by Nomi Berger
 
Walking your indoor cat on a leash not only allows her safe access to the outdoors, but it also provides her with physical exercise and mental stimulation. Whereas some indoor cats much prefer to remain where they are, still others are “hot to trot.”
 
If your indoor cat is curious and confident, enthusiastic and energetic, she may be a purr-ect candidate for a leashed walk. Before you begin, however, make certain that she’s current on all shots, flea and tick treatments. Ensure that she’s micro-chipped and that your contact information is up to date. Buy her a collar with an ID tag that clearly states she’s an indoor cat and that if she gets lost she should be returned home when found.
 
Next comes the harness. A harness is exceptionally secure and will keep your kitty safe and close to you even if she attempts to dart about or, worse, run away. Due to the increased popularity of cats being walked on leashes, there is now an ever-increasing assortment of styles, colors and patterns from which to choose.
 
Even better and, best of all, more comfortable than a harness, is a specially designed walking vest. Durable, adjustable and easy to put on, it’s an especially good choice for regular walkers and/or stronger, more motivated and determined cats.
 
Last but not least is a lightweight cat leash. Avoid both dog leashes and retractable leashes since they’re too heavy for cats. While many cat harnesses already come with a leash, other options are bungee leashes that will give your cat a little more range once you’re outside and at ease.
 
Now begins the process of training your cat. Begin by allowing her to get used to wearing a harness inside – a big step since indoor cats don’t normally wear collars AND harnesses. Start slowly, leaving the harness out on the floor with some treats on it to create a positive association for her and entice her to take the treats while smelling the harness itself.
 
After a few days, put the harness on your cat and promptly provide her with soothing pets and more of those treats. If she’s visibly uncomfortable, however, take the harness off immediately. Then, slowly and patiently, day by day, increase the amount of time she spends in the harness until she no longer minds it. And always remember to highlight the experience by petting her, playing with her, and providing her with treats to ensure that she associates “harness time” with happy times.
 
Once the harness has been well worn in, attach the leash to it and repeat the same process as above. Then as soon as your cat’s comfortable, bring her outside to a safe space -- a patio, deck or any enclosed area where she’s protected from other people and/or other animals. Slowly venture further afield, remembering to continually reward her with loving pets and tasty treats to assure her of the fun that awaits her once she’s well and truly outside. Remember too that any negative experience can set the entire process back, so pay close attention to your surroundings and to any unanticipated threat that may either spook or harm your cat.
 
Cat walks aren’t like dog walks. You will, in all likelihood, stay close to home, and your walk will (unless your kitty is particularly athletic and adventurous) be more of a meander. A chance for your purr-ecious puss to slowly and satisfyingly explore all of the various sights and smells previously unknown to her. A chance for you to watch the world through her eyes while seeing it through your own in an entirely new way. A chance for the two of you to bond more closely and more deeply. What could paws-ibly be better than that?

by Nomi Berger
 
How adept are you at reading your kitty’s signals?
 
Let’s start with her eyes. In a standoff between two opposing cats, the defender’s pupils will be dilated to widen her peripheral vision, giving her an advantage in anticipating an attack. On the other hand, the aggressor’s pupils will narrow to allow her better depth perception -- an advantage in judging where to attack. Aside from indicating fear, a cat’s pupils will also dilate in dim surroundings to allow as much light as possible to enter her eyes.
 
Perhaps the most wonderful signal, most often missed by even the most observant cat owner, is the sweetly seductive slow eye blink. Slow eye blinking is a very powerful and reassuring signal commonly used between cats when they’re sitting or lying in a hunched-up, sphinx-like position. It’s also a technique used by animal behaviorists to relax both house cats and feral cats by allowing them to interpret this human’s signal as: “I’m not a threat to you.” And for cat-crazy cat owners, it’s the ideal way to say, “I love you”, to their own favorite feline(s).
 
A continuous stare, however, has the opposite effect on cats. It’s threatening and unsettling and is used effectively as a way of maintaining their territorial distance. This is why a cat, upon entering a roomful of strangers -- all but one of them committed cat lovers – will approach the “non-cat lover”, the only person not staring at her.
 
Next, consider her ears. Again, in a standoff between two opposing cats, the defender’s ears will lie down flat against her head for protection. The one whose ears are lying flat -- with a twist, so that the tips of the backs of both ears are visible from the front -- is the aggressor. Confident and curious cats’ ears point forward as a way of listening for sounds in front of them. Cats either hunting prey or playing will also keep their ears pointing forward to collect as much auditory information as possible in order to execute a successful “pounce.”
 
Last is her tail. When a cat’s tail is erect along its entire length, it’s a gesture of greeting to another cat or an invitation to a friendly human for some quality “contact” rubbing. When her tail is vertical in the air with the inevitable “question mark”, it indicates that she’s happy and relaxed in her environment. It can also be a silent signal for food. When a seated cat’s tail flicks back and forth, it often shows her irritation and/or insecurity about what’s going to happen next. 
 
A tail held down while her rump is elevated belongs to an aggressive cat standing sideways near another cat. An arched, fluffed-up tail and an arched back (this pose is familiarly called the “Halloween cat”) shows that she’s torn between being aggressive or defensive. A fluffed tail positioned either straight out or straight down indicates she’s chosen to move towards aggression. Ironically, all of these tail positions can be observed when two kittens engage in play fighting.
 
Eyes, ears, tail. Now it’s up to you. M-e-o-w!

by Nomi Berger

The nose knows! And so it is with cats who rely on their noses to more fully comprehend the world around them. They detect smells as well as sense pheromones (chemicals produced and released by other cats) through their olfactory systems. For indoor cats in particular, understanding and appreciating the importance of their highly developed sense of smell can greatly enrich their environment, which, in turn, makes them happier cats.
 
Catnip has long been considered the “go to” plant of choice of household cats, attracted as they are to its odor – more than its taste -- to both improve their welfare and make their lives more “interesting.” They typically respond to catnip by sniffing, licking and biting it, shaking or rubbing their heads, chins or cheeks against it, rolling over in it, drooling, and even kicking at the fabric enclosing it with their hind feet. This so-called “catnip response” has often been described by those witnessing it as euphoric.
 
And yet, catnip isn’t the only plant favored by felines. Some are also attracted to silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle and Valerian root – all available in various forms. This is fortunate because one in three domestic cats do NOT respond to catnip. Some even appear to be genetically incapable of “sensing” it, and although the allure of catnip has been well documented, one recent study involving 100 cats investigated their responses to catnip and these three less familiar plants.
 
Of the 100 cats studied, 94 percent showed a “catnip response” to at least one of the four plants. Seventy-nine percent responded to silver vine, 68 percent responded to catnip, 53 percent responded to Tatarian honeysuckle, and 47 percent responded to Valerian root. Even more interesting was the fact that 24 percent of the cats responded to all four plants.
 
And so, despite the popular reputation of catnip, more cats – at least in this study – gave a resounding “paws up” to silver vine instead. This response held true for female and male cats, friendly and shy cats, and cats of all ages, although the response to catnip was milder among older cats. In fact, the older cats’ response to silver vine was far more intense than their response to catnip.
 
If your kitty has recently been turning up her nose and turning tail at the sight and the scent of catnip, consider substituting one of the other materials in its place, starting with silver vine. The most effective way to determine which scent truly tickles her feline fancy is by simply “asking” her. How?
 
After first checking with your vet as to the safety of silver vine, Tatarian honeysuckle and Valerian root, begin by placing a stick of silver vine inside a closed sock, leave it out where she can easily find it, supervise her closely, and monitor her response carefully. (This is especially important if yours is a multiple-cat household).
 
Be aware of the fact that this new scent has the potential to make your cat more excited and excitable for a more extended period of time. If she seems to be enjoying it, give her plenty of room and don’t try petting, stroking or playing with her until she seems sated, happily tired and perfectly relaxed. Eureka! Success! You’ve struck kitty gold.
 
Since a cat’s interest in even the most satisfying of scents fades over time, remove any samples she’s played with as soon as you sense her growing bored, and offer them again to her at a later date. But if the bloom is already off the so-called rose, there are those two remaining scents in your cat-contenting arsenal – Tatarian honeysuckle and Valerian root.
 
Then there’s another scenario altogether. Your cat may be totally unaffected – or worse – repelled by the scent of the silver vine, in which case, it should be removed quickly, and a day or two allowed to pass before moving on to the Tatarian honeysuckle in the hope of achieving a better result. If not, try once more, this time with the Valerian root. But if the result is the same, and the “scent” sampling only stresses her out, stop the sampling process immediately.
 
For reasons yet unknown, some cats simply aren’t interested in scents – no matter the source. If yours is one of those finicky felines, fret not, there are many other avenues to explore until she finally finds one that sets her purr-o-meter humming.
 

by Nomi Berger
 
While felines can be finicky about the food they eat, responsible owners can both improve their pets’ nutritional intake and prevent them from joining the estimated 58 percent of American cats who are overweight or obese.
 
1. Never free-feed your cat. The practice of keeping her bowl filled all the time is an open-ended invitation to eat and eat and eat. This can eventually lead to obesity and diabetes. The best way to feed her is by measuring her food and scheduling several mealtimes per day or by using food puzzles instead – after first asking your vet how much food she should be eating.
 
2. Never put your cat on a vegan diet. As an obligate carnivore, her digestive tract isn’t designed for digesting non-meat food, and to maintain her overall health, she must have meat. Cats also require significantly more protein in their diets than either dogs or people.
 
3. Keep her eating environment calm. If she’s snubbing her food bowl, and health issues aren’t the cause, stress may be the culprit. She may feel threatened by other pets in your home, disturbed by the noise of certain appliances, or rattled by too many people walking past while she eats. Set her food bowl down in a quiet place away from all distractions to allow her to eat undisturbed.
 
4. Don’t give her too many treats. While cat treats may be small in size, they’re loaded with calories, and the consumption of so many extra calories can lead to weight gain and obesity. If your kitty expects or “demands” a treat, be clever – and creative -- about it. Make her “work” for her treat by throwing it across the room or hiding it inside a food puzzle. Or better still, redirect her begging behavior to another activity like an interactive game or a lengthy petting session.
 
5. Don’t let her drink milk. Familiar images of kitties lapping up milk from a saucer may have seemed both appealing and adorable in the past, but milk isn’t healthy for cats. Like people, some cats are lactose intolerant and have trouble digesting milk. Another negative: milk is rich in calories and could cause your kitty to gain weight.
 
6. See that her food fits her life stage and lifestyle. When feeding your cat, you must take into account both her age and her activity level. If she’s a kitten, she should be introduced slowly to a variety of foods so that she doesn’t grow up to be a picky eater. If she’s a senior, you must monitor her waistline since some older cats find it difficult to keep weight on. You must also ensure that she’s drinking enough water. As always, though, it’s essential to first speak with your vet about the best diet plan for your cat based on her age, health and body condition.
 
7. Don’t alter her diet too quickly. Slow and steady are the ultimate keys to success. It may seem like a good idea to help your cat lose weight by immediately reducing the amount of food she consumes and/or changing the food itself. But drastically reducing the amount of food she eats can lead to hepatic lipidosis, a potentially fatal liver condition, while sudden changes in her food can cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. If you’re intent on changing her diet, always do it gradually and in consultation with your vet.

by Nomi Berger
 
Does your cat play constantly and contentedly with toilet paper? Does she unroll it sheet by sheet from its cardboard tube, bat it around, drag it from room to room and quite literally “paper” your home in streamers?
 
If so, any attention you give her for playing with toilet paper as though it were a toy --whether negative or positive – will, in all likelihood encourage her to continue. Why, then does a cat play with toilet paper in the first place? She may be acting on her instinct to hunt, imitating your own actions in the bathroom or simply trying to keep herself occupied. Regardless of her motivation, the solution is both prevention and redirection – shifting her focus away from the toilet paper towards more acceptable, alternative behaviors.
 
Simply shutting the door when you’re not around makes the bathroom(s) off-limits to your cat. A toilet paper holder that completely covers the roll can be a useful alternative if it’s difficult to keep the bathroom door(s) closed all the time.
 
Provide more creative outlets for your cat’s energy and reward her when she chooses them. Because of their instinctual desire to hunt, cats enjoy playing with interactive toys that can be “ripped” and “pulled apart” -- mimicking the movements they make when killing and devouring their prey in the wild. Food puzzles are an excellent option. There is a wide range of kitty food puzzles designed to provide them with the hunting experience they crave. Movable puzzles whose contents are dislodged or removed by your cat’s paws are particularly effective.
 
Begin with easy-to-access food puzzles, and as your cat learns how to make them work, increase the degree of difficulty. To make them even more enticing and exciting, fill them with kibble or treats.
 
To encourage her exploratory behavior, hide the food puzzles, some of her most highly prized toys and tiny boxes of cat grass throughout your home, targeting those areas she’s especially fond of such as perches and climbing structures. Rotate them from time to time to keep her “hunts” interesting and to keep her on her paws.
 
When you’re not at home, keep her entertained – and hopefully away from attacking the toilet paper – by purchasing and using toys with remote-control options, motion-sensor toys, timed toys and/or hanging toys designed for being batted about.
 
Provided your cat doesn’t EAT paper, consider offering her a designated alternative that she can claw up and bed down in, such as a cardboard box filled with shredded or crumpled up paper or newspaper. And always ensure that a scratching post or two is placed in easily accessible areas.
 
Whenever your cat plays with the right toys or engages in the appropriate activities, reward and reinforce her paws-itive behavior with treats, petting and praise. If, however, you catch her “red pawed” in the act of toying with the toilet paper, calmly redirect her attention, and clean up the “crime scene” once she’s safely out of sight. Punishing her may not only reinforce this unwanted behavior but cause increased tension in your relationship.
 
Last but most importantly, if your cat IS eating the toilet paper, speak to your vet or seek help from a certified animal behaviorist.

by Nomi Berger

For those pondering the how and why of that phenomenon known as purring, numerous theories abound.
 
As for how: Most experts now believe that purrs are created by the laryngeal and diaphragmatic muscles in combination with a neural oscillator in the brain. A message from the neural oscillator to the laryngeal muscles causes them to vibrate and this movement controls the amount of air passing through. Purring occurs during inhalation and exhalation. Some purrs are so low, they’re felt more than heard, while others are so loud, they can be heard from across the room.
 
As for why, paw-lease peruse the following:
 
1. Newborn kittens and their moms purr to stay safe.
 
Purring is essential to the survival of newborn kittens. Welcomed into the world by the soft vibrations of their mother’s purrs, they may be blind and deaf, but they can feel vibrations. Like homing devices, these purrs guide the newborns to the protective warmth of their mother’s body and to their first meals.
 
Kittens start communicating through purrs to their mother and other siblings when they’re two days old. Unable to meow while they nurse, they manifest their contentment instead by purring, and their mom will purr comfortingly back at them.
 
Springing from the primal need for survival in the wild, the vibrations of a vulnerable mother cat’s purrs when she’s giving birth are less likely than cries or other vocalizations to attract the attention of hungry predators. Purring also releases endorphins, reducing her pain while simultaneously reassuring her newborns.
 
2. Cats purr when they crave attention.
 
Since adoring cat parents lavish their cats with additional cuddles and pets when they purr, cats will often begin to purr when they “want” something – from affection and playtime to food and treats.
 
Luckily, however, theirs is a mutual admiration society! The clever kitties’ sweet, relaxing sounds boost their owners’ moods and lower their blood pressure.
 
3. Cats purr when stressed, in pain or sick because it has healing powers.
 
Studies have found that purrs oscillate at a low frequency of 25 to 150 HZ. This frequency promotes bone healing and eases muscle pain. Clinical trials of people receiving ultrasound treatments have shown that low-frequency intensity ultrasound accelerates the healing of fractures.
 
Some reports also show that cats heal faster than animals who don’t purr because of the endorphins their purring releases – much like those released by a mother cat in labor.
 
4. Cats purr as a form of low-key exercise.
 
Cats are famous for conserving their energy by lounging and napping. And since they purr while they rest, the vibrations from those purrs help to increase the density of their bones. This in turn keeps their bones healthy and strong and prepped for the next opportunity to pounce on their prey – whether it’s another playful kitty or a bouncing laser dot, the feather on a dancing wand toy or their loving owners’ open laps.

by Nomi Berger
 
Are you surprised when you return home to find that your cat has urinated on your sofa or shredded your favorite shirt? Are you receiving complaints from your neighbors that she yowls or mewls all day? Although an underlying medical condition may be responsible for some of these behaviors, the most likely culprit is separation anxiety.
 
While many cat owners don’t associate cats with separation anxiety, a recent study by researchers at Oregon State University and Monmouth University found that when cats were given a choice between food, human companionship, scent and toys, half of them chose human companionship and only 37 percent chose food.
 
Orphaned kittens or those weaned too early from their mothers are the ones most prone to developing separation anxiety. A divorce, the death of an owner or some other abrupt change in the household and the familiar rhythm of its regular routine may also trigger separation anxiety, particularly in senior cats.
 
Cats with separation anxiety may express apprehension over their owners’ unexplained absence (ranging from a medical emergency to a vacation with advance care arrangements made) in highly destructive and/or annoying ways. Some of these “acting out” behaviors include scratching the furniture, pacing, crying, fighting with the other cats, refusing to eat and compulsively grooming themselves -- licking or chewing at their fur until they create large bald patches. While others sulk or become depressed, some begin urinating and/or defecating outside their litter boxes or spraying urine on their owners’ bed and/or clothing.
 
The reason for spraying is simple: spreading her scent around may actually help an anxious cat feel more secure. Mixing her odor with that of her cherished and absent owner is a way to feel closer to her owner.
 
If yours is an anxious and clingy kitty, don’t despair, there are ways to reduce her anxiety and improve her quality of life. The first step is to visit your vet to rule out any underlying health conditions that may be causing the problem. If your vet concludes that your cat does indeed have separation anxiety, consider the following ways to make her more comfortable and less fearful when you’re away from home.
 
Enrich her environment. Food puzzles and other interactive toys can engage your cat’s brain and help take her mind off the fact that you’re not there. Having the food released from a puzzle toy will both challenge her intelligence and keep her constructively occupied.
 
To reduce the risk of her growing bored, rotate her favorite interactive toys, bringing out the best ones only when you’re ready to leave.
 
Screen a nature DVD featuring a variety of birds, squirrels, and fish. Their quick movements and high-pitched noises should keep your cat intrigued and entertained for hours. Alternatively, set up a window perch with a view of a bird feeder outside or a wall perch with a view of an appropriately secure aquarium inside that she can watch but not access.
 
Plug in a diffuser that emits feline pheromones. They mimic the natural pheromones produced by a mother cat and appear to have a soothing effect on some anxious cats.
 
Because cats so dislike change, set up and stick to – as much as possible -- a fixed schedule of feeding and playing with yours at the same times each day to help relieve some of her stress.
 
In severe cases of separation anxiety, however, consider consulting a veterinary behaviorist whose trained observations may give new insight into your cat’s behavior. And, when necessary, your vet can prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to help her stay calm in your absence.

by Nomi Berger
 
Coprophagia is the act of eating and ingesting feces. Although far more common in dogs, it does appear occasionally in cats. There are times when eating feces is part of normal feline behavior. A new mother will often eat the feces of her newborn kittens as part of her daily grooming routine, while her kittens may copy her in an effort to learn new behaviors. Cats may also eat their own feces as a way of keeping their personal areas clean.
 
Oftentimes, however, coprophagia is the result of an underlying medical condition that can lead to an extreme increase in appetite. In order to satisfy this extreme hunger, cats will eat anything available to them, including their feces. The most common medical conditions are parasites, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, anemia, vitamin deficiency, malnutrition, thyroid disease and neurological disease.
 
If your kitty is eating her own feces, your vet will have to determine whether it’s medical or behavioral in nature. A full blood profile will be conducted, including a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. If her coprophagia IS the result of an underlying medical condition, it often stops once treatment begins, with follow up visits recommended during the first few months.
 
If it’s the result of a behavioral problem, provide your vet with a thorough history of your cat’s general health, diet, appetite, handling practices, recent activities and environment, and then take steps to remedy the situation.
 
The simplest way to prevent your cat from eating her feces is to eliminate her access to it by scooping her litter box several times a day. It can also be useful to change the location of the box, moving it to an area that affords her more privacy when she uses it.
 
A fixed routine of vigorous play and exercise can help distract her from engaging in coprophagia. Exercise aids in reducing anxiety and stress, and when a cat’s had enough stimulation to keep her active and tire her out, she’ll be less attracted to eating non-food items. But if your cat isn’t used to being exercised regularly, keep your initial play sessions short (begin with only a few minutes) and slowly work up to longer sessions as she becomes more accustomed to it.
 
Ensure that your cat is not only eating the required amount of food for her age and weight each day, but that she’s receiving all of the essential minerals and vitamins she needs. If not, have your vet recommend the best nutritional supplements to keep her diet the best balanced diet paws-ible.

by Nomi Berger
 
Due to the increased availability of both medical and recreational marijuana, as well as its use in foods, pills, oils and tinctures, marijuana is more accessible than ever before. It’s also stronger because new hybrids and cultivation techniques have resulted in plants with significantly more THC (Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound) than in decades past.
 
It therefore poses an even greater threat to one’s cherished cat since THC and other cannabinoids affect the central nervous system, causing disruption of normal movement and behavior. The most common ways for cats to be exposed to marijuana is by inhaling its smoke or by ingesting the dried marijuana itself. Because of the cumulative effects of inhaling this smoke, cat owners who use marijuana, whether medical or recreational, should never smoke anywhere near their cats, particularly ones with asthma or any other lung diseases.
 
In some cases, cats may nibble on the leaves and/or buds of homegrown marijuana plants. Unthinking owners may also feed their cats cookies, brownies or candies infused with marijuana, posing a double threat to their health because anything containing chocolate or the artificial sweetener, xylitol, can lead to a double dose of toxicity.
 
As with all products, plants and medications dangerous for pet consumption, cat owners using marijuana in any form should store it somewhere out of reach of curious noses and even more curious paws – in a tall shelf, cabinet or drawer with a child-proof lock. The use of a thick glass container with a twist-off lid provides additional security because even if kitty does discover it, the lid’s impossible to pry open.
 
The most common side effects of marijuana intoxication are dilated pupils, lack of coordination (falling over or walking “drunkenly”), sedation or lethargy, vomiting, urinary incontinence, and slow heart and respiratory rates. However, about 25 percent of those who have ingested THC become stimulated instead, with agitation, excessive vocalization and high heart rates being possible side effects. After ingestion, cats can become affected in minutes to hours, and signs can last for hours.
 
If you suspect your cat has ingested marijuana and is unable to walk or cannot be roused, contact your vet immediately. Know too that veterinarians are NOT required to contact the police, even in states where marijuana is illegal. What’s of utmost importance is getting your cat prompt medical assistance.
 
Treatment for marijuana intoxication can include confinement in a kennel to prevent injury, intravenous fluids to keep her blood pressure normal and medications to lower her heart rate. Cats most severely affected may also benefit from intravenous lipid emulsions to help decrease the amount of cannabinoids circulating through their system.
 
The takeaway from this -- keep a watchful eye on your cat if there’s marijuana around.

by Nomi Berger
 
Does your cat come to you when you call her name? Does she run to the door when you arrive home and call out to her or does she simply yawn and go back to sleep?
 
For cat owners curious enough to see if they can train their cats to come to them when called, cat trainers offer the following tips:
 
Since cats respond excitedly to treats, use healthy, morsel-sized treats (“morsel” is the operative word, vital to preventing any unwanted weight gain) so that she considers training a “paws-itive” thing.
 
Since cats react eagerly to higher-pitched voices, use a higher than usual tone of voice when you call out her name. 
 
Since cats are more attracted to a happy tone, make your tone upbeat and light to keep her from thinking that she’s being punished.
 
Since cats respond more easily to shorter names, if yours has a long one, try shortening it, turning it into more of a nickname. For example, if your kitty’s name is Vanessa, you might want to use “Nessa” when calling her. This, then, will become her training name. 
 
Since some cats react better to sounds than to names, clap your hands or use either a bell or a whistle to begin her training. Whatever method you choose, use it ONLY for this particular exercise.
 
Since repetition is key, be patient and take it slowly, paw step by paw step. Start out a few feet away from your cat. Call her name/clap your hands/use the bell or whistle, and place a morsel-sized treat (or a favorite toy) on the floor several feet in front of you. The smell of the treat or the sight of the toy should attract her to it. If she responds by approaching you, lavish her with praise, and once she’s eaten the treat or played with the toy, pet her, and in your best, happy and high-pitched voice, say “good job!”
 
If your cat doesn’t respond, repeat the exercise. Try it several more times before stopping to give both you and kitty a rest. Then begin the process again, and keep repeating it until, hopefully, you achieve the result you want. Increase the distance between you slightly and continue practicing the same exercise at this same distance for another few days.
 
Keep increasing the distance between you until she’s coming to you from any part of your home. And if she’s graduated gracefully and graciously to this phase, reward her with only praise – no treat, no toy – but with an especially relaxing rubdown or extra armfuls of affection.
 
In short, if your cat is now running to you whenever you call her name, you’ve succeeded!