Teach Your Cat Tricks

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Teaching Your Cat Tricks
By: Loti
Posted: April 11th, 2004

"I don't believe you. A cat can't talk." My good friend was laughing at me so I invited him over to my house to see for himself.

Well, my cat knows how to say one word, "milk", but he says it plainly and there is no confusion as to what he says or what he wants. My friend was astonished.

But that's not all this cat can do. He can also play dead and roll over on command. These tricks are usually reserved for dogs and most folks will argue that you can't teach a cat tricks. "They are too independent and won't cater to their human owner," they say.

It's true that a cat is independent, but there are times when the cat will cater to their owner to get a choice bit of meat, or when it needs pampering with extensive petting.

Over the last 30 years, I have had the pleasure of owning many different cats. I enjoyed observing them and relating to them in a way that only a cat lover would understand. They all had different personalities, from being aloof and haughty to being shy and timid. But all of them were able to communicate their needs and wants to me in some way. One particular trait they all share is the one of independence mixed with the joy of sharing a purring moment with their human friend.

A cat's disposition and personality is much different from that of a dog, so their training is different also.

First of all, you can't just decide to teach the cat a trick and do it. The cat has to be ready to receive instruction and in the mood to do something to please it's owner.

Secondly, the cat has to already be doing something naturally that you can build your trick on.

One of my cats enjoyed running after a rubber band that I shot into the air. He would pick it up in his teeth and wander about with it. During one of these sessions when he was ready to play with me, I shot the rubber band off into the air and as he carried it about in his mouth, I called him to me with a treat in my hand. Naturally at first, he would drop the band to come get the treat. But I didn't give it to him.

We kept playing with the band until he actually kept the band in his mouth while coming to me for a treat. Then I gave him the treat. It wasn't long before he routinely retrieved the band for me in exchange for a treat. He had finally associated bringing the band to me with the getting of a treat.

Cats are generally smart. They just don't feel the need to fuss over their human owners as dogs do. Sometimes, you just have to have patience and wait until they do something clever and then reward it.

To train my other cat to play dead, I just approached him when he was already laying down. I said, "play dead, Smokey," and since he was already doing that, I gave him a treat. I did this many times until one time I approached him with a treat when he was walking around but interested in the treat.

"Play dead," I said. Then I gently pushed him into a laying position before giving him a treat. Soon he was doing it over and over again to get the treat.

To extend that into rolling over, I got him to play dead and then gently I rolled him over while saying "roll over". He got his treat and he was soon doing this trick also on command.

So how about saying "milk", you ask?

Whenever I would go to my fridge and open the door, my cat would coming running.

"Meow." The cat wanted some milk which I would give him. Then I began to mimic him adding a k to the meow.

"Meowk." I would say repeatedly before giving the cat a drink of milk.

The cat was soon pronouncing 'meowk', adding the k on the end. The next step was to alter meowk to milk. And, sure enough, the cat changed ever so slightly to pronounce the word 'milk'.

So if you want to teach your cat a trick or two, remember these things:
1. Be patient. Make sure the cat is receptive to the teaching you are to give him.
2. Build your trick upon some habit or behavior the cat is already doing.
3. Don't scold your cat for not performing. Only use rewards to establish the new behavior.
4. And remember to consult your vet or pet professional before using any advice when working with your cat.

Important: Please consult your own vet or pet professional before using any advice!