Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#11

Post by cstross » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:54 PM UTC

jchendy wrote: post #9

"This is because cats evolved as solitary hunters with little need for reading social cues, especially those for behavior modification." [...] “How the hell is your cat supposed to know that you’re yelling at him because you want him to stop scratching the couch?” [...] "When your cat does the thing you want her do to, reward her with a treat, or affection." If we accept that cats can't learn from negative reinforcem…

Because positive reinforcement does work on cats -- the problem is, finding the positive behavioural pattern to reinforce!

Positive and negative reinforcement patterns are not opposites, they're entirely separate processes.

(Cat owner here.)

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#12

Post by hvs » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:54 PM UTC

Free cat advice: If your cat is going outside of its litter box, it is most likely because it isn't cleaned regularly (would you like to stand in poop to go the bathroom?). You should be cleaning it at least once per day.

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#13

Post by huehue » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:55 PM UTC

"Exposing her belly is not a trap the cat is setting"

Nobody buys this.

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#14

Post by gadders » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:57 PM UTC

hvs wrote: post #12

Free cat advice: If your cat is going outside of its litter box, it is most likely because it isn't cleaned regularly (would you like to stand in poop to go the bathroom?). You should be cleaning it at least once per day.

Or install a cat flap and let your cat go outside?

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#15

Post by ck2 » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:58 PM UTC

If you've ever had shingles you'd never name something you love shingles!

But one thing I know about cats is they really have a set routine, getting them to change it is near impossible, you juat have to go with the flow.

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#16

Post by post_break » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:58 PM UTC

hvs wrote: post #12

Free cat advice: If your cat is going outside of its litter box, it is most likely because it isn't cleaned regularly (would you like to stand in poop to go the bathroom?). You should be cleaning it at least once per day.

Yeah that's great and all but I've tried that. 3 litter boxes. All cleaned twice a day, and he still shits on the carpet 2 feet away from the box. Lid on, lid off, big sidewalls, different cat litter. I've tried it all. The little shit just likes shitting on carpet I guess. And putting the fear of god into him does nothing.

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#17

Post by chris_wot » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 1:59 PM UTC

If I ever get a cat, it's name will be Dr Buffington. But only because Chairman Mao is tacky.

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#18

Post by metafex » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 2:00 PM UTC

gadders wrote: post #14

hvs wrote: post #12

Free cat advice: If your cat is going outside of its litter box, it is most likely because it isn't cleaned regularly (would you like to stand in poop to go the bathroom?). You should be cleaning it at least once per day.

Or install a cat flap and let your cat go outside?

So that the cat can go outside to play and come back to shit? :) (happenes from time to time)

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#19

Post by readerrrr » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 2:01 PM UTC

jchendy wrote: post #9

"This is because cats evolved as solitary hunters with little need for reading social cues, especially those for behavior modification." [...] “How the hell is your cat supposed to know that you’re yelling at him because you want him to stop scratching the couch?” [...] "When your cat does the thing you want her do to, reward her with a treat, or affection." If we accept that cats can't learn from negative reinforcem…

Perhaps because yelling isn't necessarily interpreted as something negative, while food is certainly something positive.

Re: Why Your Cat Thinks You’re a Huge, Unpredictable Ape

#20

Post by XorNot » Tue, Oct 28, 2014, 2:02 PM UTC

jchendy wrote: post #9

"This is because cats evolved as solitary hunters with little need for reading social cues, especially those for behavior modification." [...] “How the hell is your cat supposed to know that you’re yelling at him because you want him to stop scratching the couch?” [...] "When your cat does the thing you want her do to, reward her with a treat, or affection." If we accept that cats can't learn from negative reinforcem…

This is all wrong though.

Domestic cats have been domesticated for a long time. Cats which live with humans (or even other cats - they do naturally form colonies) adopt a number of pro-social behaviours to interact with us.

They are in fact very adept at reading social cues - but conversely they are not pack-animals. They don't have the same instinctive need to identify a hierarchy of command, so much as "mess with" and "don't mess with".