3 Easy Tricks to Teach Your Cat

How to Start

Start with your cat, the treats, and the clicker (or the clicking sound you’ve decided upon) in your designated quiet space. Click and treat once to make sure your cat isn’t afraid of the sound. Then choose a specific behavior to reward, such as looking in your direction. When your cat looks at you, click and then toss her a treat. Repeat every time she looks at you. Once your cat understands that offering you attention results in a click and treat (often in as little as one session), you can start to increase your distance from her.

As she approaches, click and treat. As she eats the treat, move around the room and repeat the click and reward as she comes to you.

When your cat comes to you consistently, add the verbal cue. It shouldn’t be her name (although you can use her name to get her attention), but a specific word, something simple, such as “Come” or “Here.

” Say it when she looks up from finishing her treat and click as she comes toward you. Eventually, you will want to go into a different room from your cat and call her. When she comes and finds you, click and reward. When she comes consistently from different areas of your home, you do not need the precision of the clicker to communicate that she has done the correct behavior. Simply reward her when she comes to you on cue (with a treat, attention, play, or whatever your cat loves).

Sit and Sit Pretty

Sit on the floor by your cat, or if this isn’t comfortable for you, place her on a table or other raised surface. When she sees you have a treat, she may walk toward you. Say “sit” and bring the treat over her head.