Sure, cats may not be as famous for their tricks as their canine counterparts, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn! Because they are independent, teaching cats can take some persistence – but it’s certainly not impossible. With positive reinforcement and patience, your cat can have a great time playing games and performing a variety of tricks.

[Edit]things you should know

• Train your cat in short bursts, using treats and a clicker as rewards. Teach your cat one trick at a time, and switch to a new trick only after it has mastered the previous trick
• Teach your cat to sit by placing a treat on its head. If he tries to reach for the treat and sits down in the process, give him a treat as a reward.
• Teach your cat to give the high-five by showing him a treat and then holding it in your hand. If he uses his paws to try to grab the treat, give him the treat as a reward.
• Practice these tricks several times a day until your cat starts doing them even when you don’t have treats.

[Edit]step

[Edit]Can cats learn tricks?

1. Yes, cats can definitely learn tricks. Training sessions with your cat are a great way to keep your feline friend alert and engaged. Plus, it can be a great bonding experience!^[1] The key is to keep training sessions brief, ones that hold your cat’s attention so she’ll want to keep trying.^[2]
   

[Edit]cat training best practices

1. Get a supply of treats. Cats must be consistently rewarded with tasty treats in order to learn tricks. Keep plenty of your cat’s favorite bite-sized treats on hand while trying to train it. Give your cat the treat frequently while training in short sessions.^[3][4] You can also change up treats frequently to keep your cat interested.^[5] Some good options are:^[6]
   
   • Shredded Chicken
   • tuna chunks
   • commercial cat treats
   • small pieces of dry food
2. Get your cat’s attention. Your cat won’t want to learn tricks if he’s not in the mood. Offering your cat a treat can get its attention, which you can do with small, moving objects (such as a toy mouse or a feather tied to a rope).^[7]If your cat doesn’t show interest in learning a particular trick, don’t force it to play — just be patient and try again later.^[8]
   
3. Use a clicker. Pet clicker is a small device that makes a clicking sound. Every time your cat does something you want (like a trick), make a clicking sound and give it a treat. The sound of the treat and positive reinforcement (reward) condition your cat to repeat the behavior.^[9][10][11]
   
   • Pet clickers can be found at pet supply stores. If you can’t find one, you can try a pen that makes a clicking sound.
4. Keep training sessions short and frequent. Cats learn through repetition, so frequent training sessions will help them master a trick. Try to repeat the tricks several times every day.^[12]
   
5. Repeat the moves as you train your cat. When your cat completes a trick, give it a treat. Then try having your cat repeat the trick 5-10 times in a row (giving him a treat each time), until he is interested. This will encourage repetitive behavior.^[13]
   
6. Don’t use cue words until the cat learns the trick. For example, if you want your cat to sit, don’t use the word “sit” until it gets used to doing the trick. This will help the cat to specifically associate the word with the trick.^[14]
   
7. Teach one trick at a time. Positive reinforcement such as praise and treats as your cat learns a trick will help him master the behavior. Trying to teach it more than one trick at a time can confuse it, as it may not understand which behavior is being rewarded. Wait until your cat has mastered one trick before moving on to the next.^[15]
   
8. Don’t punish your cat for not learning a trick. Cats learn much better when rewards and positive reinforcement are given, as opposed to punishment. Scolding or punishing your cat when it doesn’t complete a trick will only make it more stressed or reluctant. If your cat doesn’t show interest in learning a trick or doesn’t perform it successfully, just try again later. Take cat breaks so they look forward to learning.^[16]
   

[Edit]easy tricks

1. Teach your cat to sit. When your cat is on all fours, hold a treat in front of its face and slowly move it between its ears to get its attention. Many cats will follow the treat into the air and lower their rear end to get at it. When your cat sits, positively reinforce her behavior by praising her and giving her a treat.^[17][18]
   
   • If your cat’s rear end doesn’t touch the ground the first time, give her the treat anyway. Keep repeating this training and your cat can get better each time.
2. Teach your cat to “hi-five”. First, encourage your cat to move its paw by giving it a treat every time it lifts its paw off the ground. Then, take a treat in your hand (for example, clench your fist), and wait until your cat tries to grab it from your hand using its paws. When the cat does this, reward it with a treat. Repeat this several times, each time raising your hand more slowly until the behavior becomes like giving a high-five.^[19]
   
3. Train your cat to come when called.^[20][21] Try training your cat for this trick at mealtime since it will already be hungry. Call your cat’s name and tap on its food bowl to get its attention. When your cat comes, praise it and give it a treat.
   
   • Once your cat gets used to coming when called, you can use the “come” command for this trick as well.
   • You can change this trick by trying to train your cat to come in faster, from outside to inside, etc.
4. Train your cat to touch an object. You can teach your cat to hold onto an object, such as a toy or a sturdy surface that won’t fall. This trick is best learned after your cat has learned to sit. Once your cat is sitting next to the object, place a treat near it to attract the cat. When the cat touches the object, give it a treat.
   
   • Once your cat is interested in this trick, you can even train it to touch the object with a specific type of body. For example, if you want to train her to touch an object with her paw, wait to give your cat a treat until she does so.
5. Train your cat to sit on two feet. Place a treat on top of your cat, but not close enough that he can touch it. When your cat sits on its back legs, and reaches for the treat with its front paws, use a command such as “sit” and give it the treat.
   
6. Teach your cat to shake hands. Sit in front of your cat and gently touch its paws. When he lifts his paw off the ground, hold it in your hands as if you were shaking hands. Give your cat the treat right away.
   
7. Teach your cat to meow on command. Cats are capable of producing a wide variety of vocal sounds (meows, chirps, trills, yowls, etc.), and they reserve most of them for communicating with humans.^[22][23][24] You can try to train your cat to meow or make other sounds on command. When your cat makes the desired sound, simply give it the treat. When the cat begins to associate the treat with the reward, introduce a word such as “meow” or “chirp” to make it a command.
   

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Advice

• If you want to teach a cat to jump on something, take a toy or treat and place that object in front of your cat. Call his name and say “Jump!”. Your cat should be jumping for the treat/toy. After some time try to do it without the object. Call its name to get its attention. Then say “Jump!”.
• Don’t expect your cat to learn tricks fast. Be patient. stay still.
• Always give your cat attention afterwards, she needs a reward after hard work.
• If your cat (or kitten) scratches or bites, these tricks can help you play with your cat.
• Once your cat has learned the trick, don’t force it to do the trick over and over again.
• Tricks are a good way to help your cat get the exercise she needs. 20 to 60 minutes per day of activity is recommended.

[Edit]Related wikiHows

• teach your cat to shake hands
• Train the cat to stay safe outside and catch mice
• train a cat to jump through a hoop
• train a cat
• teach your cat to do tricks
• bond with your cat
• create hyper cat sit

[Edit]Reference

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[Edit]quick summary