Cats are often misunderstood as untrainable creatures, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many cats can learn and benefit from learning a few simple tricks. These training sessions not only provide mental stimulation and enrichment for your feline friend but also serve to deepen the bond between you and your cat. Cats thrive on routine, and teaching them tricks is simply a matter of introducing a new, engaging routine into their lives. This guide will focus on three fundamental tricks: coming when called, sitting, and offering a high five.
What You’ll Need
To embark on this training journey, ensure you have a quiet, comfortable space for both you and your cat. Gather your cat’s favorite treats, reserving some special, high-value rewards exclusively for training sessions. These could be store-bought treats, freeze-dried chicken, or even small pieces of low-sodium deli turkey or roast chicken. If your cat isn’t highly food-motivated, a favorite toy can serve as an equally effective reward. For cats motivated by physical affection, a few gentle pats can also be a good reward, though training may take a bit longer.
Prepare to dedicate about 15 minutes of your time for each session. While actual training might take less, this allows for gathering your supplies and your cat. An optional, but helpful, tool is a clicker or any object that makes a distinct clicking sound, such as a ballpoint pen. Alternatively, you can create a clicking sound with your tongue.
Getting Started: The Foundation of Training
Begin in your chosen quiet space with your cat, treats, and your clicker (or chosen clicking sound). Start by clicking and treating once to ensure your cat is comfortable with the sound. Then, focus on rewarding a specific behavior, such as looking in your direction. The moment your cat looks at you, click and immediately offer a treat. Repeat this process every time she makes eye contact. Once your cat associates offering you attention with a click and a treat—which often happens within a single session—you can begin to increase the distance between you.
As your cat starts to approach you, click and treat. While she’s enjoying her treat, move around the room, repeating the click and reward as she follows you.
When your cat consistently comes to you, introduce the verbal cue. Avoid using her name, as it’s useful for getting her attention generally. Instead, choose a simple, specific word like “Come” or “Here.” Say this cue just as she looks up from her treat, and click as she moves towards you. Eventually, you’ll want to progress to calling her from a different room. When she finds you, click and reward her. Once she reliably comes to you from various parts of your home, the clicker’s precision becomes less critical. Simply reward her when she responds to the cue with a treat, praise, play, or whatever she enjoys most.
Mastering “Sit” and “Sit Pretty”
Find a comfortable position on the floor with your cat, or place her on a raised surface like a table if that’s easier for you. When she sees you have a treat, she might approach you. Say “sit” and move the treat slightly over her head. Most cats will naturally lower themselves into a sit to reach the treat. The moment her rear touches the floor or surface, click and then give her the treat, praising her for being a good cat. Repeat this a few times before ending the session. Sit training can be a bit more challenging for cats than recall, so keep these sessions brief. Once your cat consistently sits on the verbal cue, you can phase out the clicker and simply reward her for a job well done.
The “High Five” Trick
The “high five” may look impressive, but it’s surprisingly easy to teach. Similar to teaching “sit,” ensure you and your cat are at a similar eye level. Hold a treat in front of your cat at shoulder height. When she reaches out a paw and touches the hand holding the treat, click and then give her the treat. Over time, she’ll understand that touching your hand is the precursor to receiving a treat. At this point, remove the treat from the hand she’s reaching for. When she touches your empty hand, click and give her the treat with your other hand. Once she’s consistent with this, begin offering your hand in a palm-up position, as if for a high five, and use the verbal cue “High five!” When she touches your palm, click and reward her. As with the other tricks, you can gradually wean her off the clicker and reinforce her solely for responding to the cue.
Essential Training Tips for Success
For each trick, aim for short, focused sessions. Repeat each trick only four to six times per session. Two to three brief sessions per day are far more effective than one long session that can lead to boredom.
Always use positive reinforcement. Never scold or punish your cat for incorrect attempts or lack of response. If she performs a trick incorrectly, simply ignore it and try again. If she walks away, consider the session over and try again later.
Patience is key. Some cats grasp tricks quickly, while others require more time. Allow your cat to learn at her own pace.
Most importantly, enjoy the process. View these training sessions as valuable bonding and playtime with your cat. The tricks themselves are a bonus, and the shared experience should be the primary reward for both of you. This approach ensures that both you and your cat will have positive experiences, regardless of the training outcome.
This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.
