How to Find the Right Reward for Your Cat
Taking the time to reward your cat for good behavior promotes more than purrs and head bumps. Rewards provide the motivation your finicky feline might need for completing activities that keep her healthy—like wellness checks, taking medication, or getting a bath (yes, you really can bathe your cat!). Plus, the positive interactions between you and your kitty will build and strengthen the precious bond you share.
Worried that one too many rewards will wreck your cat’s weight management goals? Experts say the options for rewarding your cat go far beyond
edible treats, and they have some suggestions for finding the right one for your kitty.
Here’s the scoop on the importance of rewards for your cat, different rewards for every type of kitty, and how to choose the right one for her.
Understanding the Importance of Cat Rewards
Rewarding your cat for good behavior is called positive reinforcement, and it’s said to be the most effective type of training for cats and dogs. How does it work? Dr. Laura Robinson, DVM and lead veterinary advisor at Pawp says it’s all about rewarding your cat with a positive stimulus after she displays a behavior you want to encourage. Each time your cat completes an activity or wanted behavior, she’ll be rewarded, increasing the likelihood for her to repeat those actions.
Cat rewards can also be used to change unwanted behaviors. Unlike punishment (which can weaken your human-kitty bond), positive reinforcement will encourage a change in behavior rather than trying to stop it. “Cats need to have control in their life,” explains Samantha Bell, Cat Expert at Best Friends Animal Society. Telling your cat “no” and stopping her from completing an unwanted behavior will likely frustrate her. With reward-based training, you create a better, alternative behavior your cat can choose to do—and reward her for doing it.
In addition to enjoying her favorite things, Bell says the list of benefits for rewarding your cat is pretty lengthy:
It’s FUN for you and for your cat
It builds a stronger cooperative relationship between you and your cat
It helps your cat build confidence
It helps your cat try new things
It increases your cat’s trust in people
Your cat can learn practical and fun behaviors or tricks!
Using Rewards for Cat Wellness
My cats love brushing their teeth. My secret? Following a routine of rewarding them with a highly desirable treat on their toothbrush after each session. “Any daunting task can and should be done with positive reinforcement,” Bell says.
With the use of rewards, your cat will feel motivated to participate in essential wellness activities like Pet Health 5 and other routine care. “My cat Yohan becomes quite stressed by nail trims,” Bell tells All Pet Voices. So, she uses a reward-based approach to keep Yohan happy and healthy:
Show him the clippers, reward him with a treat
Clip a couple of nails, reward him with a treat
Once all the nails have been trimmed, Yohan gets an extra reward of affection
4 Types of Rewards for Cats
Treats aren’t the only possible reward for your cat, and depending on their personality, they may favor one type of reward over another. In the end, Bell says, it really doesn’t matter what the reward is, as long as your cat finds it rewarding.
Treats
If your cat is food motivated, treats or dry kibble could be highly rewarding. Treats should make up no more than 10% of a cat’s daily calorie intake. So, Bell recommends, considering a treat that you can break into small pieces or give small amounts of. Some tried-and-true favorites, and vet-recommended by Dr. Robinson, include:
Omega-3-rich treats like these Icelandic Herrings
Squeezable treats like Ibana Churus
Freeze-dried single ingredient treats like these chicken bites
Toys
From wands to toy mice, catnip, balls, and scratchers—playtime with your cat’s favorite toy can be a reward and motivator to curve unwanted behaviors and promote healthy ones. If your cat is chewing on the house plants or winding up to jump on the counter, try jingling her favorite toy to redirect and reward a change in behavior.
Physical Praise
If your cat enjoys physical attention, petting, belly rubs, and brushing sessions may be the right reward for her. Recognizing when your cat is in the mood for physical attention and whom she trusts to give this type of reward will be important.
Verbal Praise
Admittingly, verbal praise may be better suited for dogs. But some cats respond positively to a good ol’ fashioned “good girl!” This works for my cats during physical activities like walking on the cat wheel and walking outside on a leash and harness.
How to Pick the Right Motivation for Your Cat
Choosing the right motivation for your cat will probably come with some trial and error and could require refreshing later on. Taking note of the treats, toys, and activities your cat chooses to engage with should clue you into what your cat deems as a “high-value” reward. Bell says an activity your cat will love is creating a bracket-style elimination of different types of treats. But remember she says, use tiny pieces over several days to not wreck their diet!
When it comes to choosing the best reward for a certain behavior or activity, Bell says she saves the highest-value rewards for the most daunting of tasks. For Yohan, that’s nail clippings and his beloved freeze-dried turkey heart treats.
The time of day could also play a part in the right reward for your cat. Affection-motived cats might crave the most attention in the mornings and food-motivated cats are likely to want a snack before mealtime.
Once you find that extra special reward, reserve for it training sessions and behaviors that warrant reinforcement. While a motivator may work for a period of time, Dr. Robinson says your cat could get bored of a reward, so having a backup in mind is always a good plan.
What motivates your kitty and how have you used rewards to keep them happy and healthy?
About the Author:Janelle is a cat mom to two resident adventure cats (Lyra and Atlas), a foster mom to numerous cat and kitten fosters, and Portland’s feline sitter. When Janelle isn’t with a clowder of cats, you’ll find her wrangling her flock of urban chickens, cooking, and writing. You can follow Janelle, her adventure kitties, adoptable fosters, and chickens at @paws_pdx.