How to teach your cat tricks: yes, it can be done, and it does them good
The idea that cats cannot be trained is another myth. They learn by the same logic as any animal: they repeat what has good consequences. It is just that they do not do it to please you, but because it pays off. With the right treats, short sessions and patience, a cat can learn tricks, house rules and, most usefully, not to fear the carrier.
Why it is worth it
Teaching a cat tricks is not just a novelty for social media. It is one of the best forms of mental enrichment for an indoor cat, it strengthens the bond with its person and it builds confidence, especially in shy cats. And it has very practical uses: a cat that comes when called is easier to find if it hides or escapes; one that walks into the carrier by itself makes vet trips far less of an ordeal; one that lets you handle its paws or mouth in exchange for a treat makes claw trimming, giving a tablet or examining it easier. All of that can be taught with the same techniques as a trick, and it changes life for the cat and for you.
The key: a reward it really wants
A dog will often work just for your approval; a cat, almost never. You need a reward it genuinely likes, and not everything works: many cats ignore their usual dry food. Good options are very small pieces of unsalted cooked chicken or turkey, good-quality cat treats, a little pâté-style wet food on a spoon or the lickable cat creams that come in tubes. The pieces have to be tiny, pea-sized or smaller, because a cat fills up quickly and we do not want it to put on weight. Deduct what you give as treats from its daily ration. And train before meals, when it is a little hungry, not straight after eating.
The clicker, a very useful tool
A clicker is a small device that makes a sharp sound, a click, and in Spain costs €2 to €6. It marks the exact moment the cat does what you want, so it knows why it is getting the treat. First you have to charge it: click and give a treat straight away, over and over, about ten times a session, until you see that when the cat hears the click it looks at you expecting the treat. From then on, the click means “you got it right, a treat is coming”. If the sound frightens your cat, which happens with some, muffle it by wrapping it in a cloth, or use a click pen or a short word that is always the same, such as “good”, said in the same tone.
Short sessions, very short
Cats concentrate for only a short time. A training session should last two to five minutes, with just a few repetitions, and always end while the cat is still keen, not when it gets bored and walks off. Two or three short sessions a day are better than one long one. Train somewhere quiet, without other animals or distractions, and let the cat leave when it wants: if it walks away, do not follow it, the session is over. Never force it to do anything, never push it into a position, and never punish it if it gets something wrong. If an exercise is not working, go back to an easier step it can do and finish on a success.
First trick: touching a target
The best first trick is targeting, where the cat touches an object with its nose, because it is easy and is the basis for many others. Use a small stick, a wooden spoon or the end of a pen. Hold it a few centimetres from its face: since cats are curious, almost all of them sniff it. The moment the nose touches it, click and treat. Repeat several times. Then gradually move it a little further away, to one side, higher up, so the cat has to move towards it. Once it does this confidently, add a word, such as “touch”, just before you present the target. With this trick you can guide it onto a chair, into the carrier or to its bed.
Sit and high five
To teach it to sit, hold a treat just above its head and move it slowly backwards. As they raise their heads to follow it, many cats sit down by themselves. As soon as its bottom touches the floor, click and treat. Once it does this easily, add the word “sit”. For the high five, with the cat sitting, hold a treat in your closed fist low down in front of it. Many cats lift a paw to try to get it out: the moment it lifts the paw, click and treat. Gradually replace the fist with an open palm. These are simple tricks that most cats learn in a few days with two sessions a day.
Coming when called
Coming when called is one of the most useful tricks. Start at a short distance, say its name or a particular word, or use a sound such as shaking the treat bag, and when it comes towards you, click and treat. Many owners have already taught this without meaning to: the cat that comes running when it hears the tin or the treat drawer. Gradually increase the distance, first within the same room and then from other rooms. Never call it for something it dislikes, such as giving it a tablet or putting it in the carrier before you have worked on that, because you would ruin the association. If your cat goes outside or could escape, this trick can be crucial.
The most important one: the carrier
Most cats hate the carrier because they only see it on the day they go to the vet, so they associate it with something bad. That can be changed. Leave the carrier open at home permanently, like any other piece of furniture, with a blanket inside, and now and then drop treats or part of its food inside. Many cats end up using it to sleep in. Once it goes in confidently, start closing the door for a few seconds while you give it a treat, and build up the time. Then lift it a little, carry it round the home, take a short car journey. Doing it this way can take weeks, but it completely transforms vet visits, which stop being a battle.
Getting it used to being handled
Using the same technique, you can teach a cat to tolerate, and even enjoy, having its paws touched, its mouth opened, its ears checked or being brushed. Start with brief contact in an area it tolerates, such as touching a paw for one second, and reward. Gradually increase the duration and intensity: holding the paw, pressing gently so a claw comes out, bringing the clippers close without cutting, trimming a single claw. Always with treats, always stopping before it becomes uncomfortable. The same goes for putting on a harness, if you want it to go out for walks: first leave it nearby, then touch the cat with it, then put it on for a few seconds at home. No rush, over weeks.
What to expect and what not to
Each cat learns at its own pace, and some are quicker and more motivated than others. Cats of active, very sociable breeds, such as the Abyssinian, the Bengal, the Siamese or the Oriental, usually enjoy training a lot, but any cat can learn, including the ordinary moggy from the rescue. Do not expect a dog's obedience: a cat may know a trick perfectly well and not feel like doing it right then, and that is part of its nature. The goal is not a circus cat, but a cat that is more stimulated, more confident and easier to care for. If you both enjoy those five minutes a day, you are doing it right.
Cats learn when it pays off: use tiny treats they love, a clicker to mark the right moment and sessions of two to five minutes that end before the cat gets bored. Start with touching a target with its nose, then sit, high five and coming when called. And most useful of all: make the carrier a pleasant place.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.