Cats get a bad rap.
Undesirable behaviors like avoiding the litterbox, spraying, excessive scratching and other aggressive behaviors leave many owners frustrated and prevents prospective owners from adopting a cat altogether. Interestingly, what most people find surprising is that, like their dog counterparts, cats can be trained. June is “Adopt a Shelter Cat Month” and Animal Behavior College (ABC) is commemorating the occasion by offering a Continuing Education Program (CEP) on cat management and training.
With millions of homeless cats euthanized in animal control pounds and shelters each year, ABC’s goal is to educate students, graduates and the public about this issue and dispel the many feline myths and stereotypes.
Since cat adoption information often does not discuss, convey or encourage cat training, there is an immense misconception that they cannot be trained. This misunderstanding leaves many owners and prospective owners believing they must tolerate negative behaviors. Unfortunately, this lack of knowledge leads to a greater number of cats landing in shelters with very few being adopted.
The Cat Management online CEP teaches students proper socialization techniques. With more than 40 percent of dog owners also having cats, basic behavior training is essential to ensure a harmonious and happy environment. ABC’s professionals master techniques and demonstrate ways for developing and ensuring positive human-to-feline and feline-to-canine relationships. Learning cat management and training can also be a profitable venture for pet professionals in a variety of fields.
“Since cats are generally more independent than dogs, the belief is that this somehow renders them incapable of being trained,” said Steven Appelbaum, president and CEO of Animal Behavior College. “Feline education programs equip professionals and owners with the information they need to help cats that may otherwise be re-homed or abandoned.”
With pet cats outnumbering dogs, learning how to train, manage and treat cat behaviors can be lucrative. There are 83.3 million dogs in the U.S. compared to 95.6 million cats, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Increasing the public’s knowledge and understanding about cat behaviors encourages more adoptions that could save a shelter cat’s life.
The Cat Training and Management CEP program teaches students and graduates cat behaviors, training techniques and common commands. Additionally, they learn how to interpret feline body language and vocalizations and positive ways to address problem behaviors. The program
imparts an array of fun, stimulating behaviors like teaching a cat to roll over and jump through a hoop, too.
ABC graduates and students can learn more about the Cat Training and Management CEP and other CEPs by visiting the website at www.AnimalBehaviorCollege.com
or calling 1-800-795-3294.