How to Teach a Cat to Do Tricks
Yes, you can train your feline.
Photo credit: Seregraff/iStock
Trick training a cat? Yeah right! Actually, with positive reinforcement clicker training, it can be very easy to train a cat to perform fun and amusing tricks.
Felines are also very fast learners and in a matter of days you can have your kitty giving you a high-five greeting and a feline rendition of Three Blind Mice on the piano.
How Clicker Training Works
Clicker training is a marker-based training method in which a trainer uses a handheld clicker to “click” and tell an animal that it’s done the right thing and instantly offer a reward.
The “click” identifies the behavior you plan to pay for the instant it is happening. You’re telling your cat, ”That’s it! I’ll pay you for exactly that!” The method reinforces what they instinctively do when they hunt for food and focuses on their natural tendencies to explore, experiment and play.
What you need:
- A clicker: available at pet supermarkets and online stores. If you cat is deaf, you can use a flashlight to identify the action you plan to reward.
- Treats: Choose something your cat really considers a treat, such as diced chicken, cheese or tuna—whatever you choose, it should be easily and quickly consumable. You will need about half a teaspoon for the average training session. Keep the pieces pea-sized. When paying your cat with the treat, place it on a saucer or small plate to keep upholstery and carpeting clean. If you are worried about weight gain, you could substitute 10 to 20 per cent of your cat’s regular meals with treats during training. Be sure to schedule training sessions before meal times.
- Targets: A target can be any stick-like object such as a pencil, chopstick or a wooden spoon. Later you can substitute a favorite toy such as a feathered object on a stick.
Getting Started: Shaping and Capturing Behaviors
Photo credit: MihailUlianikov/iStock
Start by teaching your cat to touch a target with her nose. Present the target by holding one end and put the other end near the cat’s face. It’s inevitable that the cat will touch it by sniffing it. As the cat’s nose is coming close to the target, capture the behavior by clicking and immediately give a treat. Remember every time you click, you must treat.
Initially your cat will not understand that these tasty tidbits are not random events but that you are shaping a behavior.
Target, click, treat—and repeat.
A total of five clicks and treats is a big training session for a cat who’s new to the idea. So keep training sessions short. Your cat will learn faster this way.
The Next Step: Teaching Cues
Once your cat has learned several behaviors, the next step is to teach her to do it on command by responding to a signal.
Cats relate better to gestures and hand signals than they do to verbal cues. Whether you are using your voice or a certain rap on a hard surface or hand gesture, use the same cue all the time and only use it once. The cat must learn to respond immediately.
Party Tricks
If you want to get friends and family to marvel at your cat’s skills, here are two tricks that are guaranteed to make your feline the center of attention at any party.
Kitty High Five
Photo credit: vertraut/iStock
First, train her to sit. Wait until she does it of her own accord and then capture it by clicking and treating.
Make sure she can repeat this in any room in the house and then establish a cue so that she will learn to do it on command. It can be the word “sit” or a hand gesture.
To teach the high-five slap, wiggle your fingers and move your hand in front of your cat’s paw on the ground. The moment the cat pats your fingers with her paw, click and treat.
When she consistently pats your moving fingers, slowly raise your hand off the ground until it’s up in the air and aligned with the cat’s shoulder height.
When your cat raises her paw, put your hand in the path of the movement and click the instant the paw touches your hand.
Next, move your hand slightly so that your cat has to aim for your hand with her paw to get a click.
Finally add the cue “Gimme Five” when you hold out your hand. Click and treat. You can also train her to stand up on her hind legs and give you a kitty high five.
Playing Three Blind Mice on the Piano
Photo credit: Anton Papulov/iStock
Day One: Prepare about 20 small treats and place them on an empty plate on the piano bench. Lure the cat to the seat, click as she jumps up and put a treat on the plate. If she stays on the bench keep clicking and treating.
Next, hold a treat over the keyboard. Click any movement toward and keyboard and any paw touch on the keys. Put the treat on the plate so that your cat must come down to eat and get back up to the keys to get a click.
Now, wait for the cat to move toward the keys or step on them without any help from you. Click any attempt, even if she just looks at the keys. When your cat is stepping or pawing on the keys with confidence, click for strong paw pats only. Click any audible plinks and reward with extra food.
Day Two: Repeat all the Day One’s steps. When your cat can make audible plinks on a regular basis, click and treat every second paw touch to build repeated sounds.
Put small removable stickers or post-it notes on the piano keys Middle C, D and E. Click only when the cat touches those keys.When the cat is hitting the notes E D C in that order, she is playing Three Blind Mice.
Consider buying her a toy piano and she can be the star of her own show.
About the Author: Sandy Robins is the 2013 winner of the “Excellence in Journalism and Outstanding Contribution to the Pet Industry Award.” Her work appears on many of the country’s leading pet platforms, such as MSNBC.com, MSN.com and TODAYShow.com. She is a regular contributor and columnist in multiple national and international publications, including Catster, as well as the author of the award-winning books “Fabulous Felines: Health and Beauty Secrets for the Pampered Cat” and “For The Love of Cats.” Learn more about Sandy on her website or Facebook page. #welovecats
Dogs continue to inspire artists today. More than 20 years’ ago, Arizona artist 
AnimaTwists are a new kind of dog toy that lets you mix and match components to make ideal playthings—kibble ball, chew-filled toy, rope/treat toy or rope/treat/chew-filled toy—for your canine companion. The Classic Set includes a Chew Decker, a Rope Kibbler (which includes a bottom cap to create a kibble ball) and one AnimaChew. All of the components are also sold separately. The toys are made of nontoxic nylon and polyester-cotton dental rope. AnimaChews are made in the USA and contain just three ingredients: cow’s milk, salt and limejuice. 
Pet Botanics’ Simply Salmon Strips and Simply Salmon Cutlets dog treats are made from 99 percent fresh Atlantic salmon that is flash frozen and shipped to Florida, where it is smoked to retain taste, color and nutritional value (the remaining 1 percent is sea salt used in the smoking process). The treats have a tantalizing aroma and delectable taste that will entice even the finickiest canine. Naturally loaded with omega fatty acids, the treats are also free of antibiotics, hormones and artificial flavors and colors. 
The Hydro Pet is an automatic outdoor watering system designed to provide fresh water for your pets while recycling the old water to nearby plants, shrubs or trees in your yard. The system’s BPA-free, 1.05-gallon bowl incorporates three micro-jets that agitate the water to help expel light debris and insect larvae. Easy to install to existing outdoor faucets and drip or sprinkler systems, each kit contains everything you need for setup and includes three stakes to anchor the bowl in place. The Hydro Pet is ideal for any small to large pets—dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, pigs, etc.—that spend time outdoors. 
Isle of Dogs’ new functional dog treats, Daily Essentials, are formulated to provide a daily dose of whole-food goodness with a delicious crunch. Made and sourced in the USA, the all-natural, pumpkin-based treats’ simple recipe includes only grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Dairy-, gluten- and soy-free, the dog treats come in 14.-oz. boxes and four delectable varieties: Healthy Skin & Shiny Coat with carrots, cranberry and rosemary; Puppy Growth & Brain Development with banana, peanut butter and broccoli; Cleans Teeth & Freshens Breath with apples, parsley and peppermint; and Hip, Joint & Bone Health with blackberries, raspberries and ginger. 
West Paw Design’s charismatic Caterpillar cat toy is designed to keep felines entertained for hours on end and afterwards snuggle up with it for a restful nap. Filled with premium, USDA certified organically grown catnip and a sewn-inside tinkling bell, your cat won’t be able to leave this floppy, wiggly toy alone. Handcrafted in Montana and made from soft sheepskin, it is available in two colors: Robin Blue or Wine Red. 
Your pets can now celebrate Oktoberfest with you anytime thanks to Fromm Family Foods latest entrée: Hasen Duckenpfeffer, a grain-free dry food for dogs and cats. Specially prepared in small batches, the recipes for Hasen Duckenpfeffer for Dogs and Hasen Duckenpfeffer for Cats were inspired by traditional German rabbit stew. They feature rabbit and duck together with potatoes, carrots and celery. The dog food is available in 4-, 12- and 26-lb. bags; the cat food comes in 2-, 5- and 15-lb. bags.
Another type of therapy performed by dogs happens after disasters, both manmade and natural. Comfort dogs and their handlers spend time with people who have been exposed to trauma as a result of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, mass shootings or bombings. Dogs help survivors recover from PTSD, and make it easier for psychotherapists to interact with those in need of help. Check out FEMA’s “
Prisons
You can choose from a buffet of dry, wet, frozen and freeze-dried varieties for your cat.
One of the most convenient types of cat food, dry foods come in a range of formulas and flavors. As a discerning pet owner, you might look for brands featuring unique protein sources, such as lamb, turkey, salmon—even kangaroo or venison. A current trend is “grain-free” formulas, which eliminate corn, wheat and other grain ingredients. Such formulas can help with cats experiencing allergy symptoms.
Wet aka Canned or Pouched
As with dry foods, wet foods are available in many varieties, from kitten- or senior-specific formulas to those designed for weight management. Many companies also source their ingredients exclusively from suppliers in the United States—simply look for the “Made in the USA” claim on the label.
Because cats are obligate carnivores—meaning they are natural meat eaters—many companies now offer frozen raw foods that offer complete and balanced nutrition for cats. Like dry foods and canned foods, these also come in a range of protein sources, from beef to rabbit to salmon.
Freeze-Dried
It’s important for dogs to have access to a well-stocked toy box filled with interesting items that will keep them mentally and physically engaged.
Petmate WWE Sports Superstars 
Fuzzy Flyers 
goDog™ Sonic Stick 
Kurgo’s new outdoor toys are based on classic yard games. The Wapple Ball was inspired by the classic 1953 game of Whiffle Ball. Use a bat, tennis racquet or a lacrosse stick to get the game going. The Tossing Disc is the rough and tough version of the traditional Frisbee and glides through the air with ease. The Target Jack is designed to land with its point up no matter how hard or how far you throw it, making it easy for your dog to spot, even in the water. This versatile toy pairs well with the Tossing Ring. The Doggie Darts are durable, chew-safe, and non- toxic darts ideal for a game of fetch at the park. Huck-It Horseshoe is a dog-friendly version of the traditional game. Put a few stakes in the ground to get some accuracy practice while your dog gets his exercise. Lastly, the Backyard Birdie replicates the Badminton birdie. If you can’t remember how to play these games, the company has produced a booklet available in stores and also on line to remind you of the rules. 
Petlogix a new dog toy brand from Hyper Pet. Unlike other dog toy launchers on the market, the Zinger offers a variety of interchangeable throw accessories making playtime more fun and exciting for dogs and their owners alike. There are two versions, one for medium and large dogs and the Zinger Junior for small dogs and puppies.
The Buster ActivityMat 
Do you love to spoil your dog? If yes, you might consider signing up for a Truly Pawsome’s curated delivery service. Once a month, the service will deliver a box of handpicked treats and toys to your door. Each box contains four to five high-quality items (healthy treats, entertaining toys and other handy accessories) to help keep your dog happy and healthy. You may purchase a single box or subscribe to a 3-, 6- or 12-month plan—the longer the plan, the more you will save on each box. And, if there is a particular item your dog loves, you can order more from the Truly Pawsome shop. 
Nothing helps satisfy a cat’s ancestral wild side more than the enticing taste of real meat found in Sojos naturalcat cat treats. The raw, grain-free treats contain 100 percent, USDA-certified meat, which is gently freeze-dried to lock in all the natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals. The treats contain no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors and are available in three flavors: salmon, venison and turkey. 
Nothing captivates cats like the thrill of the hunt. Petlinks’ new Roaming Runner critter cat toys jitter, dance and scury, mimicking the movements of real prey. The critters are covered in soft fabrics and move on vibrating bristles, eliminating wheels and axles that can easily break and jam with hair and dirt. Available in four adorable designs—ladybug, caterpillar, bird and mouse—the toys come complete with replaceable batteries. 
Anyone who has ever loved a dog, young or old, will delight in award-winning photographer Nancy LeVine’s new book “Senior Dogs Across America.” Traveling the length and breadth of America to meet and photograph endearing senior canine citizens, Nancy has selected 86 of her finest portraits for the book, perfectly capturing the enduring appeal of these elderly dignified beings in the places where they belong—all across America. Book details: Schiffer Publishing, 12 x 9 in., 128-pg. hardcover with 84 color photos; ISBN13: 9780764351112. 
TORUS™ is a pet watering system, portable storage bowl and supplement dispenser all in one. The bowl stores water inside its reservoir walls and filters the water as it automatically dispenses. Its large capacity (one or two liters) requires less frequent refilling and its low profile means fewer spills. The bowl features lock, fill and drink functions, making it ideal for travel—not batteries or power source required. and has a 12 month warranty. The bowls are available in two sizes, 2L (in blue, red or gray) and 1L (in blue red, gray or pink), come with one carbon filter and have a 12-month warranty. Replacement filters are also available. 
