Felinologist in natural habitat
- Yes, Vova, this is a cat, and this is a cat.
Yes, you can pet them,” Tatyana Antonenko calmly answers a million questions from her son Vova and explains what animals do and why. And, judging by the child’s contented smile, he had long dreamed that his mother would go here for an interview. Tatyana Antonenko has adored cats since childhood; they have always been part of her family. In the 90s, she bought all the books about furry pets that she found in stores. Now Tatyana herself can tell several hefty volumes about cats. That is why we met in the “natural habitat” of these animals - the Nikomur cat cafe.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
The felinologist says that after school she entered the biology department of Altai State University, and came there with a specific desire - to study animal psychology and cat behavior. First there were coursework, a diploma on this topic, then a candidate’s dissertation in graduate school.
“There is no doctorate yet, because cats are a very difficult topic to defend. In Russia, and especially in Barnaul, almost no one studies the behavior of these animals. Who will be the scientific supervisor, who will be the opponent?”
Now Tatyana Antonenko works as a teacher at the Department of Zoology and Physiology of Altai State University, studies different cats - domestic, stray, wild - and conducts various studies with students. The felinologist even has his own patent - his own method for determining the temperament of a cat.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
As soon as I find out about this, I immediately suggest “practicing” on local cats in Nikomur. But Tatiana explains that determining temperament usually takes several days.
“If you look at it, there are clearly no melancholic people here: these are cats that are hiding, afraid of everyone. Cholerics as such are no longer bred - they are violent, more aggressive. What remains are phlegmatic and sanguine people,” Tatyana looks closely at the purring “employees” of the cafe.
Love for cats is hereditary
Ironically, Tatyana herself doesn’t have cats now. Previously, she and her husband lived with Persian Matvey and Kiki, but their eldest son developed an allergy and had to give the pets away.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
“I really miss them. At first, we “paid alimony” to the cats and often went to visit them. Now the pets have not lived with us for five years, I think: they’ve probably already somehow forgotten. And then recently we came to them, Matvey comes up to me - and I taught him various tricks - I say: “Give me your paw.” I stood there, thought - he was so measured, phlegmatic - and finally offered his paw.”
Now the Antonenko family lives with an Airedale terrier named Klim. But the love for cats has not gone away and, apparently, is inherited.
“Vova’s youngest son also loves cats. When he starts being mischievous, I invite him to look at the cats: open the Nikomur page and scroll through the photos. Today I didn’t want to go to bed, I said: “If you get some sleep, we’ll go and visit the cats.” I agreed for this reason, so cats are power!”
Vova, son of Tatyana Antonenko.
Anna Zaikova
Bang! At this time, not far from our table, a painting falls from a shelf onto the floor. Two cats with an expression of complete innocence on their faces scatter in different directions. It seems they were trying to get a toy fish that someone hid behind a painting. “It’s not surprising,” notes the cat cafe employee. “There’s catnip in there.”
2.Create conditions for training
Create conditions for training
Indoor cats need exercise to stay healthy. Install special devices on the wall so that the cat can climb, jump and lie on them. It’s not very difficult, and if you don’t have the financial means to purchase ready-made devices, then make them yourself.
"Impractical" activity
In Russia, felinology as a science has not received much recognition. Tatyana Antonenko believes this is due to the “impracticality” of research: we have, for example, service dog breeding, but service cat breeding, of course, does not exist. Farmers generally call cats “small unproductive animals”: they say they are neither suitable for business nor for meat.
“If you want to study cats professionally in our country, you need either a biology faculty or a veterinary faculty. In Barnaul these are AltSU and AltGAU. This, of course, will be more of a zoological education, but the teachers will help you delve deeper into felinology if you want. Then you can enroll in a master’s program in zoology, and then in graduate school,” explains the felinologist.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
In Russian universities, Tatyana came across only one special course on this topic - “Felinology” at the Moscow Agricultural Academy - and even bought Tatyana Blokhina’s manual of the same name, on which classes are taught. But it turned out that this book is not about the behavior of cats, but about their breeds and colors.
“I was hoping that I would find a great generalizing work, but no. Apparently, if you don’t write it yourself, no one will write it,” Tatiana Antonenko grins.
She hastily explains that she is not yet ready to work on something so extensive: most of her time is spent raising a small child. But then he still dreamily adds: “Maybe someday there will be a book...”
Tatiana Antonenko.
Anna Zaikova
“Money won’t come to you”
Alas, if you receive a felinological (as far as possible) education, you will not become a sought-after specialist in Russia. If you don’t want to go into science, like Tatyana Antonenko, there are few beaten paths left.
You will be able to work in organizations that hold cat shows. There they mainly deal not with ethology (this is the science of animal behavior), but with breed standards and characteristics. There is still the opportunity to become a breeder and breed a certain breed.
“Many breeders are truly passionate people who love and understand cats. But most often they are only familiar with the behavior of “their” breed, and in general they can say little,” explains the felinologist.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
If you want to work as a “cat psychologist”, you will have to pave the way yourself. In Moscow and St. Petersburg there are felinologists who offer such services; in the regions there are only a few of them. When I asked if Tatyana had thought about opening a cat psychology center, for example, the felinologist smiled sadly.
“Now in Barnaul the services of a cat psychologist will definitely not be in demand. People think that they already know enough about cats and that they don’t need any advice: “Why pay money for this? I’ll read something on the Internet now and try it. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll throw the cat away.” So, if you think that money will immediately fly to you, I’ll say: it won’t,” says Tatyana Antonenko.
Tatyana does not conduct any individual consultations for pet owners. But he periodically gives lectures about cats at the Nikomur cat cafe. The felinologist says that responsible cat owners have requests for such consultations, but there are not many of them: usually 5-15 people come to the lecture.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
“I receive a certain fee for this work, but it’s definitely not a lot of money. It’s just that this kind of cooperation with the cat cafe is according to my desire,” shares Tatyana Antonenko.
4. Provide your pet with a permanent place to sleep
Provide your pet with a permanent place to sleep
Laundry baskets, open dresser drawers, cardboard boxes, cabinets, kitchen cupboards - are these the places where your cat mostly likes to sleep? Instead of fighting this, better study the animal’s priorities and provide him with the desired sleeping place - there is no need to purchase something expensive. It could be an old blanket, a towel, a stack of newspapers - cats are so different!
“Can a cat think?”
Tatyana Antonenko is sure that all behavioral problems of cats can be solved. And if owners turned to specialists more often, we would less often hear the phrases “yes, the breed is unsuccessful” or “yes, outbred cats are stupid.”
Tatiana Antonenko.
Anna Zaikova
The felinologist says that the most common difficulty is litter box training. When they start to look deeper, in most cases it turns out that the cat does not like the litter.
“People are surprised: “I spent money, but she doesn’t like it?” Can she think? “You liked the way the litter smells, but for a cat it can be like a gas attack. Or she is not satisfied with the texture of the filler. In any case, if you have problems with the toilet, the first thing you should try is to change the filler,” advises Tatyana Antonenko.
Toilet problems may also be caused by declawing surgery. In fact, this is very painful for the animal: not only the claw is removed, but also the terminal phalanx of the finger on which it is attached.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
The result is the following. Before going to the toilet, cats must dig, and if the claws are removed, the pet experiences severe pain. It is not surprising that cats refuse to use their old litter box or litter after surgery.
If your pet scratches a lot, you can trim the tip of his nail - it won't hurt. But there is little point in different “anti-scratch” overlays for the claws. Firstly, this is not very pleasant for the animal, and secondly, the pads will quickly fall off: cats’ claws do not grow forward, but in layers on top and periodically fall off.
Vova, son of Tatyana Antonenko.
Anna Zaikova
Tatyana is also often asked how to get a second animal in the house if there is already a cat. And in this situation you must always be very careful.
“If you are worried that your cat is bored without his furry friend, don’t be. Usually our company is enough for the pet, because people for him are like a pack of cats. Imagine that a neighbor suddenly decides to move into your apartment - of course, you will kick him out in every possible way. If you do decide to get a second animal, make sure there is enough personal space for each. So, if you have a one-room apartment, it is better to stay with one pet,” explains the felinologist.
8.Install a scratching post for your cat
Install a scratching post for your cat
Each cat has its own priorities in terms of what material it prefers to sharpen its claws on, so you may have to purchase more than one scratching post until you find the perfect one. Cats generally like cardboard boxes, natural fiber ropes, and carpets. Combine a scratching post with climbing and jumping tools and your cat will be happy. You will also be pleased, especially if the device for the cat’s physical activity also serves as decor for your interior. If your cat abuses the fact that he sharpens his claws on furniture, cover it in your absence.
Like in the Kuklachev Theater
“Cats are not stupid - they can and should be trained,” Tatyana Antonenko immediately states when it comes to training pets. The main thing is not to forget that cats do not think like people or like dogs, they are other creatures with their own nuances of the psyche.
Tatiana Antonenko.
Anna Zaikova
Of course, training dogs is much easier. Firstly, they were initially bred to be as human-oriented as possible. Secondly, due to the peculiarities of the nervous system, cats get tired much faster than dogs. They cannot do the same thing for a long time: 15-20 minutes of activity - and cats need to rest.
It is most effective to teach your pet something within the framework of its natural behavior.
“Some cats like to meow, others like to jump somewhere, and others like to sit in a box. Use these animal preferences. Reward the behavior you want, and then introduce a verbal command. It’s better to start training from a young age - then you can teach a cat to sleep even in a saucepan, especially if you smear it with valerian,” laughs Tatyana Antonenko.
Yuri Kuklachev uses the same principles when training. If you notice, in his theater different cats perform different tricks. The felinologist explains that initially Kuklachev takes the animal and checks what it likes to do. And then reinforces this action.
You can reward your pet with treats or games. Tatyana Antonenko, for example, when teaching her cat the “give me a paw” command, used the second method.
“At first I just played with Matvey with a regular pencil so that he would touch it with his paw. Then she began to take him by the paw and say the command. At first, the cat, of course, was surprised: they say, what does she want from me, but gradually he learned. But he never managed to master the “voice” command: Matvey himself is silent,” says the felinologist.
Such training is both physical and mental stress, which the pet often lacks in a quiet home life. The main thing is to never use harsh training methods. Screaming and hitting will only lead to the cat being afraid of you and hiding. Proper training is also a great way to spend time with your pet and show that he is as important to you as you are to him.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
7. Be creative in providing water for your cat
Get creative when it comes to providing water for your cat.
Despite their dislike for bathing, cats love water. Make your pet's life more interesting by installing, for example, fountains throughout the house or just containers with water. For example, a stone fountain can be decorated with non-toxic ornamental plants. But don't be surprised if, despite the variety of water sources you have set up for your pet, his nose will be spotted in a vase of flowers or in your glass.
What else interesting did Tatyana Antonenko tell?
You've probably heard: put a cat on a sore spot and you'll become healthy. This is complete nonsense. Cats, of course, have a therapeutic effect on us: for example, they reduce blood pressure and have a positive effect emotionally. My students and I even conducted such an experiment. They took a group of hypertensive patients, measured their blood pressure, let them pet the cat and measured it again - their blood pressure actually decreased.
It is best not to allow your cat to eat caught birds or rodents. Mice, for example, have an incredible number of worms: one individual can have up to 1000 parasites. And this is only in the intestines.
In countries with warm climates, stray cats greatly harm the environment, and there is a lot of research done on this issue. I talked with one interesting specialist - he lived in the Canary Islands for two years and studied the feces of stray cats. So he found out how many Red Book invertebrates are eaten by local stray fluffies.
It was my students and I who came up with the “Night at the Zoo” event in our “Forest Tale”. Since large cats are crepuscular or nocturnal predators, visitors most often see them sleeping during the day. We conducted research at the zoo in the evenings: we placed new objects and smells in the cats’ enclosure and saw what they reacted to more interestingly. Based on the results, we wrote several scientific articles and, in fact, developed the idea of “Nights at the Zoo.” As a result, visitors are periodically invited to the “Forest Tale” in the late evening, and they can observe the unusual activity of cats.
I always say that unless you are a professional breeder, it is better to spay (neuter) the animal. This procedure means minimal risks for the pet, and at the same time there is less aggression, fewer behavioral problems: most likely, the cat will not mark the territory. Your pet will not become unhappy if you take away his ability to reproduce. Therefore, it is better to “turn off” this need in time before it “turns on” yet.
Cat cafe Nikomur.
Anna Zaikova
3. Provide a place for the cat to observe the environment
Provide a place for your cat to observe his environment.
If you organize a place for your cat on the windowsill, then he will sit and lie there for hours, watching what is happening outside the window. The cat will be twice as happy if you install a climbing and jumping device on the wall next to the window. You can extend your cat's time of enjoyment by hanging a feeder on the street opposite the window, where you will feed the birds, which your cat will watch with great interest. The cat also needs fresh air, so open the window from time to time, but make sure that he is safe and cannot fall out or escape.
