Understand domestic and wild cat psychology, online learning on how to manage and influence the behaviour of cats.
Learn about::
- Cat communication - domestic and wild cats
- Cat behaviour training - domestic cats
- Cat behaviour
- Managing a Cat business
Course duration and pace: 100 hours of self paced study. Start the course at any time and study at a pace to suit you. Take 12 months to complete the course with as much or as little tutor guidance or support as you need.
Lesson Structure
There are 8 lessons in this course:
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Nature and Scope of Cat Psychology
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Introduction
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Terminology
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Cat Industries
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Differentiating health and behavioural issues
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Feline Diabetes
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Kidney Disease
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Stress
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Cat Senses and Communication
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Understanding Cat communications
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Sounds made by the Cat
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Body Language
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Smell
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Hearing
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Understanding Natural Behaviour in Cats
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Aggression
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Scratch Fever
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Cat Behavioural Development
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Biological Rhythms and Sleep
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Sexual Behaviour
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Maternal Behaviour
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Eating and Drinking
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Behavioural Disorders/Abnormalities
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Nature or Nurture
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Sensitive Periods
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Neurological Development
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Sleep
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Play
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Cat Temperament Tests
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How Breeds Differ
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Basic Training
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Aggression
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Redirected Aggression
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Maternal Aggression
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Idiopathic Aggression
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Dealing with Aggression
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Housebreaking
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Inappropriate Elimination
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Excessive Vocalisation
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Geriatric Dysfunction
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Controlling killing of Wildlife
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Eating Disorders
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Abnormal Suckling
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Separation Anxiety
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Obedience Training
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Forming Habits
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Train them Early
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Conditioning
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Operant Conditioning
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Socialisation
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House Training
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Grooming
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Bathing
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Scratching
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Catching Vermin
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Tricks
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Discipline
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Cat Behaviour Management
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Cat Doors
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Microchipping and Registering
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Coming when Called
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Energy Release Activities
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Neutering
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Drug Treatment
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Nice Smells
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Getting Used to a Cage
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Managing Climbing
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Operating a Cat Business
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
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Understand cat psychology and apply that knowledge to manage and influence the behaviour of cats.
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Describe how cats think, and discuss the relevance of understanding cat psychology to people.
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Explain how cats communicate; and formulate an understanding of possible ways that a human may communicate with a cat.
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Understand behaviours that are natural, hence predictable in cats; and learn to read signals that cats give.
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Explain how cats develop behavioural characteristics throughout stages of their life.
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Describe commonly occurring behavioural problems in cats.
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Describe techniques for training cats
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Implement measures to manage the behaviour of cats.
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Develop knowledge on running your own cat business.
Behaviour can be managed
It has been said that “nobody owns a cat” (Ellen Perry Berkeley), but cats are extremely popular pets. It is thought that around 34% of American homes own a cat.
Cats are known for their relative independence however humans and cats have lived together for thousands of years.
A cat’s jawbone was found in Cyprus that was around 8000 years old. As it is unlikely that anyone would have taken a wild cat on a boat, it is suggested that domestication of cats occurred around 8000 years ago. But a later finding from 9500 years ago was a cat buried with a human, suggesting domestication was even earlier than thought. But even further than that, in the Near East it is thought that domestication began nearly 12000 years ago.
The Ancient Greeks revered cats. There was a death sentence for anyone caught killing a cat. The Ancient Romans held cats as a symbol for liberty. But during the Middle Ages, cats were demonised as they were thought to be linked to the devil and witches – the witch’s familiar and so on. Many were killed as a way to fight off evil. This unfortunately was not a clever thing to do as some researchers think that this helped to spread the plague as the cats were not there to kill the rats carrying the plague.
Why Study this Course?
Some study this course purely because they have a great passion for cats. Others take this course to give them the knowledge and skills to work with cats.
Through these studies, your knowledge and understanding of cat behaviour will grow, and your ability to respond appropriately in order to manage cats will increase.
You are likely to find yourself looking at cats differently, analyzing what they do and postulating how humans should or should not interact with them.
This course can be very useful for:
- Cat owners
- Pet shop staff and retail managers
- Veterinary assistants and other animal health professionals
- Breeders, groomers and boarding cattery staff
- Animal control officers, animal welfare officers
- Project managers, learning and development workers and business owners
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