My Cat Can Tell Time Now

Summary

The author, Shereen Bingham, describes how she successfully trained her cat to adhere to a bedtime routine using positive reinforcement, leading to the cat signaling for treats at a consistent time each night.

Abstract

Shereen Bingham shares her experience of training her cat to stop waking her up in the morning and hiding at bedtime. Initially, the cat was confined to the sunroom at night, but she would hide, leading to a game of hide and seek. Bingham then applied psychological principles, rewarding the cat with treats when she went to the sunroom willingly. This conditioning was so effective that the cat began to remind Bingham at 10:00 pm to provide the nightly treats, demonstrating the cat's ability to tell time. Bingham expresses gratitude for the Six Word Photo Story Monthly Challenges by Mary Chang Story Writer, which inspired her to share her story.

Opinions

The author believes in the effectiveness of positive reinforcement for training pets, as evidenced by the successful change in her cat's behavior.
Bingham values the interaction and bond with her cat, as shown by her willingness to adapt her routine to accommodate the cat's needs.
The author appreciates the Six Word Photo Story challenges, suggesting they are engaging and inspiring for pet owners and writers alike.
Bingham implies that pets, like her cat, can be surprisingly intelligent and capable of learning complex behaviors, such as telling time, when properly motivated.

She taps for treats at bedtime.

Have you ever had a cat that wakes you in the morning by licking your face or nestling on your head? I have. That was the routine at our house until we took drastic measures.

We started closing her inside the sunroom at night — which worked until she began hiding at bedtime. It took my husband and me at least 20 minutes to find her, if we could at all, and the next night she’d have a new hiding place.

Not to be outsmarted, I used ideas from psychology and lured her into the sunroom with kitty treats as a reward. On nights when she hid from us, she went to bed treat-less. Within two weeks she was dashing into the sunroom when she heard me cry “treat time!”

This conditioning worked so well that our smart little cat now tells me when it’s time for bed! Like clockwork, at 10:00pm I feel a gentle paw-tap on my shoulder — a polite reminder that she wants me to close my laptop and tend to her needs. I grab the kitty treats, follow her into the sunroom, watch her gobble her reward, and turn out the light.

Thank you for your enticing Six Word Photo Story Monthly Challenges, Mary Chang Story Writer! Responding this month was truly a treat! :)

My Cat Can Tell Time Now

March Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Pet People”

She taps for treats at bedtime.

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