Cats Can Be Trained! Train your cat for both your cat’s enjoyment and your entertainment. It’s easy for almost any cat, regardless of age, if you follow these few simple tips. The easiest trick you can train your cat to do is to “sit”, but training can also be used for training to scratch on the scratching post instead of the carpet, teeth brushing, or other things that you’d like. Start by training for fun, and then try for other routines. Training can also help your cat adjust more easily to new situations.

Most important steps to training

• Immediately reward your cat if your cat does or even starts to do what you have asked your cat to do. Ignore any movements, without saying or doing anything, if your cat makes movements that are not what you asked.
• Be patient and keep training sessions to 5 minutes or less.
• Start training your cat by choosing things that your cat naturally does (for example, sit or scratch on).

How do I reward my cat?

• Choose something that your cat really likes for rewards. It can be as simple as a kibble or other food treat, telling your cat how good or smart he or she is, or petting your cat.
• Rewards must be immediate (within 3 seconds) of the desired behavior; otherwise, another behavior may have occurred in between and your cat will think the reward is for that instead.
• For the first few weeks, reward your cat each time the behavior is performed when you ask.
• Once the behavior is learned, reward intermittently.
• Cats can also be “clicker trained”. For more information, see “Clicker Training for Cats” by Karen Pryor
  
• Set daily times for training and play sessions - cats thrive on routines! Changing the location where the training occurs is helpful because it adds variety, and lets your cat know that the behavior should be done in any location.

Ignore or redirect negative behavior:

• NEVER punish or yell at your cat!! Don’t even say “no”. This will not teach and often leads to fear, which usually result in unwanted behavior.
• If your cat is not following the directions, ignore your cat or redirect his or her behavior to get the cat back on track. To ignore, either look or walk away for a few seconds.

Here are some great examples:
"Sit"
Hold a treat in front of the nose. When your cat is interested in the treat, slowly raise the treat to above the head. As the head goes up, the hind end will go down. Say "sit" in a soft and encouraging tone as soon as the hind end goes down. Reward.

"Come"
Only good things should happen when your cat comes to your voice. A good time to encourage your cat to come is when it's hungry. Your cat already is trained to some degree - most cats come as soon as they hear a food bag rustle or a can of food opened. Coupling the word with the action, and giving an immediate reward will reinforce the behavior.

"Give Me Five"
First ask the cat to sit. Then put the treat to one side so that the cat raises a paw to reach for the food treat. Reward as you say "give me five". Start with your cat's natural tendency to reach up and touch something with his or her paw. Reinforce the behavior at the same time the verbal cue is given.

"Other"
If you've ever seen a cat perform, you know that they can do anything, from jumping through hula hoops to running an agility course (a maze). The trick is persistence and patience on your part. The rewards are boundless, with your cat being better behaved, interested in more things, and comfortable in different situations where the tricks can be used to distract.

Please call if any questions. Thanks for helping to enrich your cat's life!