So my cat Toby is 4 years old and is allergic to almost everything. I want to start clicker training him, but I have no idea what to use as a treat.
He is allergic to the following:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Turkey
His allergies are nightmarish when they flare, and they cause him a lot of pain. Chicken and beef are pretty much in any basic cat treat, and when you rule out eggs there really isn't much left.
I have used pumpkin before as a reward for taking medicine, and he quite likes it. But he loses interest in it quickly and too much pumpkin can lead to diarrhea.
I also have a wet food he can eat, but it's so messy that I'm not sure how I would use it as a motivator. He really likes the broth, and will avoid the meat bits if there isn't enough of it.
I don't want to use pork, I don't think it's really good for anyone (animal or otherwise) so I don't ever have it in the house.
I have considered using tuna, but I'm worried he'll get sick or addicted to it. He already has so many food problems I don't want to create another one. If anyone had experience using tuna as a treat motivator, please let me know.
He is not toy motivated, he has toys he likes but will ignore them if he's not in the mood to play.
I know my boy has some problems but despite all of his restrictions and health issues he's very active and intelligent. He's broken into a fridge with childlock on it, and he regularly teaches himself something new. I think he would really benefit from going on walks, but so far any harness training has been impossible. I want to start clicker training as I've read a lot about it and I think he would take to it well.
Any help would be appreciated, especially those who have pets with the same restrictions. Thanks for reading :)