C.A.T.
CAT is usually discussed in terms of aggressive dogs, and was an influence on Grisha Stewart's BAT (I illustrated these books), but I no longer have an "aggressive dog". I now have a "fearful cat", so I am more interested in its application for fearfulness.
As my little cat Shimmy keeps reminding me - food, no matter how delicious - is neither comforting nor reinforcing when she doesn't trust what you're going to do next, or when there is a strange sound coming from upstairs. Sometimes Shimmy hides when I call her to offer her food. Sometimes Shimmy sniffs the food and doesn't eat... her body crouched low, everything tucked in. The function of avoidance behaviors: TO BE LEFT ALONE. To be GIVEN SPACE.
In CAT, any behaviors that are not "fearful" are reinforced by giving the animal SPACE. By removing the aversive (YOU). It's hard to think of yourself as the aversive stimulus, but that's what you are from the cat's perspective. Walking away from a tiny anxious cat is so hard to do!
Tempted to register for this event!
https://www.caawt.com/2021conference
TO READ LIST:
Jesus Rosalez Ruiz on CAT
https://equineclickertraining.wordpress.com/2020/03/05/asat-2020-dr-jesus-rosales-ruiz-c-a-t-rules/
Angela Rentfro - Fearful to Friendly
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc149657/
PODCAST Interview with Kellie Snider & Lauren Novack about CAT https://hannahbranigan.dog/podcast/139/