This article was co-authored by Brian Bourquin, DVM. Brian Bourquin, better known as “Dr. B” to his clients, is a Veterinarian and the Owner of Boston Veterinary Clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, South End/Bay Village, the Seaport, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston Veterinary Clinic specializes in primary veterinary care, including wellness and preventative care, sick and emergency care, soft-tissue surgery, dentistry. The clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. Boston Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) accredited hospital and Boston’s first Fear Free Certified Clinic. Brian has over 19 years of veterinary experience and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.
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Sure, cats may not be as well-known for their tricks as their canine counterparts, but that doesn't mean they can't learn! Since they tend to be independent, teaching cats can take a little bit of persistence—but it's definitely not impossible. With positive reinforcement and patience, your cat can have a great time playing games and performing a variety of tricks.
Things You Should Know
- Train your cat in short bursts, using treats and a clicker as a reward. Teach your cat one trick at a time, and only switch to a new one after they've mastered the previous trick
- Teach your cat to sit by holding a treat over its head. If it tries to reach the treat and sits down in the process, give it the treat as a reward.
- Teach your cat to give high-fives by showing it a treat and then closing it in your hand. If it uses its paw to try to grab the treat, give it the treat as a reward.
- Practice these tricks several times a day until your cat starts doing them even when you're not holding a treat.
Steps
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QuestionHow do you teach your cat to kiss you?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
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QuestionHow do I teach my cat to high five?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
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QuestionIs it easy to teach a cat tricks?Pippa Elliott, MRCVSDr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
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References
- ↑ https://www.bluevalleyanimalhospital.net/blog/tips-on-teaching-your-cat-to-do-tricks/
- ↑ Brian Bourquin, DVM. Cat Behavior Trainer. Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.
- ↑ http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/a_super-simple_method_for_training_cat_tricks
- ↑ https://www.purina.com.au/cats/exercising/how-to-train
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/teaching-your-cat-come-when-called
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/training-your-cat
- ↑ Brian Bourquin, DVM. Cat Behavior Trainer. Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.
- ↑ https://www.purina.com.au/cats/exercising/how-to-train
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/training-your-cat
- ↑ http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/clicker-training-your-pet
- ↑ http://bestfriends.org/resources/clicker-training
- ↑ https://www.purina.com.au/cats/exercising/how-to-train
- ↑ Brian Bourquin, DVM. Cat Behavior Trainer. Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.
- ↑ http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/a_super-simple_method_for_training_cat_tricks
- ↑ https://www.purina.com.au/cats/exercising/how-to-train
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/training-your-cat
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/training-your-cat
- ↑ http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/a_super-simple_method_for_training_cat_tricks
- ↑ https://www.purina.com.au/cats/exercising/how-to-train
- ↑ http://www.purina.com.au/cats/training/come
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/teaching-your-cat-come-when-called
- ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/meowing-and-yowling
- ↑ http://m.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/2011/05-06/the_cats_meow_understanding.html
- ↑ http://messybeast.com/cat_talk.htm
About This Article
If you want to teach your cat to do tricks, find a treat that your cat likes, such as diced chicken or pieces of tuna. Give the cat a treat to get its attention, then get it to perform the trick, such as giving you its paw or having it sit. Give the cat a treat and praise each time it performs the trick, but keep the training session brief, about 5-10 repetitions. However, you can repeat a training session several times a day until your cat learns the trick. Keep reading for advice from our veterinary reviewer on how to teach your cat to sit!