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About Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.

Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Cats > Cats > 1 year old male cat

Cats - 1 year old male cat

Expert: Norman Auspitz - 11/3/2009

Question
We rescued him off a street at about 3 months old. From the beginning, he has been extremely smart and confident; I've had more than 20 cats in my life, but none of them are like him, including the Siamese. We neutered him @ 5 months. He's not mean, but will walk up and bite to get his way. He knows the word "No", but only remembers it for about 5 minutes. We got many kinds of toys (and play with him several times a day), catnip, play structures, treats, and are training him to do tricks; but we want to keep him inside due to danger, and he seems bored and insists he wants to go out. I got a special cat harness and walk him several times a day on leash, but I have to go to work, etc. We've searched the Internet, and watched countless animal behavior problem shows looking for advice. We had a vet behaviorist come to the home and advise us, but she had little to help us that we hadn't tried. We cannot get him a playmate to play with, as we are tenants. I hate to medicate him because it removes his personality and so seems not right; we've tried clomicalm, buspar, and prozac. I think he is bored and needs MORE, but I cannot seem to provide it. Would you have any insights for us?

Answer
Cheri,

It is not clear to me what the problem is. Cats, in general, do not care about no, and do not respond well to negative reinforcement. An excellent training technique which does work on cats is called clicker training (see Karen Pryor's web site --

www.clickertraining.com )

When you are not home, your cat is mostly going to sleep. I would continue to ignore any pleas to go outside unless it is on your terms. The clicker training may also be applied to the biting. Cats have very tough skin and so biting behavior is a natural form of play and affection. Cats must be trained to not use biting/scratching behaviors on us softer skinned humans. Rather than no, just walk away and ignore him when he starts any biting behavior.

Good luck and best regards... Norm.

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