally Posted by Persi & Alley

Are you sure that you are not the one that has been trained?
I'm sure that the case in my situation. They have me very well trained.
 

worriedmommy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 10, 2007
Messages
2,347
Purraise
1
Location
Knee deep in cat litter
Well my cats some running when they hear the electric can opener but I am sure most cats do that. Snickers will come running when she hears the spoon clanking on the bowl as I or DH eat cereal (she likes the left over milk though we don't let her have it all to often). All three cats come running when they hear a bag being crinkled cause it sounds like the treat bag.

As for the Splenda packet, I bet it sounds like a bird fluttering around so he is coming to see where the bird is.
 

rang_27

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 28, 2002
Messages
4,304
Purraise
5
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Let's see, Well if I move a plate in the kitchen they all come running. I'm sure it is because I feed them their wet food at night on plates.

Every day they all come to the door to greet me, and I say hello. That's all normal, but what Maggie does next puzzles me. She usually stays back some and when I say hello, how are my babies. She flops down onto her side, stretches and gives a big sigh. I know I've reinforced the behavior by telling her I know what hard work it is to be so cute, but why would she ever do this to begin with? I have no idea.
 

twstychik

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
5,720
Purraise
4
Location
Northern IN
Does Maggie like belly rubs? That's exactly what Wickett does when he wants a belly rub.
 

rang_27

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 28, 2002
Messages
4,304
Purraise
5
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Originally Posted by twstychik

Does Maggie like belly rubs? That's exactly what Wickett does when he wants a belly rub.
Not really. She lets me for a couple seconds, but then gets up & runs away. She does tend to be a bit of a drama queen so maybe it's just her way of telling me that she's had a long day.
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,806
Purraise
3,542
Location
Texas
Anytime we open a ziploc bag, Hannah comes running, thinking we're opening the cheese!
She loves cheese and will sit and beg for it when we do get the cheese out!

When I turn off the TV at night, both kitties run to their bowls because they know a little night-night snack is coming, then we go to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Notice I said "we"!


Stephanie
 

taterbug

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
2,583
Purraise
32
Location
hills of TN
My three girls do lots of things that they appear to have been trained to do...such as opening the front door and slipping out, getting my brillo pads out of my little brillo dish in my kitchen window and throwing it on the floor!
But it's not from training!! It's from intense observation on their part!!
If there's something you don't want them to learn how to do, make sure they can't see you doing it!! They don't need training...just a chance to see!!
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
Firefox jumps onto the side of the tub when i'm on the toilet so i'll pet her... never really 'taught' her to do this.
 

buzbyjlc10

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Messages
1,981
Purraise
5
Location
State College, PA and Haddon Township, NJ
Originally Posted by Persi & Alley

Are you sure that you are not the one that has been trained?
Haha, I have a cute little sign that says "My cat's not spoiled, I'm just well trained" Ain't it the truth! Oliver will come when called the majority of the time - never really taught him that, I guess he just knows his name... also, every morning at 10am the automatic feeder goes off for my aquatic frog... when he hears that noise, he comes running in to watch her eat! It's so cute, cuz his dish is right in front of her tank, so I often catch her watching him eat too! She likes to swim/splash around her tank while he's watching and he'll pop up and nicely paw the tank lol
 

creativgirl

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
388
Purraise
6
Location
Cleveland, OH
Originally Posted by taterbug

My three girls do lots of things that they appear to have been trained to do...such as opening the front door and slipping out, getting my brillo pads out of my little brillo dish in my kitchen window and throwing it on the floor!
But it's not from training!! It's from intense observation on their part!!
If there's something you don't want them to learn how to do, make sure they can't see you doing it!! They don't need training...just a chance to see!!
That's exactly how my cats learned that a can opener or a pull-tab can opening means food -- which of course means that they show up *every* time I open a can, even if it's something they wouldn't like at all!
 

katya

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
76
Purraise
0
Location
Newfoundland
Arti fetches, I have no idea how she learned that.

It's PITA sometimes though because I will be busy with something and she'll walk up to me and drop a toy at my feet and let out a high pitched "mmmmeeeeeeeeeerrrooooooow" and I don't have a choice sometimes but to play with her. If I walk away she'll follow me with the toy until I throw it and she keeps finding me and bringing her toy with her.
 
Top