Teaching a cat commands may seem challenging, but with consistent patience and gentle persistence, it becomes achievable. Although it requires time and dedication, your cat can learn to give a paw, stand, or jump on command, strengthening your bond and enhancing your mutual understanding.
Trained dogs are common and relatively easy to teach, whether on your own or with professional help, but trained cats are truly remarkable and often captivate audiences, as demonstrated by Russian Yuri Kuklachev’s mesmerizing feline performances. Unlike dogs, cats are typically seen as independent creatures that prefer to do their own thing and are less inclined to follow commands, making their training all the more impressive and delightful.
While cats are indeed harder to train than dogs, they can be quite willing to follow certain commands. And as Daniel Cummings of the animal charity Cats Protection points out in his article , training cats is a way to improve their behaviour.
For example, you can teach your pet to perform actions to the words “come to me”, “stand”, “jump”, “sit” and “give me your paw”. But for everything to work out, it is important to follow several rules.
Cat Trick Tips
First, ensure that the cat feels safe and relaxed during training, viewing it as a fun game rather than a stressful task. Keep training sessions brief, ideally under 30 minutes, as cats tire and lose interest quickly. Consistency is key, so practice together on the regular and avoid punishing mistakes, focusing instead on positive reinforcement to encourage learning and strengthen your bond.
It is essential that reinforcement for successfully completing a command is exclusively positive; trainers often use food as a reward for correct performance, but since some cats may not be motivated by eating, alternative rewards like gentle stroking or scratching should be considered to effectively reinforce desired behaviors.
Alesya Pavlova, a veterinarian and zoopsychologist, told TechInsider:
Cat training is not a myth, they are very trainable. Most often, they will like it. But it is worth remembering: all cats are different and some will find training more interesting, while others will find it less. If the animal does not want to do it, there is no need to force it, but motivating it to do something for a tasty morsel is a very effective tactic that perfectly develops the pet’s intelligence.
When should you start training your cat?
While beginning training early is beneficial, it’s best to wait until kittens are around 7-8 months old, as by then they can better understand commands and respond to reward-based training. Initially, choose commands that align with their natural preferences, such as teaching a climbing-loving kitten to perch on your shoulders or encouraging a toy-carrying kitten to bring back objects, making training engaging and effective.
Is it possible to teach commands to an adult cat?
Teaching commands to an adult cat is difficult, but possible. Over the years, the animal develops its own character and habits. That is why the training process will be more painstaking and will take more time than with kittens, but if you approach it correctly and with love, everything can work out.
Here are five tricks you can teach a cat to do (REALLY!)
