Have you learnt what the largest situation is in terms of remedy cats? It’s not the coaching (feline or human). And it’s not discovering the “proper” cat. It’s overcoming the unfairness and myths surrounding cats and the way acceptable they could be as remedy animals.
Even now, individuals nonetheless suppose cats are too impartial, aloof and untrainable to be efficient remedy pet companions. If you happen to’ve adopted my weblog or social media for any size of time, you already know that’s utterly false. You in all probability additionally know that there are various hardworking cats like me. Cats who go to hospitals, nursing properties, colleges, and different amenities the place a fluffy being can do some good. However many individuals — and plenty of amenities — haven’t figured that out but.
What’s it going to take to alter their minds? Research like this one (funded in Belgium) that was only in the near past printed. It not solely discovered that cats could make good remedy animals — they’ve one thing distinctive to supply with such a work.
Overcoming the Fantasy About Cats Being Delinquent
The loopy factor concerning the research is that the summary begins, “The engagement of cats in animal-assisted companies (AAS) is rising. That is stunning on condition that feline behavioural wants have been perceived as contradictory to circumstances related to AAS engagement, resulting in the belief that cats as a species should not appropriate for AAS.” So clearly this research was badly wanted as a result of it confirmed that wasn’t the case.
Remedy Cat Work Additional Improves a Cat’s Temperament
The belief that cats exist with traits that lend themselves to remedy animal work (duh!), was only a begin. Additionally they discovered that doing remedy work helped to strengthen a cat’s capacity to work together socially with individuals, be snug with being dealt with, and the opposite issues remedy cats do. Which exhibits that whereas a cat could also be inclined to be friendlier and less difficult going than different cats, these traits are additionally to a sure extent, teachable.
This makes numerous sense from my very own private expertise as a remedy cat. As soon as I discovered the routine of remedy work, it was simpler for me to do the necessary stuff, like be with individuals in a method they wanted.
Extra to Come?
It’s an early research, and so they admit they’re nonetheless studying quite a bit about cats and animal-assisted work. I hope there are extra research diving deeper into this as a result of ultimately it may make enhancements to remedy cat coaching. Proper now, the human halves of remedy pet groups are just about making it up as they go alongside! Simply ask my human, or every other volunteer with a remedy cat.
The put up Researchers Lastly Affirm Cats Make Good Remedy Animals appeared first on Summer season’s Fabulous Cat Life.
