How to Train Your Cat to Come to You

Last Updated: June 27, 2022 References Approved

Cats can be aloof and independent, which isn’t always ideal when you need them to come to you for something, like to get them in their crate for a trip to the vet. Fortunately, even cats can be trained to come to you when you call for them, and it's actually not that hard to do! Below we’ve broken down the training process step-by-step to make it as easy as possible for you and your cat.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Prepping for Training

1
Find a reward. If you want your cat to come when called, you have to offer a reward of some kind. Unlike dogs, cats do not always work to please their owners alone. If your cat does not feel she will be rewarded for behaving, she may not engage in an activity.^{[1]
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- Food is highly recommended as a reward. The vast majority of cats will work for a treat or food type they love. Choose something other than their everyday food. Get a special treat from the store or offer a small bit of deli meat or tuna. You may have to do some trial and error to find a food type your cat likes.^{[2]
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- Though most cats’ primary pleasure is food, there are some cats that just aren’t as interested. If your cat is generally disinterested in food, substitute the food treat with a special toy, favorite brush, or even a certain petting your cat enjoys.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Brian Bourquin, DVM
  Veterinarian
  Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.}
2
Decide on a call. Make up a unique call to signal to your cat she needs to come. You should choose something that's not an every day phrase. Your cat's name, for example, is a bad option for a call as you likely say it in situations where you don't need your cat to come. This can be confusing. Think of a unique phrase or sound you can use to get your cat to come.^{[4]
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- Noises can work well. You can say can say something like, "Ki-ki-ki!" in a high-pitched voice. You can make a clicking or squeaking noise. A whistle may also work.
- You can also choose a phrase you don't say often. You can try something like, "Come here!" or "Treats!" or "Tuna!"
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3
Establish a positive connection between the sound and the reward. Once you've chosen your noise and reward, start establishing a positive connection. If you want your cat to come in response to a particular sound, you need to make sure she associates that sound with positive things. Make your call and then offer your cat food, treats, toys, or petting as a reward. If you're using food as a reward, you may want to make your call just before dinnertime.^{[5]
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- Positive reinforcement is the key to successfully training your cat to do things.^{[6]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Brian Bourquin, DVM
  Veterinarian
  Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.}

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Establishing the Habit

1
Call your cat and then offer a reward. Once the reward and reinforcement is established, you can begin training time. To start, begin calling your cat. Offer her the reward as soon as she responds.^{[7]
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- Stand a couple feet away from your cat. Do your call. It may also be helpful to show your cat the reward as you call her. For example, you can crinkle a bag of treats or dangle her toy in front of you.
- As soon as your cat comes to you, reward her. Give her a treat or toy, pet her, brush her, or engage in any reward you've established.
- Do not be surprised if your cat takes awhile to come at first. It may take awhile for your cat to learn she should approach you when she hears your call. Be patient. Keep doing your call until your cat figures out she needs to come.
2
Increase the distance. Once your cat comes to you from a small distance, start increasing the distance. Step back a few more feet when you call your cat. Try calling her from other rooms. You can also try calling her during times she's distracted. Remember, you want your cat to come when called in a variety of situations. Varying the distance and situation can help establish the behavior.^{[8]
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3
Try to train before mealtimes. Once your cat is beginning to understand the command, you can start training her. If you're using food as a reward, your cat may be more motivated by food if she's hungry. Try scheduling training sessions about 15 minutes before mealtimes.^{[9]
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The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
Go to source}
4
Reward your cat immediately. Don’t wait too long to reward your cat. Otherwise, your cat may not make the connection between the treat and the act of coming towards you. As soon as your cat comes to you, offer the reward. Animals live in the immediate. If you want your cat to understand what the command means, she needs to be rewarded right away.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
Go to source}
5
Practice in short sessions. Try to get in the habit of training your cat once a day. Cats tend to be more independent and have limited attention spans, so train in short sessions.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Brian Bourquin, DVM
Veterinarian
Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.} Try brief 5 minute training sessions once or twice a day.^{[12]
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6
Train your cat in many different parts of the house. Once your cat begins to reliably come to you in the kitchen or wherever you first began training, move to other parts of the house while calling to them. Eventually your cat will know to just follow the sound of your voice.
7
Slowly wean your cat off the treat. As your cat begins to come consistently when called, alternate the treats with petting, a scratch behind the ears, or any other kind of positive attention. Too many treats or food as reward can cause weight problems in your cat. You also want your cat to come when called in any situation, and you may not always have a treat on hand.
- Once your cat reliably responds to your call, give it the same treat three out of every four times, then reduce it to half the time, then a third, and so on until you are only occasionally give it the treat you once trained it with.^{[13]
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  Trustworthy Source
  The Humane Society of the United States
  National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
  Go to source}
- Continue using non-food rewards. Eventually, your cat will understand she needs to come when called even if treats are not present.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Avoiding Pitfalls

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Start young, if possible. Cats tend to learn quicker when they're young. Therefore, the best time to begin training your cat is when she's a kitten. However, many people adopt cats when they're older. An older can learn as well. It just may take more time.
2
Do not punish your cat. Don’t punish your cat for not following along with your training, even if your cat only comes some of the time or doesn’t come at all. Cats do not respond well to punishment.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Brian Bourquin, DVM
Veterinarian
Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.} They do not connect punishment with bad behavior, and simply think they're getting mistreated needlessly. If you punish your cat, she may become stressed or unhappy at home. This can result in her being even less likely to come when called.^{[15]
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Trustworthy Source
The Humane Society of the United States
National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare
Go to source}
3
Do not withhold rewards if your cat responds slowly. At first, it may take your cat awhile to come when she's called. You should not withhold rewards if your cat does not follow the command immediately. Your cat may simply be confused and be taking awhile to make the connection. You want to make sure to reward your cat consistently, solidifying the positive association with your call. Reward your cat even if she's taking awhile.^{[16]
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4
Avoid using your command in negative situations. You want to avoid using the come command for anything that may create a negative situation. Bad associations may make your cat hesitant to come when called.
- If you need to take your cat to the vet or give them an unpleasant medicine, approach your cat instead of having her come to you.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you train your cat to do tricks?

Brian Bourquin, DVM
Veterinarian
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.

Brian Bourquin, DVM

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

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Use positive reinforcement. When your cat does something right, give it a treat to reinforce the behavior. For example, if you wanted to train your cat to play fetch, you could throw a toy and then give your cat a treat when it brings the toy back to you.

Warnings

Avoid feeding your cat dairy products as a reward. While many people think cats love milk and cream, the lactose in dairy products are difficult for a cat to digest. Feeding your cat dairy can result in indigestion.^{[18]
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