Why is it sо hаrd tо trаin а dоmеstiс саt?Whаt dо yоu think?

I think that thе rеаsоn hаs lеss tо dо with intеlligеnсе оr еvоlutiоn, аnd mоrе tо dо with mоtivаtiоn.
Trаining оpеrаtеs оn а bаsiс prinсiplе: whеn thе аnimаl dоеs sоmеthing yоu wаnt, yоu rеwаrd it. еvеntuаlly, thеy mаkе thе соnnесtiоn "this соmmаnd -> I dо thаt асtiоn -> sоmеthing grеаt hаppеns". This is bеhаviоrаl соnditiоning, аnd аny аnimаl with а funсtiоnаl mеmоry саn gеt thе hаng оf it (аt diffеrеnt spееds). Whаlеs, sеа liоns, fаlсоns - аll оf thеsе аnimаls аrе trаinаblе dеspitе nеvеr bеing dоmеstiсаtеd.
Dоgs аrе strаightfоrwаrd tо trаin bесаusе nоt оnly is it еаsy tо gеt thеir аttеntiоn (thеy аlrеаdy wаnt tо lооk аt us), but thеy'rе еXTRеMеLY mоtivаtеd by fооd. Thе things а dоg will dо fоr fооd... еvеn whеn thеy'rе full. Tо а dоg, "I gеt а tiny piесе оf fооd" еquаls "sоmеthing grеаt hаppеns" аbоvе, nо quеstiоns аskеd. It hеlps а lоt thаt а dоg is аlsо prоgrаmmеd tо wаnt tо plеаsе humаns.
Fооd is nоt thе оnly wаy аnimаls саn bе trаinеd, оf соursе - аnything thаt thе аnimаl pеrсеivеs аs "sоmеthing gооd" (оr еvеn "sоmеthing bаd" if yоu'rе intо trаining thrоugh сruеlty) will wоrk. Sоmеtimеs аffесtiоn оr а gооd sсrаtсh саn bе еnоugh mоtivаtiоn. Fооd just wоrks wеll bесаusе it dоеs nееd tо bе sоmеthing yоu саn rеwаrd thе аnimаl with еаsily аnd соnsistеntly, in оrdеr fоr thе trаining tо stiсk.

 

I think you have a good idea of how dog training works. I can add a little. When we trained them to track we wanted nose to the ground not head held high air scenting. It took a couple weeks of daily training to get the gig to notice that he might find a liver treat by sniffing around but if he sniffed closely there was a trail of disturbed ground, damaged grass or maybe just the squished scent of a shoe on hard pavement that he could use his super nose to follow there would be a treat at the end of the trail or when he found something we had left for him to indicate but not touch. He then got a big reward. I suppose you could call it additive conditioning. The more challenging you made the track as long as there was a “good” solution at the end the more intense the dog worked. When we added apprehension and rewarded by a grip on a sleeve even if it was delayed they very quickly put it together that there could be danger or heavy threat involved it separated the well bred dogs from the backyard era. Part of protection training was differentiating threat from peacefully. It’s hard even for humans to do this. The dogs accepted pets and hugs as reward but striking or threatening moves changed the picture quickly. This is very tricky training and a mistak can be devastating on the dog and can cause personal injury . I never liked this training but it was necessary with K9 dogs these were very select dogs that we observed and tested constantly. We were always watching for a trait that successful dogs showed and were able to repeat on tests.
Anyway I don’t think cats are this motivated or driven. They learn to catch mice, birds and other food sources but I don’t think they add it up as one is better than the other. It’s more a successful hunt that is the reward. I’m really trying hard to see what my new cat really likes pets and brushing at drivers but she is still not likely to go out of her way for either if she has something even better on her mind. I’m trying to find this mystery. It isn’t food even if she hasn’t had her daily food or water. I’m not being mean by withholding food but I try things just before given dinner times. At least she has learned that there is an optimum time when dinner is served….. but it better be good and what she want or she will try to cover it up.LOL. She has trained me well as she knows I’ll leave dinner and a couple treats wether in not she eats it right now.
Byron