Kit Casanova to be on Animal Planet This Fall!

Animal Planet sent a video crew to our home in Texas in April to film Kit Casanova for a video to be aired this fall. For 10 hours, Kit happily jumped through his hoops, walked on his leash, and interacted with local Boy Scouts who talked about the postcards that we send to troops around the world. Click on following link to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLqyAz-kpew

Kit Casanova is making a movie!

Kit Casanova is making a movie!
Kit's talent, training, and personality have landed him a role in a new movie called Code Enforcer currently being filmed in Lakeway, TX. To learn more about the film, go to the following link: www.codeenforcermovie.com.
Kit is having a great time on the sets! He does as many "takes" as required, wears costumes, eats birthday cake, and digs in the dirt with a fellow actor--a dog!
The movie is well scripted and lots of fun!

Excitotoxins are very dangerous for humans and pets!

Dangerous additives in pet food!
By Trisha Yeager Menke

Excitotoxins are additives put into processed foods for humans and pets. In many cases they are disguised as natural flavorings, spices, yeast extract, textured protein, soy protein extract, and other ingredients, They are harmful to both humans and animals. Documented research has revealed that excitotoxins can destroy brain cells. They also can contribute to dyslexia, brain tumors, depression, and even rages and paranoia.
The following are examples of excitotoxins: MSG (monosodium glutamate), Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal), hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and cysteine—although there are many more as well. Excitotoxins are added to human and pet foods and drinks in order to enhance the flavor of the food. Anxious to get you to buy more of their products, human and pet food companies often use highly concentrated forms of excitotoxins to enhance the flavor of the food.
Pet foods are highly competitive, and comprise a huge industry! I stumbled onto the fact that excitotoxins were widely used in cat treats when I was teaching Kit Casanova to jump through hoops. Of course I switched him to safe treats immediately!

Because of the huge threat of excitotoxins I never buy processed foods for myself or my family. In addition, I prepare Kit's food myself using raw ingredients supplemented with nutrients. Since Kit loves his treats, I am also using a natural treat.

Austin Monthly Magazine Pet Issue

Notice: The Austin Monthly Magazine will be doing a photo-story featuring Kit and Trisha in their July Pet Issue! Look for it on the stands or read the story on the Media Page of www.kittytrainer.com.

Cat/Human Training Strategies

I’m a professional cat trainer. My 2 ½ year old cat, Kit Casanova, has learned to go potty in the toilet, and jump through a hoop 8 ft. off the ground—with a launch-to-landing trajectory of over 9 ft—all while wearing a cute military outfit and a confident look. He also sits in my backpack for nature walks with me, knows how to walk on a leash, sit and stay.
What’s the secret of cat training? For Kit and me it’s attitude. Neither of us feels superior. We’re equals, and we train each other. In other words, Kit gives me what I want when I ask, and I do the same for him. It’s a great arrangement! Kit is a very happy cat. He loves to perform and will do it for anyone who happens to come by, at the drop of a treat (homemade chicken jerky). He loves jumping through his hoop so much that he sometimes does it in the middle of the night—with or without treats. Kit is very sociable and loves meeting kids and adults—often while riding in the kids’ seat of a shopping cart, or at the farmer’s market.
How does Kit train me? Here's an example. He comes into my office in the late afternoon and jumps up on the back of my swivel chair. His first move is to give me a one or two head butts accompanied by a soft purr. If I ignore it, he waits a few minutes before nipping me gently on the nape of the neck. At this point I usually accommodate him, but if I don’t, his next ploy is a firm bite on the fleshy part of my arm. Believe me, I’ve learned not to ignore this not-so-gentle hint! I get up, and take him to his snack bowl, the jump site, or simply give him affection and play time.

Kit Casanova entertains seniors at nursing home!

Kit loves people of all types and ages. Recently he visited a skilled nursing facility in Lakeway, Texas with owner Trisha Yeager Menke. He calmly lay on a table in the center of the room, surrounded by people--some standing, others sitting, and still others in wheelchairs. He welcomed pats, pets, kisses, and treats offered by hand, while Trisha coaxed him to do a few tricks, and answered questions about all aspects of cat training.
"Will he visit me in my room, and maybe jump through a hoop 7 or 8 feet off the ground?" Of course!
"Why is he so mellow?" Because he's been taught to love and trust people.
"Does he really use the toilet?" Yes, he does! It's not hard at all, and has many advantages!"
"Like what?" Well, besides being very convenient, I can monitor his urine pH and keep him from urinary difficulties and obstruction!"
"How do you get him to dress up and even wear a necklace?" Not hard at all. Kit loves the attention he gets. He was trained early and has never had a problem with dressing up."

Austin Statesman Article

Cat jumps through hoops to honor troops | Photos
PETS
Cat jumps through hoops to honor troops
Owner says cats want to be trained and to train their humans
By Sarah Lindner
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, February 29, 2008
Trisha Yeager Menke loves cats — she trains them and writes and books and articles about them. And, as the child of a military family, she's also an ardent supporter of U.S. troops. Now, with a little help from her feline friend Kit Casanova, she's combined both of these passions in an unusual service project.
Kit, you see, has a special talent: He can jump through a hoop suspended from the ceiling. Menke turned photos of the feline daredevil into 5,000 prestamped postcards. She's sending the cards to troops in Iraq to make it easier for them to keep in touch with the folks back home. To finance the project, Menke worked a second job.
Menke was nice enough to answer a few questions for us via e-mail. To see more of Kit in action, and follow links to learn more about Menke's work, visit http://kitcasanova.blogspot.com.
How did you get the idea to teach Kit to jump through a hoop?
I thought it would be fun, and Kit enjoyed it, too. I actually started him jumping through hoops when he was just a kitten, and he grew to love it more and more. As he got older, I hand-held the hoops higher and higher until finally I suspended one from the ceiling, and then gradually increased the jump trajectory to over 9 feet. I suspect I could coax him to jump even higher and farther, but right now it's fun for all of us — and anyone watching.

How hard (or easy) was it to teach him to do this?
It was easy. Cats are naturally athletic and love physical activity. They are not hard to train if you remember the basics: close bonding, consistency and respect for their emotional makeup — which is very much like that of humans. If we remember this and treat them as we would want to be treated, they train very easily. Positive reinforcement and treats are important. Homemade treats such as dried jerky are best since they don't contain artificial flavor enhancers and additives that are believed to cause health problems.
How long did it take you to raise the funds for this project?
It took me awhile since my main job is writing, publishing and marketing cat books and products. Since my business is just a little over a year old, it's not really in the black yet, so I took another job doing online tutoring to pay bills. It took me several months to save the money for the postcards and stamps. However, it is worth it. I grew up in a military family and have great respect for our troops and the sacrifices they make for us. I simply did what I could to show them my support for all they do for us.

Could you tell me a little more about Kit's background in general?
Kit was 2 years old at the end of January. He is trained to use the toilet, walk outside on a leash, wear cute shirts, sweaters and outfits, as well as sit and stay. He also rides in the kids' seat of a shopping cart, goes for walks in my backpack and will travel in the car. He's extremely friendly and companionable. I've never known a well-trained cat who wasn't, and I have trained many cats.
What would you tell people about cats that dispels their stereotypes (for example, that cats can't be trained)?
Many people fail to recognize and respond to the humanlike needs and traits of their pets. Cats are extremely intelligent, but to bring it out they need understanding, proper nutrition, play and creative stimulation. Sure, they'll simply sleep and eat when they're bored, just like humans do. They also get fat and can develop health problems from lack of activity. I enjoy physical games with Kit, and finding new ways to stimulate his activity and interest in life. He loves the ceiling hoop, and jumps through it many times a day! We both enjoy outings together, and sometimes I just turn on music and dance holding an ostrich feather or wand in my hand. He dances with me in his own way. My husband enjoys his company also.
I've had an unusual communication with animals since I was a small child. When I was 7, my little Bantam hen would push the door open every morning, walk in, locate me at the breakfast table, jump up and lay an egg in my lap. Nobody understood it. Because I love and respect animals so much, training cats came very naturally to me. Sure, I've developed specific techniques over time, and they work well. But most important, I think, is my respect and enjoyment of Kit has given me real insight. For example, I discovered that his desire to train me is equal to my own desire to train him. Here's just one small example: In the early evening, he will often jump onto my desk chair and nuzzle my neck. If I fail to respond, I will receive a small nip on the neck. Then, if I dare not respond, I get a bite on the fleshy part of my arm. I'm afraid some people would simply punish the cat or throw him into another room. I refuse to do that. I recognize that he respects my right to train him and vice versa!