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The Conditional Cat: Cat Herding 101

Enhance your relationship with your cat, increase the ‘trust account’ and shape

J.R Henderson J.R Henderson
Start: 01 Oct 2024
Next: TBA

Auditor:

  • Duration: 6 weeks.
  • Learning materials: Written lessons with video tutorials.
  • Access to other Premium members' threads for additional insights.
  • Certificate of attendance upon completion.
  • Lifetime, 24/7 access to course materials.
  • Join the vibrant Tromplo community.
  • Earn 4 loyalty program points.

Premium:

  • Earn 15 loyalty program points.
  • Personalized attention: Instructor analyzes 12 minutes of your training videos weekly.
  • Engage in interactive learning with homework and daily feedback.

No premium spots available

Cats have long mystified and mesmerized humanity, inspiring poets and artists alike, while invading Internet memes and finding a place in the hearts and homes amongst all countries. Cats have often been considered aloof and unpredictable, walking their own path and daring to, “look at a king.“ But like all other organisms, felines are also subject to the laws of behavior science and as such, yes, even cats can be, ‘trained,‘ or ‘conditioned,’ in much the same way that they train and condition us to get up out of bed before our alarms blare by kneading our bellies, licking our noses and maybe even nibbling our fingers. This is why the Cat Herding 101 course was created! Conditioning is always happening and cats like every other organism are not immune to it. There is no secret code word to begin exploring the magically fascinating world of cat training, aka, ‘cat herding.’ All it takes is one’s interest, plus a desire and effort to explore and learn…in a phrase, with the curiosity of a cat!

 

But why would we wish to train a cat? Because cat training is an amazing for:

  • enhance your relationship with your cat and increase the ‘trust account’, allowing the learner increased choice and control to access functional reinforcement
  • it allows an outlet for enrichment including mental and physical stimulation for both the trainer and learner alike
  • helps you to minimize or more adequately construct and shape new behaviors to replace ‘unwanted’, or aversive behavioral patterns
  • increase your overall mechanical and conceptual skill regarding applied behavioral technologies through working with your cat

 

J.R. Henderson & his clowder (Condie, Durga & Poe) invite you on an incredible voyage of behavioral discovery!

Explore many aspects of behavioral techniques that can be applied to all aspects of cat herding 101 to set both you and your cat up for success. As Dr. Susan Friedman reminds us, “behavior is a study of one,” and keeping this in mind with a species evolutionary-based approach, J. R. & his clowder will guide you on a journey of behavioral discovery regarding cat herding.

You will explore all aspects regarding cat herding, from building upon foundational principles and behaviors to creating behavioral momentum and bringing an element of ‘loopiness,’ to your training sessions. You will also explore more intermediate training principles and behaviors such as basic cooperative care and maybe even a pattern game or two thrown into the mix. J.R. & his clowder will cover a tad of everything to get any and everyone inspired and set up for success regarding cat herding 101.

 

Cat Herding 101 will cover:

  • foundational principles, including equipment needed to begin cat herding, the antecedents of training setup and arrangement, preference testing, reviewing the concepts of pairing the marker/bridge (respondent conditioning), constructing behavior via capturing, luring and shaping, along with principles of errorless and graded training approaches
  • you will be able to demonstrate foundational behaviors including, ‘targeting’ and ‘stationing’ which many of our other behaviors and arrangements will be predicated upon
  • building behavioral momentum through the concepts of ‘training in loops,’ reinforcer delivery, a review on stimulus control and an overview on prompts, cues and prompt fading
  • you will be able to demonstrate intermediate level behavioral responses including: ‘sit,’ ‘down,’ ‘high five,’ and jump ‘up’
  • the basics of cooperative care will be covered including beginning tactile work and various objects being contacted to the body including stethoscopes, capped needles or similar substitutes and other objects of veterinary care, along with reviewing carrier training and also an overview of keeping medium and long-haired cats’ coats brushed which can at times be a challenge of endurance and wriggling for both cats and guardians alike
  • discussing and demonstrating the use of pattern games with cats
  • a detailed discussion and exploration of continued building of behavioral momentum over duration, distance and distraction.

 

 J.R. & his clowder look forward to continuing the cat chat and celebrating life in the meow with you in Cat Herding 101!

Course Testimonials

Wow, this class went by way too fast!  J.R.Henderson has packed so much information and training ideas into this course that it is going to keep me busy for a few more months!!

Even though I haven’t worked on some of the lessons yet, I totally enjoyed watching the training videos. I really learned a lot from watching J.R.’s technique and especially the pace and rhythm of the training. The chin target behavior with his cat is amazing!

It was a delight being part of this great group of humans and their cats. In this 6 weeks I did more cat training than I have ever done in all my years of living with cats. It was really fun to try the new behaviors. I’ll definitely be continuing to work with all my cats and hope to share more videos of them in the future!

Alice Hengst

June 30, 2023

Working with a different species can be somewhat daunting but this course has given me the confidence, insight and direction I needed moving forward with training my cat.

J.R. Included so much content in the course, breaking behaviour down into bite sized achievable pieces. Inspiring training videos and amazing feedback in the Facebook group make this course truly awesome.

I look forward to more courses and learning with J.R. Henderson in the future.

Maree Neave

June 30, 2023

This is an amazing course which I highly recommend. There is a lot of information and the videos are great to show exactly what you are aiming for.
The training is fun but also practical. J.R is also very involved and gives great feedback.
Enroll today! You won’t regret it!

Emma Gregory

June 30, 2023

What a fantastic course! I’ve been training my cats for over a year before joining, and yet I learned so much more than I could have imagined. Before the course, I was stuck not knowing what to train next and how to move forward on certain behaviours that weren’t working out. I have learned how to plan, troubleshoot, modify and progress our training sessions for any behaviour, and there are so many amazing things on my to-do list now. J.R. provides concrete action plans for teaching specific behaviours, but also a surprising amount of background information and universal tools and concepts that will continue to inform and improve your training well after the course has ended.

I also want to highlight the time and effort J.R. puts into feedback and video analysis. He is a patient and extremely encouraging teacher who has a wealth of knowledge and experience and very much lives the positive reinforcement approach with his human learners as well as the animal ones. I absolutely recommend learning from him!

Anna Ettlin

June 30, 2023

This course is a WOW!!!! in so many ways! It includes an immense amount of fantastic learning about training that leaves one – and the cat(s) – happy and inspired.  The instructor is phenomenal, so knowledgeable and incredibly supportive, responding in detail to every question. And he helps even when the question is one wrt a separate cat topic – for me, it concerned my young kitten’s attack-the-moving-feet thing, ha, but yay with his guidance I stopped needing extra thick socks. And, the course being on the superb set-up of Tromplo means it proceeds at whatever pace your life allows – forever access! Because there is SO MUCH information and guided practice sessions included that I think one would need to be able to do it full-time to complete it “on time.” Highly highly recommend!!! Fill your and your feline(s) days full of joy and fun! 😻🥀💞

Melita Balch

June 30, 2023

Lessons:

  • Week 1 07 Nov 2024

    • Welcome Brave Learners!

      Mega Meows & A Hearty Welcome! -from Condie (right), Durga (middle), Poe (far left) & myself   First off, the …

    • Overview of the Journey

      (Please read before proceeding to the first lesson!) Welcome, students! …

    • Homework #1 Share Your Story

      Homework #1: The Story of You   Before you delve into this course, please take some time to introduce both…

    • Clicker Training Cats?!

      A Cat & a Click     When the verbiage ‘animal trainer’ gets…

    • Why So Clicky?

      Who You Clicking At?!   What is so special about the clicker as a training tool…

    • Homework #2 Tools of the Trainer

      Homework #2: Tools of the Trainer     Your first homework assignment will be to acquire the training tools to be…

    • What’s Up With a Preference?

      What a Cat Prefers   When it comes to cats, as with all species and even more so, all…

    • Conditioning Session #1 Preference Testing 101

      Don’t Defer to Prefer  Disclaimer: Please consult with a licensed veterinarian before making any nutritional changes or varying diet if there are…

    • Respondent Conditioning and Trace Pairing

      Constructing a Reinforcer   Now that preference testing has explored the value of various treats, the data obtained will…

    • Conditioning Session #2 Cats Have Bluetooth?!

       Ready to Pair    Welcome to the second conditioning session where the process of pairing will be reviewed. In the…

    • Shaping First Contact

      The Shape of Contact    Now that you’ve discovered your cat’s edible preference…

    • Conditioning Session #3 Reinventing Michelangelo…

      Ready Your Targets   Now that the concept of targeting has been introduced and its importance underlined, it is time…

  • Week 2 07 Nov 2024

    • What Are Foundational Behaviors?

      Bedrock Behaviors   Before learning how to tie a shoe or take a step,…

    • I Feel Prompted to Ask, “What’s My Cue?”

      What’s in a Prompt?   Prompts are pervasive, perceptible anywhere, at any time. We will define a prompt as, any…

    • Homework #3 Choose Wisely

      In Quest of the Grail     Do you remember that scene in an…

    • Cats and Cue Transference

      Don’t Delay on a Fadeaway   Now that you have created and are comfortable intoning the cue that is to be…

    • Conditioning Session #4 Just Cue It!

       Prompt Delay    For the next conditioning session of fading the prompt, the following tools are needed:…

    • Conditioning Session #5 Adding Distance and Momentum

      Targeting Over Space and Time    Now that the cat in your life is predictably (over 80% of the…

    • Adding Angles and Elevations

        Targeting in 3-D   The world in which we live…

    • Conditioning Session #6 Pac-Cat Pattern

      The Matrix Aside   If you’ve seen any of the movies in the series, The Matrix, you’ve no doubt…

    • Conditioning Session #7 Feline Burpees

      Of Summits and Countertops   When climbing Mt. Everest or some other dizzyingly, humbling…

    • Conditioning Session #8 Follow That Target!

      Targets in Space    You and the cat in your life have been generating notable momentum over the last…

    • “Report to Your Stations”

      A Station for all Situations      Before blasting off into the next cat chat,…

    • Conditioning Session #9 Beginning Stationing

      Location, Location, Location    Initial success in these early sessions of approximating the beginnings of a conditioned stationing response…

  • Week 3 07 Nov 2024

    • The Nomenclature of Cat Training

       The Science of Stimuli   All of the behavioral momentum that has been generated…

    • Predictable Unpredictability

      A Process of Processes      Predictability and unpredictability both influence and inform all aspects of training as they…

    • Conditioning Session #10: Predictable Distancing

        To a Distant Station    Through the course of these initial stationing sessions, you and the cat in your…

    • Conditioning Session #11: Stationary Stations

      The Station Remains   When training with cats or indeed with any species, the real practicality, functionality and predictability of…

    • Delivery or Takeout?

      Delivery Sustains Momentum    In the same way that reinforcement drives behavior, so too can it be said that…

    • Conditioning Session #12: Excuse Me, Waiter!

      Delivery Directs Flow    There are many aspects that influence the behavior cycle, either increasing or decreasing the fluidity of…

    • Click for Attention

      Paying Attention to Attention    The previous cat chat and conditioning session…

    • Conditioning Session #13: Eye Contact as Understanding

      Shaping Attention    In terms of operationalizing attention as a behavioral response, it’s up to you and the cat in…

    • Getting Loopy

      Let’s Get Loopy!    The conception of loopy training was established and coined…

    • Conditioning Session #14: Station as Reset.

      Creating A Loop   Most of the behavior cycles being conditioned throughout this course have definitive points of beginning and…

    • Take a Load Off

      A Distant Sit on the Horizon     There have been many…

    • Conditioning session #15: The Many Ways to Shape a ‘Sit’

      Arranging Antecedents for Sitting    The behavior of sitting is inherent to the everyday lexicon of cats as this routine…

  • Week 4 07 Nov 2024

    • Intermediate Behaviors

      Beyond the Foundations    A big welcome to week 4! Get ready…

    • Conditioning Session #16: Putting a Sit on Cue

      Minding Your Sits and Cues   In the final conditioning session of week 3 you and the cat in…

    • Conditioning Through Contradiction

      The Peaks and Troughs of Oppositional Pairing   During the first few…

    • Conditioning Session #17: From Counter to Carpet

      The Literal ‘Ups and Downs’    Training behavior through oppositional pairs was the topic of our last cat chat…

    • Getting “Down” with a Down

      The Sphinx’s Riddle    When it comes to constructing a down response with a cat,…

    • Conditioning Session #18: A Behavioral See-Saw

      Going Up to Get Down (and Vice Versa)     In the next conditioning session, you and the cat in…

    • Felines and High Fives

      Making that first move…   Shaping a high five with a feline can at times feel like feast or famine.

    • Conditioning Session #19: Gimmie Some Paw!

      The Ambidextrous Feline     Now that the process of auto-shaping has been introduced get ready to condition this high-five…

    • Beyond Nose Targeting

      What’s a Snoot?   Welcome to the final cat chat of week 4 where…

    • Conditioning Session #20: Constructing a Snoot

      Ready, Aim, Snoot!   Welcome to the concluding conditioning session of week 4 where we’ll put the fun in the functional! Let’s…

  • Week 5 07 Nov 2024

    • What is Cooperative Care?

      When Care Becomes Cooperative      Cooperative care is a term arising often in conversations pertaining to animal…

    • The Ins-and-Outs of Choice and Control

      Opt-ins and opt-outs and start buttons, oh my!   Cat chats of weeks previous have examined concepts including momentum, movement…

    • Introducing Start Button Behaviors

      Where To Start?   As a concept and application, start button behaviors are a powerful technology that can be utilized…

    • Conditioning Session #21: Start your Buttons!

      Felines, Start Your Buttons!   The first step to begin using a start button behavior is planning for the topography…

    • The Freddie Krueger Amongst Felines

      From a Nightmare to a Daydream   Certain stimuli or objects…

    • Conditioning Session #22: Cats, Carriers and Conditioning

      Don’t Fear the Carrier!   Carriers are an essential part of most cat’s lives. Whether it’s traveling to the veterinarian,…

    • Conditioning Session #23: Upon a Chin this Session Rests

      Heavy Rests the Chin     Welcome to the concluding conditioning session of week 5 in which all that has so…

    • A Chin-rest for the Ages

      So What If Atlas Shrugs?    When engaging in cooperative care, there…

  • Week 6 07 Nov 2024

    • Training With Spice

      Now You’re Cooking!   A meal may be highly appetizing but…

    • Introducing the D-Parameters

      Behavioral Strength Training    Once a behavior has been shaped and is able to be prompted or placed on a working…

    • Conditioning Session #24: Adding Duration into the Equation

      Duration in Concept & Application    The first of the D-parameters that you and the cat in your life will…

    • Conditioning Session #25: Did Somebody Say, “Squirrel?!”

      Controlled Distraction    Distraction surrounds everyone, abounds everywhere, though it can be challenging to indicate a single point in space…

    • Conditioning Session #26: Getting Closer to Distance

             Behavior From Afar    Much like the parameters of duration and distraction, distance is an aspect that has been approximated…

    • Gamify Life

      Predictable Patterns for Unpredictable Times     Pattern games were first detailed in concept and application by Leslie McDevitt in her…

    • Conditioning Session #27: Pattern Games for Cats!

      When Cats Become Gamers     Many of the sessions that you and the cat in your life have enacted throughout…

    • Cats and Calm

      The Power of Relaxation    Relaxation and calm are widely touted as essential processes…

    • Conditioning Session #28: Connoisseurs of Calm

      Conditioning Relaxation    Having reviewed the last cat chat, along with the resources provided, while reflecting in writing or visualizing…

    • Final Thoughts: Celebrating Achievements and Continuing the Journey

      Mega Meows and A Round of Head Bunts!    The clowder and I have found these last 6 weeks…

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