An RSPCA animal centre in Hampshire has trained a rather stressed cat to put herself inside a cat carrier, jump over tunnels, and even weave between cat posts in an effort to help calm her and provide vital enrichment.
Freya, a five-year-old long-haired tortoiseshell cat, came into the care of the RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre in Ringwood in May. She was sadly underweight and in need of care.
The staff worked hard to increase her weight slowly and she soon started to improve her body condition. However, Freya was incredibly stressed in the cattery environment and would growl and swipe at staff who tried to feed her and clean out her cat pod.
Tara Longworth, Animal Care Supervisor at RSPCA Ashley Heath, said: “Poor Freya found life in the cattery very frustrating and even though she came in with another cat, it was clear being around all these other cats was stressful for her. We’re very lucky to have a separate room we can use to keep cats who need more space or some peace and quiet so we quickly moved Freya into this space.
“She became much calmer but she still didn’t seem to enjoy much interaction. It was odd because she would come towards you when you entered the room and start rubbing against your legs as though she wanted attention but then as soon as you gave her some fuss she would give you a swipe.”
Freya was referred to the RSPCA’s dedicated behavioural team who came up with a plan to help get Freya used to being around people and feel calmer. They advised that cats can engage in rubbing behaviour for a variety of reasons and it is not always an indicator of a request for direct contact and human interaction. It is also important to consider the body language of the cat and the current situation to help fully understand what they are telling you.
Freya’s plan involved providing all her meals in puzzle feeders, or toy mice, instead of bowls, and rotating these to offer variety and enable her to exhibit normal behaviours like chasing. The staff also increased the time they spent with Freya, visiting her four times a day, but making sure that most of the interactions were hands-off. They were advised to sit in a chair near her to allow the overwhelmed moggy to get used to their presence but to limit strokes to one or two only.
Tara added: “This really seemed to calm her but she was still reluctant to be picked up which meant getting her into a carrier for a vet check was extremely difficult. It was also really obvious that Freya is a very intelligent cat and we wanted to be able to provide her with more enrichment and reduce that frustration and boredom.
“We also knew she was going to be harder to rehome due to her behaviour and so we wanted to make her stay at the cattery as easy on her as possible, and improve her behaviour for her new home. We started doing target stick training so every time she touched it we would say the word ‘yes’ and she would get a treat until she associated that word with treats and would look at us expectantly! In this way, we managed to train her to put herself inside the carrier by placing the target in the carrier, and she learnt to pick this up really quickly. We’ve also been able to carry out a health check while using the target stick.
“What really surprised us was that she learnt to weave between posts and jump over tunnels showing just what a clever girl she is.”
As well as making it easier for the staff to care for Freya, it has also helped to keep her intelligent mind occupied as she is constantly learning new things and keeping entertained.
Freya is the first cat the centre has ever trained in this way but the staff are now keen to roll it out to other cats who don’t like handling or cats who may need additional support, such as long-stays.
Tara added: “I think it’s really useful to help rehabilitate and enrich the stay of cats in our care. It’s not easy as we are obviously incredibly busy as an animal centre. The RSPCA’s centres are full-to-bursting with animals that need our care but despite this, it’s been amazing to make time for her and it’s really worked. Freya is much less frustrated now, she’s excited when someone comes in the room, and it’s helped to build a bond with her.
“It just shows that if you put the effort in, you really can teach an old cat new tricks!”
For more information on the work of RSPCA Ashley Heath visit: https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/ashley-heath-animal-centre
To adopt a rescue cat like Freya visit: www.rspca.org.uk/findapet
For 200 years, changing animals’ lives for the better has been the beating heart of the RSPCA. The charity is the only organisation that rescues animals from the most extreme cases of suffering. However, our work can only continue with the support of the public. Supporters can Join The Christmas Rescue online and – by donating – help the RSPCA be there for animals in need.
