Update on the progress of cat training for car rides. Here was my post on the beginning of this little challenge.
Bayou is doing quite well at the moment on his anxiety and exposure to car rides. We have been out probably half a dozen times now, starting with just a quick jaunt around the block, to a trip to the gas station and a trip to a friends house about 4 or 5 miles away.
Yesterday was the stop at a friends house, and he is doing much better. There are some anxiety meow’s now and again, but they are usually short lived, I ignore them. When he is quiet and good (and it is safe, like at a stop light), I will give him pets which is his greatest reward ever.
Bayou got to explore the friends front yard, porch, and we did attempt a short visit inside their front door. They have a very large saint bernard, which was a new experience for Bayou. He has been around dogs, but nothing this big, and nothing this interested in him. At first, it was nose to nose smells, and no major issues. But once inside, the bowling ball head started sniffing more and approaching him, and with Bayou in a new place, he was not comfortable. Normally the dog shy’s away from cats, so I was surprised when he was super curious about Bayou. I calmed him down, we did some pets and let the situation settle, then wandered out of the house on a positive note.
He was more then happy to jump into the car, and enjoy the ride home. He plopped down in the front seat, purred, and kneaded the whole way home. He gets over events in a split second, that is one thing I adore and am jealous about in him.
He took a nap when we got home, so it was a nice workout.
I picked up a new duffel bag crate, to replace the hard plastic sided ones we have now. Bayou and I played with the crate a couple times, putting balls and toys in it, opening all the zippers so he could bat at them through the various holes. He has no issues with the crate (like I ever thought he would….pfffft). I strapped the crate in the backseat on our last trip, with the door open. My goal is to get him thinking this is a ‘retreat’ location, a safe spot, that he will eventually wander into. I would like him to stay locked up in the crate and safely strapped in, but we are working this in baby steps. My current drives have been through neighborhoods only, at slow speeds. On the last drive, he laid down on the door of the crate, and sniffed inside a bit, so it is progress. Normally, I would put him in a crate, put him in the car, and we would be in meowville for the entire ride. I am starting fresh, with a new type of crate, and new approach, and it is going very well I think.
Ohhhh, nose kisses, they are doing well. This has been happening quite a bit around here, very happy everyone is getting along better.
So progress continues, up to me to keep it moving forward now.
