How to teach a cat commands
Do you think only dogs can run after a ball or fetch slippers? And here it is not. Cats are also trainable. They can be taught various tricks if they are in a good mood. And how to teach a cat commands we will tell in our material

“Mood is not a joke,” cat breeders say. – When your pet is in the mood to play, at such moments you can teach him to bring a ball, a bow, some other small toys, or learn the “jump through the hoop” trick. But you must understand that it will take much more time to train a cat than to teach the same commands to dogs. And not because some are smarter, while others are not. Cats are wayward, and if at some point your pussy becomes lethargic, sleepy, or just not in the mood, then you will not force any commands to follow (or learn them).

7 simple commands for a cat

There is a standard set of commands that almost any cat can master.

give paw

Put a treat on your palm, bring it to the mustachioed pet and wait for the kitty to put its paw on your hand, as if asking for a treat. If she won’t reach for the treat, show her what needs to be done, then praise her, let her eat a treat and stroke her. The next time your mustachioed friend starts to raise his paw at the sight of a treat in his palm, say the command “give paw.” Repeat this 5-7 times, then take a break.

Sit

When the cat is spinning next to you, press gently on the croup and at the moment when she starts to sit down, give the command “sit”. After you make a request, you can snap two fingers to get the animal’s attention. Dog breeders at this moment raise their index finger. The click must be played after each command so that the cat reacts to it.

You can teach a kitty this exercise not only by pressing on the croup, but also by repeating the command along with a click when your furry friend sits next to him.

Benefits

The team needs to be learned when the kitty is lying down. With one hand, start stroking the fluffy, gently pressing on his back, not letting him get up. With the other hand, hold the yummy, gradually moving it away from the muzzle to the side. The cat, unable to stand up, will reach forward for the treat, pulling itself up on its claws.

Bring

You can teach this command to a cat if she is playful herself and likes to wear some things and toys. The next time you throw a ball, a bow or a mouse to your kitty (it can be on a string to pull it a little towards you) and she brings it to you, give her a treat for this. If it drops on the way, don’t give anything. Repeat the exercise several times in a row, accompanying the throw with the sound of the command. Do not spend more than 3 – 5 minutes on the exercise, otherwise the kitty will quickly get tired of it. Give treats only when your pet does everything right. And don’t expect quick results.

To me!

First, figure out how you will call the mustachioed pet to you. It can be “kiss-kiss” or some other expression. For the first time, beckon your cat to you by picking up her favorite toy or treat. Pet treats should be lured before eating, 15 minutes before feeding, when the cat is already hungry. As soon as she approaches you, reward her with a treat and pet her. As soon as the animal begins to approach you from small distances, start increasing them. Repeat the exercises in different rooms two or three times a day.

Bounce

If you have an adult cat, a small hoop will work for this exercise, if you have a kitten, you can use a large hoop. Put them in front of the kitty, and on the other hand, beckon her with a treat. As soon as the animal crosses the circle, reward it. In a few days, when the fluffy understands what they want from him, and will do everything right, start little by little, literally a couple of centimeters, to raise the hoop so that the kitten makes a jump. Accompany the exercise with the “up” or “jump” command.

Vote

Learn this command before eating, teasing the kitty with a treat. Take a yummy, bring it to the muzzle so that the pet can smell it, and lift it higher. Wait until the mustachioed friend starts making different sounds, demanding food. When you hear a distinct “meow”, let him gobble up a treat.

parenting tips

It is easier to train a kitten than an adult cat. In the second case, you just need more time.

Suitable age for training a kitten is 6-8 months.

You need to train a pet 1 – 3 times a day, no more. Each approach should not take more than 5 minutes.

If the cat does not respond to commands, do not force or scold. Take a break and start over after a while.

For treats, choose treats that are different from your pet’s normal diet. If feeding dry food, give wet food and vice versa. Kitty must want to eat this yummy.

When training cats, you need to give a treat at the moment when the kitty has completed the exercise. The treat should be ready by now. If you hesitate and treat your pet after a minute, the animal will not understand that he was given a treat for the trick he performed.

Training should be done before the main meal.

In addition to treats, do not forget to stroke the animal, scratch behind the ear and praise it.

After your cat learns to quickly follow a particular command, start weaning the animal from treats. Give treats not for every trick, but for 2-3 performed in a row. Then, instead of a treat, you can simply stroke and praise the pet.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about how to teach a cat commands veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina и zoopsychologist, specialist in the correction of cat behavior Nadezhda Samokhina.

Which cat breeds are best trained?

All breeds are trainable to some extent. The main thing is to find an approach, – says Nadezhda Samokhina. – But it is believed that Bengal, Abyssinian, Somali cats, Chausie, Orientals, Maine Coons are best trained.

 

“And also active sociable cats, for example, Siamese, Kurilian Bobtails, Rex, Sphynx, Siberian and ordinary outbred,” says Anastasia Kalinina.

Which cats cannot be taught commands?

– It does not depend on the breed. It’s just that some breeds are easier to train, while others are more arrogant and stubborn,” explains Anastasia Kalinina. – Persian cats are the most difficult to learn, they are not very sociable and get tired of the importunity of people. The perfect animal for an introvert.

How to teach commands to an adult cat?

“It is imperative to use the so-called “positive reinforcement,” says Nadezhda Samokhina. – As a reward, there can be affection, praise or a treat. Only here there is one rule: the encouragement must be provided to the pet within 1 – 2 seconds after the desired command is executed.

What are the best treats to use to train a cat?

– Tiny pieces of cooked or raw meat, cheese, special treats from the pet store. For example, a dried lung or pads, Anastasia Kalinina recommends.

 

“The main thing is that these should be very small pieces in order to complete at least 10 repetitions of one command for memorization,” explains Nadezhda Samokhina.

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