Hiss & Tell: Cat Behavior and Beyond

From Chaos to Calm: Using Pattern Games for a Happier Cat

• Kristiina Wilson • Season 2 • Episode 29

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Unlock the secrets to a happier, healthier cat through the innovative use of pattern games. Join us for a captivating conversation with Beth Brown, a certified cat behavior consultant, as we uncover how these structured exercises can transform your feline friend’s life. From providing predictability for shy cats to reducing stress for high-energy felines, Beth shares insights that could revolutionize your approach to cat care. We dive deep into her journey from shelter work to private consulting and explore why pattern games are a game-changer.

Learn how to make your cat’s carrier their happy place with our guide to carrier training through pattern games like Super Bowls. We examine how empowering your cat to make choices not only eases their anxiety during vet visits but also prepares them for emergency situations. Discover the synergy of partnering with veterinarians who embrace these game-based methods for more pleasant and manageable vet experiences. We also include practical advice for implementing these techniques in multi-cat households, ensuring that resource-guarding and behavioral challenges become a thing of the past.

Finally, we explore the profound impact of pattern games on shelter cats and the adoption process. Learn how simple games like "up and down" can make human interactions more enjoyable, increasing a cat’s chances of finding a forever home. Plus, hear about the support available from experts and the potential for integrating these methods into shelter environments with minimal resources. Whether you’re a cat owner or a shelter volunteer, this episode is packed with valuable techniques to enrich the lives of cats and strengthen the human-animal bond.

Kristiina Wilson:

Hi and welcome to Hiss and Tell a Cat Behavior and More podcast hosted by me, Kristiina Wilson, animal Behaviorist. Today we're going to be talking about pattern games, which are structured exercises that create predictability and reduce stress for your cats. Whether you have a shy cat who needs a little encouragement or a high energy cat who struggles with impulse control, pattern games can help. Stay tuned as we break down what pattern games are, how to introduce them and why they work so well for our feline friends. Hi and welcome to another episode of Hiss and Tell. I am your host, christina Wilson, and with me today is Beth Brown. She is a certified cat behavior consultant and Control Unleashed instructor. Welcome, beth. Hey, thanks for having me. Thank you. Today we are going to be talking about pattern games. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, about your education, about what it is that you do?

Beth Brown:

Yeah, so I started my behavior journey in the shelter, which is a super fun place to start it if you ever have a chance. It's a whole different world. But yeah, basically worked towards my. My ccbc got that during a snowstorm actually, which is weird because I live in Houston, so it's not a normal event. Yeah, um, oh, of course not um, but yeah, I left the the sheltering world and started doing private consulting and I think at the first Lemonade Conference is where I first saw Leslie McDevitt and fell in love with her. She's amazing and it's just kind of been a fun little roller coaster ride since doing cat and dog behavior consults and doing workshops for other professionals and for shelters, and it's just a lot of fun to to hang out with like-minded people yeah, so we can.

Kristiina Wilson:

We can hear your dogs. You want to tell us a little bit about what pets you have?

Beth Brown:

yeah, if you can't tell from the bark. That's it. I've got two of those, baby Cthulhu and Senua, and they do use a cat tree, so they're basically like my resident cats.

Kristiina Wilson:

I have never heard of dogs using a cat tree. That's so funny.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, at my office desk the only chair I have is an exercise bowl and like they want to be in my lap and it just wasn't compatible, so I got them a tree next to my desk and that's how we manage that and it works out pretty well actually.

Kristiina Wilson:

Oh, that's cute. I love the creative solution that makes sense.

Beth Brown:

It's kind of like the pink tax for humans, Like because it says women's razor doesn't mean I can't use it instead.

Kristiina Wilson:

That's absolutely true, and gendered products are very stupid.

Beth Brown:

so yeah, so are cc products because, like, you go to a pet store and you find a dog toy that you think your cat might like, just get it. Yeah, it's still a toy, absolutely.

Kristiina Wilson:

I mean, all our cats love to play with tennis balls, which are traditionally like a dog toy.

Beth Brown:

So yeah, whatever and my dogs are in love with catnip toys like oh great, scent enrichment.

Kristiina Wilson:

Let's do it do they have like a reaction to it, as like cats do, or they just like the smell, they just like the smell and I think, the taste.

Beth Brown:

Huh, I mean, they'll eat cardboard.

Kristiina Wilson:

So yeah, okay, that's fair can you tell us a little bit about what pattern games are, um, and how they relate to cat behavior and enrichment?

Beth Brown:

yeah, so pattern games, as wesley mcdevitt invented them um, are basically just like little little training games where you insert a little bit of predictability into an unpredictable world.

Beth Brown:

So all the all the pattern games are very predictable. They're very like formulaic you do action a, action b, action c, repeat right, kind of things, um, so it's just a very predictable framework that you can kind of insert into generally any situation as needed. There's caveats, of course, but that's the general hope for them. I guess right um which if you look at the five pillars of a healthy feline environment published by the american association of feline practitioners, one of the pillars is they need safe and predictable interactions with humans.

Beth Brown:

So pattern games just seems to fit that bill really well right and they're really easy to teach to cat owners, which is kind of a key component because like the books were written for dogs, we expect to train our dogs you. But like you get a dog in your household expecting to do some kind of training with them, so like it's an easy sell for dog owners. Right, for cat owners it's a little different. We don't adopt our cats thinking I'm gonna train this cat to do whatever. But it does help build their confidence. It helps them elicit new behaviors, it helps them acclimate to new spaces if they have that cognitive enrichment item to kind of focus on right. Right, I already forgot where I started this thought, but that's why I loved pattern games for cats, because it just seems to tick off every box that you need to check with a cat.

Kristiina Wilson:

So how do they? How are they different from clicker training? For people who may be like? Oh well, I've already done clicker training with my cat Like is this the same thing, maybe?

Beth Brown:

like oh well, I've already done clicker training with my cat, like is this the same thing? Is it a different thing? Yeah, we use clicker training with pattern games. Most pattern games you are going to train an operant behavior of some sort, so like a behavior that you have to teach the animal Right and that they offer willingly. So I mean you do use clicker training. I think when most people hear clicker training they think like tricks, right, we're going to teach the cat or dog like fun tricks to do. But I mean, yes, that is what you do with clicker training, but every trick can have a function, yes, if you think hard enough. So like these are just tricks that you're teaching that already have a function, right, how can pattern games sort of help improve a cat's confidence or sense of control?

Kristiina Wilson:

Can you speak to that a little bit? I would love to. It's kind of a whole.

Beth Brown:

I know it's like a whole.

Kristiina Wilson:

Give me 30 minutes on that. Thank you, yeah.

Beth Brown:

So clicker training in general I mean training in general just helps build a relationship between trainer and trainee. You know, educator and learner, whatever however you want to phrase it, human and animal, although, excuse me, does it go the other way around.

Beth Brown:

Yes, often it does. Yeah, um, so like that in general, just as a base activity you can do with an animal, just tends to help build confidence in general, because they're getting a lot of positive associations with eliciting behaviors. If you reinforce it properly then you will get more of those behaviors, because that's how reinforcement works. Um, so that in general just tends to build a more confident animal. But when you have a purpose around it, like with pattern games, I like to, especially with cats, say that they're really good for like helping them acclimate to new spaces, which is traditionally hard for cats.

Beth Brown:

Um, because you can, like a lot of these pattern games, use context clues that will help the cat like filter out kind of the background, noise right of like new space, new, new sights, whatever it is they're experiencing, just kind of helps them filter that out a little bit and focus on something that is familiar which allows them to in an unpredictable situation because they don't know the space or don't know the person they're with or whatever.

Beth Brown:

Those context clues tend to help them just filter out the unfamiliar right and focus on the familiar and start to elicit behaviors and start to build a relationship and rapport with whoever they're with. So it just kind of it just kind of works like we could get into the beauty of the, of the like behavior science behind it. Am I the best person to do that with me? Maybe not. I forget words a lot, so the technical terms can not be okay. But like that, that in general, just being able to give them something to focus on and filter out all the background noise so that they process that slowly tends to help build a more confident cat and a more confident handler, if we're being honest.

Kristiina Wilson:

Yeah, and I mean I always tell clients and just friends that that, like it's generally, we're training the people rather than just the cats. So you know, it really is like a training of both both people going on. So I know that pattern games can help reduce behavioral issues like aggression or fear based reactions, especially when your cats are traveling, like you just talked about, or going to the vet. Can you speak to that a little bit more? Talk about how listeners could use pattern games in those contexts.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, so one of my favorite ways to use pattern games is to help cats get comfortable entering a carrier. That's something a lot of owners struggle with is like the carrier only comes out once a year, if that, and it's only to go to the vet. So it has negative connotations associated with it just right off the bat. And there are things you can do to kind of help mitigate that. Like, if you're going to start fresh and do some carrier training, maybe get a new carrier so we don't use one that's already kind of poisoned, so right. So there's some easy management things you can do to kind of help set yourself up for success.

Beth Brown:

But the pattern games I find really helps the cat make choices about what they want to do because most pattern games are going to be find really helps the cat make choices about what they want to do, because most pattern games are going to be in control of the cat, meaning like they do a behavior and that prompts the human to respond, not the opposite way around. So by setting up like, if you ever hear me talk about pattern games anywhere ever, I'm going to mention Super Bowls, it's just my favorite game.

Kristiina Wilson:

I remember you saying that before too.

Beth Brown:

Yeah like I did an entire talk at Pounce just on Super Bowls and I could have gone for longer, because it's just such a versatile game and the basic concept is you set up stations for the cat to go to. When they arrive at a station, there's a treat there, they eat the treat go to. When they arrive at a station, there's a treat there, they eat the treat. After they eat the treat, they they perform a behavior usually it's looking up at the human, is the operant behavior they do, and then that prompts the human to go forward to the next station and set up a treat. So everything is within the cat's control. They do not have to move forward unless they want to, and the human will not move forward unless the cat tells them to.

Beth Brown:

So there's no pressure, which is, I mean, a huge thing, because a lot of the time when we're talking about carriers, we're talking about humans, like picking up the cat, yeah, and essentially shoving them in there. So this takes out that human interference, if you will like. Now we're playing more of a supporting role instead of a Godzilla role, if you will, and that I mean that alone takes so much pressure off of the cat and so much anxiety out of the situation because the cat feels like they can control the situation now, which makes the carrier in and of itself just not that scary of a situation anymore, especially if you've done your homework and you've like set the carrier up to be really cozy and maybe there's a warm towel in there and maybe there's like some catnip or whatever or a favorite toy or what have you.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, so it just kind of takes a lot of anxiety out of the situation and allows the cat to just do what they want essentially. But like, at the end of the day, because we've done this training, they're also doing what we want. Yes, it's just they don't know that's what we want. Yeah, they want and we're just like they're in a supporting role, right, I mean, you get them to buy in and do it themselves.

Kristiina Wilson:

It just tends to go a lot smoother no, it absolutely does, and I feel like I say this on almost every episode. But it is so important to carry your train, your cats especially, I think, because we've all seen what just happened in California with the fires. That, and I think two episodes, two episodes ago, was the disaster and emergency preparedness episode. It is so important to be able to have your checklist, have everything ready, but also be able to get your pets into a carrier relatively quickly without chasing them around are insane, and if we just put a carrier down, they all compete about who can get in it, because they think it's just a fun toy and they're like no, it's me, I want to get in, I want to go, you know so um it's a great idea to really have your cats super carrier trained, whether it's through using super bowls, like you just described, or a combination of of pattern games and um, just leaving your carrier out and making it really enticing.

Kristiina Wilson:

Sorry, I went on a real carrier training tangent.

Beth Brown:

Those are good tangents, to go on though.

Kristiina Wilson:

I feel like every episode I'm like carrier, trainer, cat.

Kristiina Wilson:

Everyone says about crate training dogs like this is just the equivalent in cat world and it's equally valid in both realms it really is, and I but I feel like it's just kind of out there in the lore that, like, cats hate carriers and it's just good, this is just how it's going to be for cats is that you're just going to have to chase them around and like jam them in a carrier to get them to the vet, and it doesn't have to be like that, like it really doesn't, like they may not like going to the vet.

Kristiina Wilson:

but you can get them to like their carrier. You can do things for the car ride. If they have motion sickness, if they're really anxious, you, there are medications that can be helpful and then you can actually use pattern games, as we discussed at the vet, to help acclimate them to the situation. So they're going through a scenario that is familiar.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, especially if you have a really supportive vet who like play the pattern game with your cat and with you. Yes, like that is such a marriage of like amazingness that it's just beautiful to see when it happens. Wish it happened more, yeah, but I mean time is hard to get Sometimes.

Kristiina Wilson:

It absolutely is. It is. Can you talk a little bit more about Super Bowls, because I think for people who are listening to this and who have never heard of pattern games and don't know what they are, could use a little more explanation about what are the bowls in Super Bowls Like? What's going on? Are you using real bowls? Are you just putting a treat on the floor? Why is it called Super Bowls? What's happening?

Beth Brown:

Yeah, like with most pattern games games, there's a lot that you can leave up to interpretation, like I mean, just like when you're talking about cats and body language and stuff like there's a general rule of thumb, but everything's every situation is going to be a little different, so feel free to use creative license.

Beth Brown:

I think that's my favorite part about pattern games is there. Like you learn the basics and then you can just get creative with it, which is so important. Like you have to be flexible in training. But so the basic premise of super bowls is the way it's. It's taught with dogs is yes, you have like a line of bowls or dishes or whatever. Um, I tend to use snuffle mats because if you can add enrichment into a situation, that's never a bad idea. So you have a line of like, usually three to six bowls, and you space them out pretty evenly, usually in a straight line, but again, you can get creative with this. You start at one end of the bowls, so like if the bowls are numbered one through five, you start at number one. This is another reason I like to use snuffle mats, because you can get them in different colors. Yes, you like go blue to pink, now pink to green. It's just a lot easier. But you start at bowl number one.

Beth Brown:

You drop a treat in the bowl. Whoever you're training eats that treat when they look up in your general direction does not have to be full on eye contact, especially with a cat, because that can be quite intimidating. When they look up in your general direction, the human moves forward to the next station so bowl number two and drops a treat in and then, hopefully, cat follows. If they wander away, you probably are not using a treat that they like or something like. They're getting closer to something that they just don't want to get closer to and so they choose not to.

Beth Brown:

But in theory, you drop a treat in bowl number two, the cat follows, eats that treat, looks up at you. You move to bowl number three, cat follows, eats the treat, etc. Etc. Right, when you get to the end of the line. So when you're at bowl five, the cat looks up at you, you, you just turn right back around and go back to bowl four. So it's kind of a an up and back and forth motion, up and down. Right, it's a pattern yeah repeat pattern and how do?

Kristiina Wilson:

you. How do you end that, like, how do you wrap up the pattern game?

Beth Brown:

I usually like to get back to bowl number one and then put like a couple extra treats in that bowl and while the cat's eating that I go collect the other bowls to kind of signify like this pattern is done this is no longer available.

Beth Brown:

This is just not what we're doing anymore, and like if you end with a little jackpot like that's, that's the payoff at the end of a hunting session or whatever, right cat can go groom and sleep and do whatever they want. After that, they should feel pretty satisfied. I would hope so.

Kristiina Wilson:

So how would people who are in a multi-cat house not necessarily a 13 cat house, but just maybe a house that's more normal with like two to three cats how would they handle starting to use pattern games? Are there specific patterns that are better for multi-cat households? How do you deal with multiple cats?

Beth Brown:

this is a question I get asked literally every time I talk about pattern games because I mean it's a valid question. Like right as a one cat household, like those are unicorns, which hopefully there are actually a lot of those, because working on a project where we need several single cat households but that's a topic for another day yes, um, but I mean I'm gonna give the behavior answer. It depends. It really depends on the cats in question, on the abilities of the person training, on the environment that you're in. But generally speaking, like you can train two cats at once just as well, maybe not just as easily, but like easily. Like you can train one cat. Never forget that animals are so much better at reading body language than us humans are. Right, we will pick up on every tell. So if you incorporate things like eye contact again, like soft eye contact doesn't have to be like we're making direct eyeball to eyeball contact, but like I'm looking in your general direction, that can be a cue that can kind of clue the cat into who you're working with. You can get really good at just like doing two things at once so you can have, if you're doing super bowls, for example, you can have two lines of bowls and you're in the middle and the cats just kind of go up and down. Hopefully they go at the same rate, yeah, otherwise it's gonna get a little messy. But you can work that into the pattern. Like you don't move forward until both cats look up right, so you can adjust it accordingly.

Beth Brown:

One of my favorite things to do is, whoever I'm working with, like I'll do the pattern game on them and they're my main focus and then if another cat comes around, like I might stick out a finger and like do target training with them on the side. So there's a lot of different things you can do. You can also, like, if you don't want to train two cats at once, you can set the other cats up with an enrichment exercise, like catnip on the floor. It's a really easy situation to just set up. I mean, the consideration there is that, like the cat you're trying to work with might be more motivated by that catnip on the floor and the treats you have. So, again, you have to plan accordingly, based on your situation. But you can also just ignore the cats you don't want to work with. Like they'll get bored and wander off eventually if you don't reinforce them for being there, so that's always an option. I find it hard to ignore cats, though, yeah same.

Kristiina Wilson:

Yeah, it's very hard to ignore them. And also there's a lot of known food stealers, at least in our house.

Beth Brown:

So, yeah, it's tough yeah and if that's an element you're working through, I mean there are pattern games for that, so maybe that's one you work on Right and, like you, just do a lot of voluntary sharing and that's what you train, because that does involve two participants.

Kristiina Wilson:

Right, can you speak a little bit more about that, since we touched on it?

Beth Brown:

Yeah, so voluntary sharing, super simple pattern game. I say that like they're not all simple.

Kristiina Wilson:

Well, for people who are just hearing about this and starting it, it may not be that. You know, it can be complicated.

Beth Brown:

Yes, but you, basically, you start out with lack of a better descriptor, I'm going to say the aggressor cat, and I'm not saying this is an aggressive cat, because I never label a cat as aggressive but if they display aggressive behaviors around resources, whether it's a human, a toy, some food, some water, whatever that's the one you want to be, like the act participant, and you basically teach them a start button behavior, so a behavior that they can do when they want something to happen. A lot of the times, with dogs, you'll see people using a chin rest for that start button, so the dog offers a chin rest and that prompts the human to do something. With cats, I like to do like a paw tap or maybe eye contact or like touching a button or something, but you basically teach that one cat, that one behavior and then down the road when you, when they offer it, you're going to put a treat in front of them and then a treat in front of a neutral station, um, so like, kind of like with super bowls. You can use bowls for this. You can also use literally anything else. Again, I like to use snuffle mats, or I mean, with cats I'll just use a shallow dish, yeah, or a coaster and that way we don't have to worry about their little, their little whiskers.

Beth Brown:

But you basically, cat offers behavior, you offer them a treat. You offer a neutral station a treat, repeat until the cat is like pretty good, and they're not going after the treat at the neutral station. When you're at that point you're going to switch it up. So the cat offers a behavior, you offer the neutral station a treat and then the cat. So now we're learning a little bit of impulse control, a little bit of delayed gratification, which can be really really helpful in resource guarding situations, because if we don't feel the need to go directly towards that resource and we can hold back a bit that tends to avoid a lot of conflict Right, and when the cat can handle that like we're not going after the treat being offered to the neutral station, we're just waiting for our own then you can add another cat or dog or child or whatever else and then repeat.

Beth Brown:

You might have to go back a step, like offer cat A the one that's eliciting the behavior a treat first and then cat B and then switch it when we're comfortable. But the general concept here is that you're teaching the aggressor cat that they are in control of this resource and this interaction. But, on your terms, like they have to allow the other cat to have it too, right, but they're not just allowing it, they're directing it. So it's only because they have offered a behavior that the other cat gets the resource and then they get the resource and they get the same thing Right, a behavior that the other cat gets the resource and then they get the resource and they get the same thing, right. Um, so it tends to kind of curb those impulsive behaviors that that lead to a lot of conflict. It tends to build rapport because, like both the cats are there in that situation having good things happen to them so we're having a positive association.

Beth Brown:

So there's that classical conditioning at work and like it I mean just like anytime you're training it offers tends to make the cat a little more confident. Yeah, and a little more. Because like that's what resource guarding is usually is. It's based in insecurity, right of sort or fear or whatever. So if you're getting rid of that emotion behind the behavior, the behavior tends to clear up too, oddly enough.

Kristiina Wilson:

How funny is that.

Beth Brown:

Right, I know, when I'm not scared, I don't do scared things.

Kristiina Wilson:

Yes, so how important is consistency when you're doing these pattern games with cats Like, how often do people need to do them or practice them with their cats?

Beth Brown:

Consistency- is always going to be important in training. That being said, like you have a life to live and you're allowed to live it right, and we all deserve breaks, whether it's from training or work or whatever. So training does not happen, have to happen every day. But if it's something both you and your cat enjoy, that is something you can work into the daily schedule, because routines do tend to help cats feel confident in general. That predictability again. But also keep in mind training should never be a marathon, like it's a sprint. You just want to do like two minutes at a time and then we're done. So it shouldn't be a full-time job. If you're working with anyone who makes it a full-time job, I hate to cast scorn on people, but that's a bit of a red flag a little bit yeah, um, I feel like the cats would just leave too, like yeah, after five minutes, I feel like they'd be like bye, I'm over this yeah, I'm like we've been doing the same thing for five.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, there's catnip over there and there's a bird out the window and I just gotta go yeah, um, yeah. So like consistency is important, but also I mean, keep in mind that your life is also important.

Beth Brown:

Quality of life matters for everyone in the household that's a that's an important thing to remember, and training should be fun if you're, if you're having an off day or whatever, like you're not feeling good. You're in a bad mood, your cat's not feeling good. Just don't do it that day. Find something else that you find comforted yeah, that's good advice.

Kristiina Wilson:

So, speaking of of that, how do you think um pattern games like strengthen the human cat bond, or do you think they do or not?

Beth Brown:

yeah, I definitely do. Starting with pattern games is one of my favorite ways to bond with cats at a shelter, because, I mean, those are cats I don't have a long relationship with but you need to have a good rapport with in order to like help them find their next goal. There's easy to do pattern games like up and down, which is literally just like you put food in a dish or on a coaster or on a whatever, and when the cat looks up at you, you put another one down so that they're looking down at the treat and then looking up at you. That's the up and down action. It's basically like a stationary Super Bowls. So obviously I love it.

Beth Brown:

But like that builds a rapport because now, all of a sudden, your interactions with that cat are not scary, they are predictable. Right, cat knows exactly how you're going to interact with them. They're going to look at you and then you're going to do a behavior and you're not going to do anything before that, and the behavior tends to be something that they find pleasure in. So and if they don't eat the treat, that's not, that's not the reinforcer for you. So right, do you think?

Kristiina Wilson:

do you think and I don't know, maybe shelters are doing this that using pattern games, like you said, in shelters could be helpful when potential adopters come through, if they're taught a simple pattern game like up and down, to initially introduce them to cats, and then that would maybe even get cats that are labeled as less social to be more interactive with potential adopters?

Beth Brown:

no, that makes so much sense because, yes, pattern games are such an easily transferable skill. Like how long would it take you to teach a potential adopter like, hey, when the cat looks at you, drop a treat in the bowl? Yeah, like that's. That's a pretty easy instruction to follow, so it doesn't. You don't need to learn behavior theory, you don't need to know about clicker training or, you know, get any certifications or take any classes just, literally, when the cat looks at you, drop a treat in the dish.

Beth Brown:

But that, also like the cat on the other end of this is like, wow, this new person that just walked into my life is, like, already under my control. They just keep giving me treats whenever I look at them. Yeah, I find this very predictable. I know like I've done this with other humans, so this human must be good too, because, right, other humans haven't eaten me, so why would this one?

Beth Brown:

And like, interactions with cats are what get adopters to exactly yeah, no one's going after the shy cat in the corner. Yeah, and some people are. Some people specifically look for that. But, like, how many adoption stories have you heard where they're like well, this cat just walked right up to me and I knew it was the one. Or this cat came and crawled in my lap and I knew it was the one. So, like, if you have this interaction to do with the cat and it's really easy for both the cat and the human you're already forming a bond there, like it doesn't have to be a huge thing. It can just be a moment, and that's how a family is made.

Kristiina Wilson:

Yeah, I really wonder if any shelters are doing that or if any shelters would be willing because I know shelter work is so difficult to have the time and patience to not only teach the animals but teach potential adopters, and then a study could be made about whether or not adoption, adoption rates, increased.

Beth Brown:

yeah, I mean I hope more shelters adopt stuff like this, like if there's shelters out there that want to implement a program like this and they just need someone to kind of point them in the right direction. Like leslie does mcdevitt, the creator of control and reach, she does free seminars for shelters if they reach out to her, so have a resource. If someone wants to reach out to me about cats specifically, I mean, I also work with dogs but like or pattern games specifically, like I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna say no, like I'm gonna help a shelter, yeah, their animals. So I think there are people kind of across the globe who would be willing to help a shelter do this if they have the resources to do it Right. And I'm not talking like tons of resources, it's just the hardest one to get. You need you need a little bit of manpower, yeah, yeah, that's kind of hard to get it is.

Kristiina Wilson:

It's that that is the sticking point, but I think it's. I think it would be something worth looking into. I don't know just putting that out there for people. If there's any shelters, anyone who works at a shelter, who's listening, who would be interested in um, in working on this, please? Uh, let either of us know, um, and let's, let's see if we can do this.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, that would be such a fun collaboration it would be.

Kristiina Wilson:

I think it would be really cool and we'd help a lot of animals that way.

Beth Brown:

So let's see what we can do. I know the shelter that I used to work at here in Houston does something similar not pattern games specifically, but they do something similar Right, and they've had a lot of success with it. So I mean that just further supports the potential hypothesis that just could be helpful, but also somewhat easy to implement, like it doesn't take much, it just takes a little bit of education and a little bit of manpower.

Kristiina Wilson:

Yeah, so are there any specific considerations that people should have with pattern games when they're introducing them to like senior cats or cats who have mobility issues?

Beth Brown:

yeah, I mean definitely make sure the environment is set up for the learner in front of you because, like, if you have cats with mobility issues, maybe we we do it in a place that has some traction for the cat so we're not flipping all over the place. So, like, put down a blanket or a mat or something. If you don't have carpet, some cats are going to do better up on elevated surfaces. If your cat can't get up on an elevated surface, do it on the floor. That's fine. Like, I'm always an advocate for using levels with cats and teaching them to. Like, let's do this pattern game on the cat tree or whatever, but like again, that's that's the cats who can physically do that. Obviously, if you have, like, a deaf cat, don't use verbal cues, use visual ones. If you have a blind cat, use verbal cues and not visual ones. You can also like, if you have a young, healthy cat, you can always set them up for future issues.

Beth Brown:

And like, teach them both a verbal and a visual cue and do things on the floor and on surfaces so that you know down the line you can transition and it's pretty easy. They're already familiar with it and I mean I'm sure there's. There's other considerations that need to be made. There's other considerations that need to be made, like if you have a cat that has like CH, like make sure you're in a nice padded area and they're not like if they fall over, it's fine, they're not going to get injured. So like maybe not up on a surface for them and maybe with like pillows or something. Or if you have a cat with mega esophagus and they need to have raised bowls, like have raised bowls. And of course course, diet considerations are always, always going to be between you and your vet or you and your nutritionist or whatever, but like do what you got to do to keep your cat healthy.

Beth Brown:

Training should not supersede that right, yeah, I.

Kristiina Wilson:

We have a lot of cats who are on a weight loss journey in our house, so put it that way they've become rather stout and so I really like to just use piece like pieces of dry food, because we don't give them a lot of that as treats, instead of actual treats, which tend to be a little bit more caloric. And they will. They are so crazy for dry food because I feel like it's often it's like Doritos for cats, like it's just not as great for them, so they will do anything for just like five to ten pieces of kibble. It's crazy.

Beth Brown:

So yeah, yeah, not to mention like if you're, if you're on a weight loss journey and your cat will only eat party mix while training or like you can snap a party mix oh yeah four or five different treats. It doesn't have to be like a whole one. This is the way it was designed. Yes, give it to you like.

Kristiina Wilson:

Yes, it's a great license there yeah, you can make it crumbs exactly one crumb yeah. So are there any like common mistakes that you see people make when they're first introducing pattern games to cats, that you could kind of steer them more in the right direction?

Beth Brown:

Yeah, so, I think the biggest pitfall I see people fall into and this is like clients that I've coached too because somehow you just always the human brain takes over and like when we're not um, but a lot of the time with these cat directed pattern games.

Beth Brown:

So, like in super bowls, the cat is looking up at you and then you move forward.

Beth Brown:

The cat should initiate the behavior. A lot of the time, if they don't initiate that behavior, you see humans kind of prompting it and like calling the cat or gesturing or you know doing something to get the cat to look up at you. And while that's fine, when you're teaching the behavior initially, if you're doing the pattern game you need to let the cat elicit the behavior. You don't prompt it. Because if you do prompt it now we're putting that pressure on them again. Right, because, like, I prompted you to look up at me and now, now we're moving forward, whether you're ready or not. So you kind of have to leave it in the cat's control. That being said, I think a lot of, a lot of where we see some struggles are where humans see that as a failure. Like the cat's not doing the behavior. They they're not doing it right, but the cat is totally doing it right. Like if they will not elicit the behavior, that is communication, right. That is them saying I am not ready to move forward. There's something about moving forward. That is really just not sitting well with me. So, in that case, their, their lack of behavior they're not prompting you to move forward is another prompt. It should prompt you to like okay, let's pause this game for a minute and let's evaluate the environment. Are we going like, do we have the bulls too close to a scary stimulus, whether it's the carrier or a cat on another side of a gate, or the vacuum cleaner or whatever you're working towards, you know, getting closer to? Are we too close to it? Are we maybe on the floor and we would feel better if we were elevated? Are we, you know, is there like a storm happening? And I didn't know? My cat was scared of lightning. And now I do right, because always does this and this is the one time she does it. So it gives you the chance to reevaluate the environment and then then adjust.

Beth Brown:

Um, and, that being said, like, evaluate the external environment, of course, but also evaluate your cat's internal environment, because there might be something that you need to deal with with them, like are they in pain, are they sick? Are they not feeling? Well, that's something that needs to be cleared up too. So, if your cat is always super responsive to whatever you're doing with them and all of a sudden they are not like. Start asking those questions like, oh, are you? Are you walking different? Are you eating different? Like is there, do I need to take you to the bed?

Kristiina Wilson:

right, yeah, so that actually leads me to one of my last questions, which is how do you evaluate whether a pattern game is working for your cat?

Beth Brown:

I'll know if it's working, if you actually get some counter conditioning happening in that situation. That being said, I think a pattern game always works. Like it, it doesn't fail. There's no such thing as failure in pattern games, it's just communication. Might not be the communication you're looking for, right, but it is communication. I mean in the same way that, like hissing and growling and scratching are also communication yeah, it's just that's yelling Whereas whisper pattern games are more like we're having a calm, collected conversation about this. So I don't think a pattern game ever fails.

Beth Brown:

You do have to take some time up front to like teach the behavior that you want to see out of your cat so that they know what they should be offering. But I mean, that doesn't. That takes like one session, it doesn't take long and it doesn't take a whole like. I know there's that stereotype that, like, orange cats all share one brain cell and they're all just so stupid. But like, even an orange cat without the brain cell on that day can learn to look up and then treat, eat a treat. Yes, like it's not that complicated. So there's a really low barrier for entry. Really important, because I mean, a lot of cats are just not used to training too. So that's a factor. But if the cat is not doing what you expect them to do in a situation, that is always going to be communication, it's just it's on the human now to figure out the puzzle.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, so if you're not up for it, like, there are outside sources that you can seek for help. There are online forums. I would point people towards a facebook forum, but, like, facebook is kind of on my no-go list. Yeah, um, but there's, there's a ton of people out there that are so happy to answer questions if you're just like hitting a wall and you just don't know what your animal is trying to communicate. But the first person you should always collaborate with, obviously, is a vet. Like, vets are our friends. They are here to help. You are seeing your cat do more than the vet, because cat is going to be more comfortable in a home environment than they are in a veterinary environment.

Beth Brown:

Sure so you can now go armed with some observations which are going to help your vet, help your cat, because if you just take them into the vet and you're like I don't know, we're having issues, here you go, that doesn't give the vet much to go on, whereas if you go in and be like hey, so usually we do training and the cat is usually super responsive, and today, so usually we do training and the cat is usually super responsive. And today, like they kept picking up their left paw repeatedly and wouldn't do the behavior, that's at least a starting off point for the cat to go with. So it arms you with knowledge. You know the failures. They arm you with knowledge. They arm you with observations and you'll get better at the problem solving as you learn your cat's responses to things, because there's going to be a different response to like I'm just not feeling well today, versus that vacuum cleaner is just two feet too close to me. Yeah, just don't want to go towards it like.

Kristiina Wilson:

You'll learn that over time by observing right that is totally true and that gives me a good opportunity to shout out desensitization and counter conditioning around vacuum. Be fearful of the vacuum. They may find it annoying. I mean, I also find the sound of a vacuum annoying, right, it's loud, it's annoying, yeah, but you can really train them pretty easily to not be afraid of the vacuum cleaner. So just putting that out there for everybody, that it is very possible, and I think I actually have a blog post about it on my website on catitude adjustment in the blog section about how to do it showing me teaching I think it was like eight kittens to not be afraid of the vacuum cleaner at the same time that's

Kristiina Wilson:

a fun video? Yeah, it was. It was pretty funny. And um, now we have one of those little like robot ones for our house and nobody even cares. And um, you know it used to like run, have one of those little like robot ones for our house and nobody even cares. And you know it used to like run into one of the cats and, just like you know, bonk on him and he would just look at it and be like one of them.

Kristiina Wilson:

rides it, you know, steve this guy back here who was like my soulmate, best guy. He passed like a year and a half ago but he used to. He used to ride it around and he knew how to like push the button on top to start it, so he would get on and sit on it and push the button and then ride it around like it was a little car it was so funny, he's such a weirdo, um, but yeah nobody.

Kristiina Wilson:

Nobody does it now. They're just like, oh, this thing again, but no one cares um, so don't come near where I'm laying yeah and bonk into my butt, yeah, and they don't even care, like they're just like whatever it's gonna leave in a minute. They don't care. So I don't remember why I got on that tangent, but whatever, you can train your cats to not be afraid of vacuums. So we have a listener question for you, which was have you found one pattern game to be the most useful in your home?

Beth Brown:

Oh, my God, you're gonna be so mad at what I answer because it's Superbowl. That's so predictable, right? Actually, it's not like I love Superbowls as a tool to other people. In my home it's usually one, two, three that we're using because I don't need any props, because, quite frankly, I never have a clicker on me when I need it. I never have dishes on me when I need them and, like, usually it's because someone is out in the backyard being a doofus and I just like I just I just need to open the door and get a response now, please, right? So I use one, two, three a lot because it's like it's more of a classical conditioning game. You don't have to teach the dog I'm saying dog because I have dogs, animal a specific behavior. It's literally you count to three and you give them a treat. You count to three and you give them a treat.

Beth Brown:

There's more to it than that. Like you want to have a good cadence to it because the rhythm is important. That's where part of the predictability comes in. You can change the cadence of it, like do it faster. When you need more like a higher rate of reinforcement, you can slow it down. When you need a lower rate of reinforcement you can make it operant. So you can turn it from a classical conditioning game to an operant conditioning game by having them look at you before you start counting. And there are merits to that. Like, if you're, say, you're going into the vet and you're like whoever's with me just doesn't want to approach, you can kind of be like you know what, when you look up, we'll take three steps forward by doing one, two, three, but we're not going to take a step until you look at me. So you get that super bowls kind of action there, which is why I love it so, so surprising you need a t-shirt that just says super bowls.

Beth Brown:

I've made some graphics before and like they amuse the crap out of me, so just I made like a bowl with a cape on it. Oh, right into a screen on a presentation.

Kristiina Wilson:

It was just so much fun.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, like I, I enjoy a pattern game that I can do on the fly and I don't need to set anything up for, of course. But, like in my consults and stuff, I'm usually going to use Super Bowls because I do want people to take the time to set something up and consider all like what we're doing and really put some thought into the environment before they start training. So that serves a purpose there, right, and in my life, one, two, three, it just tends to be easier because I'm just not going to go grab any tools.

Kristiina Wilson:

That totally makes sense. I mean, I don't think most of us are wandering around with clickers and bowls and the fanny pack full of treats all the time you know not all the time. So totally makes sense to be able able to do that. So how can people contact you if they want to hire you to teach them more about pattern games?

Beth Brown:

or is there, you know, is there a?

Kristiina Wilson:

website you want me to direct people to. If this is, this is your time to shout yourself out here at the end.

Beth Brown:

The self-promotion yes um, this is like the thing I'm the worst at. Um, yeah, so I do have a website. It's ear detailcom p-a-r-t-o-t-a-i-l yeah, that's right yeah like did those letters go out of order?

Beth Brown:

I don't know anymore. Um, you can also email me at info info at ear detailcom-O. At eardetailcom there's also I do have a course, as you might be aware, through the IAABC Foundation. So I mean it's designed as kind of an in-between for, like I kind of designed it for behavior consultants, but like in an accessible way. So if you're an enthusiast, a cat lover, lover, whatever, like you should still be able to follow along with it. Yeah, so I do have that course as well. I highly recommend it.

Kristiina Wilson:

I took the class. I highly recommend it everyone. So just FYI, I'll link to it at the bottom of everything. Sorry, I interrupted you no, go for it.

Beth Brown:

I have a new class starting tomorrow. Actually, oh, I'm nervous to meet all the new people, but also excited. Yeah, um, yeah, those are. Those are the big ways to reach me. I'm on social media, but I don't use it, so don't contact me there. I probably won't notice it and I certainly don't post anything.

Kristiina Wilson:

Fair enough, that's absolutely fair, all right. Well, I really appreciate you and your time and thank you for coming on and educating everybody about pattern games.

Kristiina Wilson:

Pattern games are really an invaluable resource tool to have in your toolkit, especially when managing behavior issues, but I think also just as intellectual stimulation for cats, and I know that people who listen to you that people who listen to you, yeah, yes, and for fostering that human-animal bond, I think, like taking two to five minutes every day or every other day to like really spend concentrated training time with your pet is so helpful and it's nice and predictable and it's something they can look forward to, so I super recommend it and I just really and give you early warnings about like medical situations too, like if you're used to interacting with your cat in that way and observing them, you notice that it's like the inconsistencies or the outliers All right, well, thank you so much.

Kristiina Wilson:

I super appreciate it and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Beth Brown:

Yeah, this was so much fun. I'm glad we got to do this Likewise.

Kristiina Wilson:

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review wherever you listen. It super helps For more information and to support our podcast. Check out our website at hissandtellpodcastcom. You can also find us on Instagram at Hiss and Tell Podcast. Music provided by Cat Beats.

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