When 'Click' Means "I Love You": Clicker Training My Cat Zathras Through His End-of-life

Abstract

The story I had wanted to share on my Facebook page and website was about how clicker training and desensitization/counter-conditioning led Zathras to overcome his behavior challenges at vet appointments. I had wanted to share the joys of progress, to encourage others to consider using these methods for similar behavior challenges with their own cats (or to hire me to help). Instead, clicker training Zathras became about something different: It became about love and connection, joy and discovery, and — at times — about a way to encourage him to eat.