DM4 Pt2-5 How do Cats Learn

Question 1

How can training benefit both cats and caregivers?

Answer 1

Training can change problem behaviors and teach new behaviors, improving the cat-caregiver relationship.

Question 2

Do cats learn in the same way as other animals?

Answer 2

Yes, cats learn in similar ways to other animals, developing positive or negative associations through experience.

Question 3

Are cats constantly learning?

Answer 3

Yes, cats are always learning, forming associations and making predictions based on their experiences.

Question 4

What must occur for a cat to associate one thing with another?

Answer 4

The two events must occur close together in time for an association to form.

Question 5

Give an example of associative learning in cats.

Answer 5

A cat may associate the sight of an inhaler with the hissing sound it makes, leading to fearful behavior upon seeing the inhaler.

Question 6

How does repetition affect learning in cats?

Answer 6

Repetition consolidates learning, making behaviors more likely to recur.

Question 7

Why is reversing a negative association challenging?

Answer 7

Negative experiences can deeply impact a cat’s behavior, making it difficult and time-consuming to create positive associations afterward.

Question 8

How do cats learn from the consequences of their behavior?

Answer 8

Cats repeat behaviors that lead to positive outcomes or relief from aversive situations, while avoiding behaviors with negative outcomes.

Question 9

What does learning theory involve in the context of cats?

Answer 9

It involves cognitive and emotional processes that result in a permanent change in behavior due to experience.

Question 10

What does it mean that a cat’s brain is “plastic”?

Answer 10

It means that their ability to learn is flexible, allowing them to adapt and learn continuously throughout life.

Question 11

How does a cat’s background affect its learning?

Answer 11

A cat’s physical and emotional health, past experiences, and early learning shape how it responds to new stimuli and learns from them.

Question 12

What is learning theory?

Answer 12

Learning theory explains how animals, including humans, acquire, process, and store knowledge and skills.

Question 13

What are the two main types of learning in learning theory?

Answer 13

Non-associative learning and associative learning.

Question 14

How does non-associative learning occur?

Answer 14

Through habituation (weakening of response) and sensitization (strengthening of response) with repeated exposure to a stimulus.

Question 15

What are dishabituation and desensitization?

Answer 15

Processes within non-associative learning that modify an animal’s response to a familiar stimulus.

Question 16

What is associative learning?

Answer 16

Learning that establishes relevance or a relationship between two or more stimuli.

Question 17

What are the two forms of associative learning?

Answer 17

Classical conditioning and operant conditioning.

Question 18

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 18

A learning process where an animal associates one stimulus with another, leading to a predictable response.

Question 19

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 19

A learning process where an animal learns to modify its behavior based on the consequences of that behavior.

Question 20

There are 4 ways that cats learn through operant conditioning, i.e., performance, feedback, revision. What gets reinforced gets repeated, and what doesn’t extinguishes. Depending on what cats gain or avoid from their behaviour, they learn to predict outcomes and chose how to behave next time.

Answer 20

Question 21

Skinner’s Four Quadrants of Operant Learning

Answer 21

Question 22

In operant conditioning, what happens to behaviors that are reinforced?

Answer 22

Behaviors that are reinforced are likely to be repeated.

Question 23

What happens to behaviors that are not reinforced in operant conditioning?

Answer 23

They tend to be extinguished or are less likely to be repeated.

Question 24

How does operant conditioning help animals predict outcomes?

Answer 24

Animals learn to anticipate outcomes based on past experiences and choose their behavior accordingly.

Question 25

What do the terms “positive” and “negative” mean in training?

Answer 25

They are mathematical, meaning “added” (positive) and “removed” (negative), not “good” or “bad.”

Question 26

What is the purpose of reinforcement in training?

Answer 26

To increase the likelihood that a behavior will occur again.

Question 27

What is the purpose of punishment in training?

Answer 27

To decrease the likelihood that a behavior will occur again.

Question 28

Why is punishment often ineffective in animal training?

Answer 28

It is usually mistimed, causing the animal to associate it with the punisher or an unrelated aspect of the environment.

Question 29

What is a risk of using punishment on natural animal behaviors?

Answer 29

It can be unfair and potentially distressing to animals for behaviors that are natural and have a purpose for them.

Question 30

Why is punishment problematic for teaching alternatives?

Answer 30

Punishment does not teach a more desirable behavior as an alternative.

Question 31

What are some potential emotional effects of punishment on cats?

Answer 31

It can lead to anxiety, fear, frustration, and damage to the human-animal bond.

Question 32

What is an example of a positive punishment in cat training?

Answer 32

Using a water spray bottle to discourage a behavior.

Question 33

What is a reinforcer?

Answer 33

An incentive or event that strengthens a behavior by increasing the likelihood it will be repeated.

Question 34

When must a reinforcer be given to be effective?

Answer 34

Immediately after the behavior and be directly related to it.

Question 35

How are reinforcers defined?

Answer 35

By their effect on behavior, specifically to increase or maintain it.

Question 36

What is a primary reinforcer?

Answer 36

A reward that is inherently satisfying, like food, water, or shelter.

Question 37

What is a secondary reinforcer?

Answer 37

A learned reward, often paired with primary reinforcers, like a clicker sound paired with treats.

Question 38

What is mark-and-reinforce training commonly called?

Answer 38

Clicker training, but it can also involve specific sounds, words, or other distinct markers to pinpoint desired behaviors.

Question 39

Why is a clicker used in cat training?

Answer 39

It’s a neutral stimulus with no prior meaning to the cat, serving as a secondary reinforcer by predicting a reward.

Question 40

What other types of markers can be used besides a clicker?

Answer 40

Specific words like “good” or “yes,” or short, non-stressful visual, tactile, or auditory signals.

Question 41

How is a clicker paired with a reward for the first time?

Answer 41

By “charging the clicker”: clicking once, then immediately giving the cat a treat to form an association.

Question 42

What is “charging the clicker”?

Answer 42

A process where the cat learns that a click predicts the arrival of a treat, forming a positive association through classical conditioning.

Question 43

How do you know when a cat has associated the clicker with treats?

Answer 43

The cat will orient itself toward the location of treats immediately after hearing the click.

Question 44

How is a clicker used to reinforce a specific behavior?

Answer 44

By clicking as the desired behavior occurs, followed by a treat to reinforce that behavior.

Question 45

Why is it important to click as the behavior happens?

Answer 45

The click serves as a ‘bridge’ between the behavior and treat delivery, allowing accurate and frustration-free learning.

Question 46

Give an example of using a clicker to reinforce a behavior in a cat.

Answer 46

When a cat sits, you click as it sits, then immediately give a treat to encourage the cat to sit again.

Question 47

What are counter-conditioning (CC) and desensitization (DS) used for in behavior modification?

Answer 47

They help teach cats to replace negative associations with positive ones and to reduce their sensitivity to perceived threats.

Question 48

Why is it recommended to work with a qualified behaviorist for training?

Answer 48

They provide expert guidance in designing training plans tailored to the cat’s changing behavior, ensuring effective and humane outcomes.