Hi, my 3 gingers love to walk with me everywhere i go, well only problem is they love to walk under me. 🙂 And that means that if i don't walk like a robot and very slowly i'll step on one. I just did last night, but cat seems to be ok. How do i get them not to walk under me?
Thanks,
KZ
Hi Kz
Great question!
Cats walk under people’s feet for several reasons, mostly as an attention seeking behavior (i.e. seeking food, play, owner attention, petting, wanting to go outside, anything pleasurable) while other cats may behave this way due to separation anxiety, though will exhibit other SA symptoms.
Keep in mind they don’t intentionally mean to trip you, please be careful, walk slowly until you apply the following changes:
- Increase indoor exploratory behavior and sensory stimulation (i.e. add catnip, cat-grass, fresh grass clippings, boxes, tunnels, bags, walkways, any type of vertical space).
- Introduce novel food and puzzle feeders to increase mental stimulation and mimic hunting behavior.
- Take the cats for an outdoor walk or increase outdoor sensory stimuli with cat safe plants, logs, leaves, shrubs.
- Increase interactive play including object play with each cat separately (DaBird, DaBee, Fishing Rod toys and motorized toys)
- Don't reinforce the negative behavior. Stop what you are doing, be silent, refrain from petting, picking up, feeding, or providing any type of attention, the cats will catch up quickly.
- Carry a jingly toy in your pocket which can be tossed away from your body to distract and keep them away from your feet.
- Introduce clicker training. Start with cues like ‘sit’ or ‘go to a mat’.
Hope this is helpful.
Keep us posted!
Melina