Today’s post is designed to familiarize you with the approach Class Act Cats takes to behavior modification. There are many different components to behavior modification and cat training including a variety of theoretical and ethical approaches. One such orientation is LIMA, something I believe very strongly in.
You may be saying to yourself, “Well, Joey, what the heck is LIMA?” No, we’re not talking about the capitol of Peru or the city in Ohio. We’re not even talking about the bean.
LIMA stands for “least intrusive, minimally aversive.” It’s a way of approaching training or behavior modification that ultimately benefits both you and you cat. While there are a lot of things to consider when taking a LIMA approach, I want to break it down to its basics for you.
Least Intrusive
The first component is “least intrusive.” This means that any training or interventions should be designed to cause as little disruption to your life and your cat’s life as possible. Obviously, with any behavior problem, something needs to change so a little invasiveness is unavoidable. That doesn’t mean that we need to go so far as to redo your entire home, have you purchase a bunch of expensive equipment, or have to quit your job to implement the plan. Any sort of behavior modification should be designed to fit around your budget and lifestyle as much as it can. Some behavior problems may require more intense intervention, but even then they should be kept to the minimum necessary to restore balance to your relationship with your cat.
Similarly, your cat matters in LIMA, too! Any learning or behavior modification should not go too much against your cat’s natural tendencies. That’s where having a team of helpers including a veterinarian and a certified behavior consultant is helpful: We know about cat behavior! In many cases, we can harness a cat’s natural behaviors and get a satisfactory resolution for both humans and cats.
Your cat should also always be in control of the learning. I know, I know: There’s a joke about cats running the world in here somewhere. It’s true, though! Cats will often tell you what they need if you pay attention to their body language and behavior. If a cat is becoming too stressed from a training session, backing off for a while is a good idea. If something isn’t working for your cat, listen and try something different! They’re the one who runs the show after all.
Minimally Aversive
The second component is “minimally aversive.” For the sake of this blog, I don’t want to go too much into learning theory so I’m going to simplify this quite a bit. Behavior modification techniques can generally be divided into things that increase a behavior and that decrease a behavior. The second group often includes things are that less pleasant for the cat. These can include commonly employed techniques like hitting, yelling, using a spray bottle, or other attempts to punish your cat.
While this may seem like an effective way of changing behavior, there are a few problems. First, cats may not fully understand why they are being punished. If the timing is not right, the cat may not make the connection between the problem behavior and the punishment. Your cat may then associate you with the punishment and become fearful of you. That’s the last thing you want!
Aversives Likely Aren’t Needed
Aversives technically could have their place in LIMA, but really you need to go through so many other things that you shouldn’t need to get them. In most cases, you can just encourage a wanted behavior or change the environment. In other words, I’m not going to suggest using a remote punisher your for cat when we’re working together as they are kinder and more effective ways to prevent the behavior.
Less Aversive Alternatives
Actually, there is a new model being proposed called LIFE (least inhibitive, functionally effective) that has less room for use of aversives. While it’s still being explored, it’s something that really interests me. I avoid using aversive methods with my clients because they really aren’t necessary. That means no scent deterrents, bitter sprays, or anything like that. Your cat’s wellbeing is important and you get better results when you take your cat’s welfare into account.
Learning More About LIMA
Obviously, there is more to behavior modification and the LIMA approach than what is captured above. If you’re interested in learning more, you can see the IAABC’s information on the LIMA approach
When you book an appointment with Class Act Cats, you can be assured that you and your cat will get a behavior modification plan that adheres to LIMA principles. There will be some work involved, but we’ll figure out how to do solve your cat’s behavior problems in a way that works for both of you!
