THE PADA TEST
The PADA test is conducted by an ethologist (behavioral biologist) specialized in cats and provides you with an objective and professional assessment of your cat's innate personality.
The test consists of several elements that depending on how the cat reacts or not reacts to certain environments, triggers or situations will tell us about the cat's personality traits: (lack of) fearfulness, sociability, responsiveness to training, (lack of) aggression, boldness, activity and more.
WHY USE PADA?
When is PADA relevant?
Many behavioral traits can be subtle and difficult to detect. For all cat owners, even the more experienced, it is not easy to fully and objectivly understand the cat's behavior, and this can affect the relationship, communication, well-being of the cat, problem behavior
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When you know the cat's personality traits you can better understand the cat's motivations, the underlying cause of certain behaviors, what environments and situations might be challenging, where does the cat excell and how can you better adapt things in the cat's everyday life.
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The many applications of PADA:
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Screening cats for breeding
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A tool to better understand and manage problem behaviors
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To improve the quality of life by adapting the cat's everyday life to suit it's needs and wants.
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To improve communication and strengthen the relationship by better understanding the cat.
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Assessing the cat's suitability as a therapy animal.
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An important tool for behaviorists and veterinarians.
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As documentation of the cat's personality traits and temperament.
PADA
TEAM
Dennis Turner
Switzerland
Institute for applied Ethology and Animal Psychology
Dennis C. Turner received his doctorate from The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health in Baltimore, then moved to Switzerland where he first became an Oberassistant in zoology, later with his Habilitation became a Priv.Doz. at the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich. For some 30 years he was Head of the Companion Animal Ethology and Human-Animal Relations Group at the Zoology Institute of that University and was Head of the Companion Animal Behavior Clinic at the Animal Hospital for 10 years. He has been the president of IAHAIO (15 years) and received the first IAHAIO Lifetime Distinguished Fellow Award (2021), was founding secretary of ISAAT, is a co-founder and Fellow of ISAZ, has been co-editor of Anthrozoös and Animal Welfare, is co-editor of People and Animals. The International Journal of Research and Practice (PAIJ), has written or co-editored scholarly books on cats, chapters on AAI and co-edited Attachment to Pets, and authored over 100 peer-reviewed research articles, mostly on cats and the human-cat relationship. For eight years he was a Trustee and Head of the Scientific Advisory Panel of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (now WAP). In 2023 he recieved the Honoris Causa Doctorate from The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, RO, and has been a team member in the Erasmus Plus (EU) project “Animals for People”.
Tahira Tarquini
Netherlands
Owner of Flow Coaching & Training
She offers educational material within AAI. She is educated in Animal Husbandry, Equine Business and Economics and Positive Psychology. She also specialised in (Systemic) Coaching, following Dog and Horse Assisted Coaching courses, besides following several courses within AAI and dog behavior, including the PADA Evaluator course (for which she will give exams soon). She is also active in the Erasmus+ sector as a project coordinator and project facilitator.
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Christine Olsen
Norway
Co-founder of International Community of Anthrozoology
Dr Christine Olsen has a master's degree in ethology, higher education in special needs education and rehabilitation, and a Ph.D. in public health focusing on animal-assisted interventions. Her research is frequently cited and is rated in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Almetric. Dr. Olsen is also a dog behaviorist and trainer and screens dogs' personalities around Europe. She travels with her lectures about AAI, dog mental tests, and animal welfare as a speaker at international conferences.
Fumi Higaki
JAPAN
Professional dog trainer, Canine Behavior Consulting, and Therapy Dog Training and Evaluation.
In the US, she earned Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration with a focus in Organizational Behavior. She is a certified canine behavior consultant from IAABC and CCPDT. She is also a Certified Therapy Dog Evaluator and Educator of Animal Assisted Education from ASAET where she teaches online courses in approaches to animal-assisted education as well as animal behavior.
As the Founder and Director of Ichinomiya Animal Assisted Education Dog Club, she works to raise awareness and to teach children about dog behavior, dog emotions, humane approach to living with them, and integrating dogs into our society as valuable social facilitators.
Testing your cat
Although the test itself is very similar to the PADA Dog test, the protocol for the PADA Cat test is quite different. In the following information you can see how to apply for the test.
The cat must be at least 1 year old to be tested.
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1. Fill in the form to request a PADA Cat test (ICofA will contact you within a week after your form submission)
2. You will be asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding the tested cat and also receive information regarding which format of service you would like to have (prices listed below):
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Organise, prepare and execute the test by yourself (you will receive the protocol to do so)
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Receive online support from a certified PADA Cat Evaluator to assist you in organising and preparing the test
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Receive support from a certified PADA Cat Evaluator in person. This can occur at the Evaluator's testing location or you can hire the Evaluator to come to a location of your choice (the location must be unknown for the cat). Please mind that at the moment there are 4 PADA Cats Evaluators around the world: 1 in Sweden, 2 in The Netherlands and 1 in Japan.​
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3. Realise the payment of the PADA test + the service format of your choice
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4. You will receive the Protocol explaining step by step how to execute the test and also, what do you need for it.
Make sure you have:
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Cat crate known by the cat
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Favourite cat's treats
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Favourite cat's toys
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Litterbug with usual filling
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Box unknown by the cat
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Camera or phone to record test
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One unfamiliar room for the cat (can be at a colleague's office, friend's house; at least 15m2)
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Two unfamiliar persons (for the cat) to help you conduct the test
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5. Follow the steps in the protocol for the submission of the test​​​
PRICES
Test by yourself
- 175 Euro
- 85 Euro (Low Income Countries)
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** + 30 Euro per video submission that do not match the criteria
Test with online support
- 175 + 30 Euro
- 85 + 15 Euro (Low Income Countries)
Test with support in person
- 175 Euro +Evaluator travelling costs
- 85 Euro (Low Income Countries) + Evaluator travelling costs