WEBVTT

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(whistles)

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- All right, up.

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Good boy.

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You don't have to do anything
to get a dog to like you.

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Some treats help but most dogs

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will get along with humans right away.

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We've been breeding that into
them for all of human history.

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Cats, however, are very different.

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While they have been living
near us for about 5,000 years,

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we've only been breeding
them for about 200.

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So they're basically still wild animals.

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(cat meow)

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When cats behave very
differently from dogs,

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we misinterpret that as them
being mean or unfriendly.

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A cat doesn't have to be unfriendly.

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You just have to do a different
kind of work to win them over.

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(smooth music)

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Today we're gonna meet Cosmo the cat.

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Just like people, every cat is different.

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If they don't love you right away,

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don't take it too personally.

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(upbeat music)

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If you own a dog, you know
that they love new smells,

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and investigating, and
rolling around in them,

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and getting them all over themselves.

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Cats are the opposite.

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An unfamiliar scent can turn them off.

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So if you're worried about
bringing that kind of smell

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into the cat's home,

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you could spray yourself with a pheromone,

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like Comfort Zone or Feliway.

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These are a bit expensive.

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They're usually for cat owners

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trying to protect new furniture.

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But if you're new furniture

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and you wanna take this to the next level,

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you could bring this with you,

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spray yourself just once
or twice on the torso,

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let it settle in for a couple of minutes

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and this may help calm a cat.

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(curious music)

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Ever notice how a cat
gravitates right toward the one

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allergic person in the room?

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They go past everyone else
who's trying to attract the cat,

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going, here kitty, kitty.

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(smacking kisses)

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Yeah, don't do any of that.

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Spend some time actually ignoring the cat.

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That gives them space to scope
you out on their own terms.

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(curious music)

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Let's try a technique from
cat guru, Jackson Galaxy.

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He calls it, the Michelangelo.

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The idea is, instead of reaching
your hand out like this,

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which can be intimidating,

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you let it dangle.

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You make maybe a loose
fist, one finger poking out,

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a little like a cat nose.

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Cats don't see very well up close,

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that's why they have whiskers.

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So, you don't wanna be
shoving this in their face.

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You're holding it and waiting
for the cat to come to you.

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It investigates, maybe
invites you to scratch.

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And then you try to.

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It still may reject you at that point.

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It might ignore you all together.

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You just have to be patient

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and let the cat take the lead.

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(upbeat music)

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The safe zone for petting
is different for every cat.

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But Tom McNamee, author
of the Inner Life of Cats,

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recommends that you start with
the spots that a mother cat

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would nuzzle her kittens.

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That can be behind the ears,
or the base of the tail.

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(upbeat music)

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All cats are naturally territorial

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so they're very conscious
of their environment.

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You don't wanna be a big
imposing creature in their space.

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Get down on the floor,
meet them on their level.

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Don't block the exits.

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If they feel like they can come and go,

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they're more likely to come back to you.

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(curious music)

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Here's one I have a lot of trouble with.

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I love to stare a cat right in the eyes.

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But that can be counterproductive.

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That's the look they
give when they're hunting

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and you're doing that to them.

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Instead, you wanna give
a long, slow, blink.

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That shows that you're disarming,

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you're relaxed, and friendly.

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You're not hunting them.

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(upbeat music)

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A great modern toy is the laser pointer.

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I love making a cat chase it around.

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This is especially good with a new cat.

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According to cat behaviorist,
Mieshelle Nagelschneider,

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if you get the cat in hunting mode,

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they're more comfortable.

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They forget to be afraid of you.

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Point the laser under furniture
and other hiding spots

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to better simulate prey that
runs and hides from your cat.

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Then either lead them to a
treat or lead them back to you

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and give them a treat.

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Let them catch their prey

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so that they don't get bored very quickly.

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(smooth music)

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Let's ramp this up beyond treats.

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If you work with the owner,

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you can feed the cat its regular meal.

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That establishes you
as a potential provider

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worthy of trust and affection.

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One more tip from Jackson Galaxy,

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is to keep a special jackpot treat

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that only comes from guests.

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Cosmo has never had this
particular treat before.

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So, ideally, we get him to
associate me with the treat.

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Adam won't give you these.

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These are just special guest treats.

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Keep them in the house,
when people come over,

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hand them the treat, maybe
even before they come indoors.

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Then every visit from a guest
is like a visit from Santa.

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As long as you understand
cats from their perspective,

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you'll be a better cat friend.

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The things they do could
be really weird to humans.

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They definitely don't
behave the same way dogs do.

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I just learn to go along with it.

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And let him know that whatever
he does, I won't hurt him.

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I'm his friend.