Learn How to Teach a Cat Tricks

Since dogs are interested in pleasing their masters and cats are not, the training methods that work with canines may not work with cats.

For your first trick, find a behavior that your cat already does. As an example, felines like to bat at objects, so you could teach your cat to bat at your hand as if giving a high five. Getting the cat to do something that he or she has never done before would be next to impossible.

Many cats do best when trained with rewards. Treats or food bits tend to work well. Common dog reward tactics like giving playtime or enthusiastic praise will not work. Watch your pet for clues about well-liked foods and treats, and use these for training. You may want to limit these treats only to your training sessions for extra motivation.

When you first start training, give a treat each time your cat performs the behavior that you are trying to teach. Once the cat has mastered the trick, provide the reward intermittently so that your cat will learn not to expect a treat every time.

Felines are very sensitive to any show of negative emotions on your part. Be patient, and end the session if you become frustrated, so that your pet does not learn to associate displeasure with training.

Using deterrents can work with some felines, although this would not be a good tactic for teaching tricks. If your pet is scratching the wall or doing another behavior that you do not want, try spraying some water at him or her. Physical punishment should never be used on a ca, as they will more than likely try to avoid being near you in the future.

Some tricks that are easier to start with include sitting, coming when called, and giving a high five. These actions are simple and based on natural cat behavior. When teaching your cat to sit, wait until it naturally sits down. As soon as it does, say the word “sit” and give a treat. Repeat this often. Over time, your cat will learn to connect the word with the action.

Another easy trick is to get your cat to come to you. Use a word like “come” or call their name, and reward them each time they respond. It helps to do this when your cat is already coming toward you. After a few sessions, they may begin to come when called. Keep your tone gentle and happy to make the experience positive.

Clicker training can also be helpful. A clicker is a small tool that makes a sound when pressed. You click when your cat does the right thing and then offer a treat. This helps your cat understand exactly which behavior earned the reward.

Cat training can be a hard process since they have their ideas about what they will and will not do. You can learn how to teach a cat tricks or not to do certain behaviors, such as hanging out on your kitchen counter. Although cat training can be hard since they are not very interested in learning what you want them to, with patience and the right training techniques, you can learn how to teach a cat tricks or to behave in ways that are acceptable to you.