Feline researchComparison of positive reinforcement training in cats: A pilot study
Introduction
Positive reinforcement techniques may be used when training cats to accept husbandry procedures, treating behavior problems, for enriching the lives of owners and cats, and improving the human-animal bond (Desmond and Laule, 1994, Hiby et al., 2004, Prescott and Buchanan-Smith, 2003). Secondary reinforcers such as sounds have been used when training animals (Skinner, 1951). A secondary or conditioned reinforcer is a stimulus that has no inherent biological value to an animal and which has been associated via classical conditioning with a primary reinforcer. It becomes reinforcing in itself independent from a primary reinforcer with time and exposure and can thus be used alone to reinforce a behavior (Pryor, 2014). A bridging stimulus is a stimulus that is used to mark a desired behavior and fill the time gap between the behavior and delivery of the primary reinforcer (McGreevy and Boakes, 2007, Pryor, 2014). Clicker training, using a click sound as a secondary reinforcer, provides immediate reinforcement of a desired behavior (Pryor, 2001). However, the click is often used by trainers as a bridging stimulus in that its use is always followed by delivery of a primary reinforcer (Fukuzawa et al., 2005, Smith and Davis, 2008, Yin, 2009).
There is very little recent research investigating the efficacy of a secondary reinforcer or a bridging stimulus in cats. Although the efficacy of using a bridging stimulus has been investigated in horses and dogs (McCall and Burgin, 2002, Smith and Davis, 2008, Williams et al., 2004, Wood, 2008), conclusions about the efficacy of a bridging stimulus differ. When a clicker was used to train an operant task in horses, there was no difference in the amount of training required when a secondary reinforcer being used as a bridging stimulus was followed by a primary reinforcer compared to using a primary reinforcer alone (Williams et al., 2004). When trained with a secondary reinforcer, horses have experienced extinction of the desired behavior (McCall and Burgin, 2002). In dogs, using a clicker as a bridging stimulus compared to a verbal response resulted in the clicker-trained dogs achieving task acquisition faster than verbally trained dogs (Wood, 2008), possibly because the clicker provided a more precise and consistent bridge than a verbal stimulus.
The aim of this pilot study was to compare the efficacy of 3 different positive reinforcement methods when training cats to touch a target. The formation and extinction of the association between primary and secondary reinforcers was also investigated.
Section snippets
Animals and equipment
Thirty-four adult domestic shorthaired cats that originated from, and reside at, the Massey University Feline Unit were screened for inclusion in this study. Cats were selected if they were friendly when approached by the experimenter (Erin K. Willson) in their group-housing environment.
The cats were assessed for their willingness to eat cat kibble (Hill's Vet Essentials Feline Adult, Hills Pet Foods, KS) dispensed from a ‘Treat and Train device (PetSafe). The “Treat and Train” device is a
Exposure
Willingness to consume a kibble within 5 seconds of delivery was assessed in 34 cats. From this group, 4 cats (12%) did not approach the food and were excluded from the study and 12 cats (35%) were unsuccessful at meeting the minimum time and trial requirements. Eighteen cats (53%) met the time and trial requirements and continued to the conditioning sessions. It took successful cats a median of 4 trials (IQR 3-5) and 3.0 seconds (IQR 2.7-3.8) to attain assessment criteria.
Conditioning
A total of 6 cats
Discussion
The aim of the pilot study was to compare the efficacy of 3 different positive reinforcement methods when training cats to touch a target. Results showed variation in the time taken by individual cats to condition to a stimulus with the primary reinforcer used here (Hill's kibble). In a study measuring auditory thresholds in cats, cats that refused to eat food pellets could not be conditioned (Sokolovski, 1972). Whether a cat will eat food in the experimental situation, or the specific food
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