The Way of Cats

A reader writes:

My eight year old Persian has started howling for no reason I can figure out. He gets along with the other cat and the four dogs and the vet says he has no physical problems. Yet he will, at any time of day or night, go to a corner or the front door or kitchen, anywhere really, and begin to cry a very primal howl. He seems completely unhappy about something and I can’t, for the life of me, figure out what it is.

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Dear Readers,

Kudos to the cat person who wrote me; she was smart enough to check for medical problems, which can be why a cat asks for help. But if the cat checks out okay, what else could the problem be?

Persians are almost always Gamma cats. These cats have many attractive qualities, especially for the newbie cat person. They tend to not get into things, their play is less rowdy, and as adults they are laid back, even shy.

But these attributes come with a price. Gamma cats are not designed to demand attention, even if they need it. Their person must be willing to seek out the Gamma, be attuned to their mild ways of requesting things, and react with calm delight to any overtures their Gamma might make.

Gammas try to lead a life with the volume turned low because they are so sensitive to muchness. Play, discipline, and affection practices that other cats either shrug off or eat up can be too much for the delicate Gamma. We must always be gentle with them, whether we are warning them away from the computer or greeting them on our arrival home. The biggest risk a Gamma runs is not knocking things over; it’s withdrawing and not being pursued by their person.

I figured that was what had happened to my reader’s cat. With other pets in the household more at ease with demanding what they wanted, her Gamma was inadvertently being ignored. It’s like the punchline of the old joke, “Everything’s been fine up to now!” True to his nature, the cat just suffered in silence, until he couldn’t be silent any more.

I suggested my reader start making a fuss over him twice a day, with sweet talk and petting him while his feet are on the ground, the ways Gammas like. She reports the difference has been dramatic. It is our 1st night in two months without a howling episode and I am loving having my boy back.

This makes me very happy, too.

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Alpha cats are busy boys and girls. They have lots of energy, and they know exactly where to put it; whatever has captivated their interest at the moment will get all of their considerable attentions.

While all cats have curiosity, Alphas are absolutely driven by it. It’s not only about What is that?. It is also about What will it do?

Alphas are always active; mind, body, and soul.

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This can be a challenge for the Alpha cat’s person. They reap the considerable benefit of being the focus of the Alpha’s love and devotion, which are vast and all-consuming, the way an Alpha does it.

They also have to take on the responsibility that this incredible drive and focus has something to expend itself on. Safely.

So we must be energetic and clever to keep them amused properly.

Alphas are often over-disciplined because they honestly didn’t hear or see the first admonishment. Make the second, or third, effort as polite as the first. Alphas can be that focused, and we need to have a reliable way to call their attention back to us before we can expect cooperation.

Use a clicker, toys that make a distinctive squeak or rattle, or a particular form of their name, (this is why Alphas often have three names of great distinction,) to get the Alpha’s attention. Once we have it, we work with them to give up on whatever it is, even if it’s because we have a better version, right here, just for them.

Even if we have to enforce leaving the old one alone, having an adequate substitute is vital to smooth transitioning. They need the input and experimentation so much that when something catches their interest, it is difficult for them to leave it alone while there are depths yet to be plumbed.

If the object is something we do things with, the Alpha will want to do that thing too. It’s their way of showing affection.

The Alpha’s need for stimulation and games can make for a wonderfully interactive cat experience. We need to take care of their three big needs.

Better yet, bring home two Alphas. If we can commit to a period of stowing breakables and some kitten-proofing, we have solved most potential Alpha problems in one swoop. And gotten four times the fun. Let the cats or kittens amuse each other, and we get the considerable overflow.

Then we will find our Alpha is really not so difficult to handle, after all.

Because…

Sometimes we feel like a nut. Sometimes, we should get two.

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Beta cats live to communicate. They adore making arrangements with people, because Betas express their intelligence with the ability to deduct and predict.

We might as well get them an iPod Touch, because they run calendars and clocks in their heads. They want to help run our lives.

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Betas can have many energetic times and many thoughtful times, but they all share the Beta trait of wanting to be our buddy. They hang around, sometimes expressing a willing interest in our activities, sometimes fetching a toy in a not-so-subtle hint that we could be playing with it.

With multiple cats, Betas are the Spokescats, the News Bringers, the ones with the hotline to The Boss of Cat Town. Enlisting the help of our Betas calms cat conflicts. They love cats and people alike, and wish above all for a big happy family.

To reach the Beta, appeal to their passion for harmony and cooperation with our best efforts at communication. If the cat asks for attention, what they most want is a monologue from us on points of interest, punctuated with some petting and praise for their politeness in asking. Betas love our moments of interaction, and are the most likely cat to feel painfully lonely when alone.

Any Beta bad behavior can spring from their feeling of neglect. We should be sure to mark points in our routine with them, announcing breakfast and dinnertime, our arrivals and departures, and any plans, such as a party or special occasion, that means we will be doing something interesting together.

Betas have easily hurt feelings that they cannot easily transfer. They do not have the object fascination that the Alphas and the Gammas can express; they must see and interact with living things, be it a busy street with people to watch, or a busy tree with birds and squirrels. Betas are in constant contact with other creatures’ behavior, which makes them quick to pick up human understanding.

Enlisting our Beta as a buddy, and appealing to cooperation by demonstrating hurt feelings instead of any other reaction, is the path to having a cat who loves to make us happy with good behavior. Handle their natural curiosity with toys and amusement which indulges their love of the hunt, give them plenty of quality time when we are home, and make sure they aren’t lonely.

That’s how we have a Best Cat Buddy.

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Gamma cats are both easy, and difficult, to train.

The easy part is how eager they are to please.

The difficult part is how we can easily go too far and make them shy and fearful.

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Gammas are most likely to be the big-boned, long haired, Persian type, known for their sweet and loving dispositions. But any cat can have a Gamma personality. They are playful and curious, but especially like crackly, glittery, or textured toys they can study at close quarters. Their favorite places to stay are hideaways out of high traffic areas. I can say with confidence that even if a Gamma has caused trouble, they really didn’t mean to.

Because Gammas are sensitive.

Those big hearts are surrounded by a highly tuned nervous system that can be easily overwhelmed. We can go overboard with affection, as when we grab them, hug them, or wrestle with them. We can go overboard with discipline, as when we yell or use aversive training aids like spray bottles of water or air.

No matter what we mean by these interactions, they are too much for a Gamma. Their inputs flood and they get frightened. When frightened, they hide. If it happens enough times, we no longer have a cat. We have something that lives behind the sofa and comes out at night to eat.

So, whether we are expressing joy or displeasure, be gentle with our Gamma. Show affection with a delighted whisper and an extended hand, to invite them close for petting. If they are playing with something they shouldn’t, a gasp of alarm is all that is needed. Tell them we don’t want them to get hurt, and immediately redirect them to something safe.

More than most cats, Gammas need reassurance about whatever they are doing, because they are so worried about getting into trouble, and so dependent on our love. Households that fail to protect the Gamma’s vulnerability wind up with a shy hider, when the cat can offer so much more.

In multiple cat households, supported Gammas can be the secret heart of the cat civilization, ready to warn the rowdy cats and offer quiet support to those in need of a friend. As only cats, they adjust readily, and offer constant companionship to anyone who will pour on the affection they so easily accept and return. If we have a Gamma cat, we only have to extend our desires in the form of suggestions for Gammas to best understand and reciprocate.

Monitor their happiness, encourage them in every good thing they do, and we will have a devoted “teddy bear” cat who will do their best to comply with our every wish.

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There’s more to raising and training a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CAT TRAINING TIPS.