Tedy can shake hands like a dog!

My husband is the "Treat-Daddy" around here....and all 3 kitties know it....but Tedy considers himself "Dad`s Cat"...and his "Dad" has taught him to shake hands like a dog to get a treat.
At first when Tedy would jump up onto the little stand next to Larry`s recliner (treats are kept there) Larry would say "Shake" and put his finger up behind Tedy`s right front paw....then he`s shake it and give him a treat.
He`d exclaim "see, he`s shaking hands!" (Our son and I would give each other "the look"....knowing that ANY cat will lift it`s paw if you nudge it from behind....kinda like lifting a horse`s hoof)
Well, one day Tedy jumped up on the stand, looked Larry in the eye, and to our astonishment, lifted his paw all by himself!
He`s been doing it ever since.In fact....if Larry pretends to igbor him ....Tedy will sit there with his paw up for a few seconds...then reach over and touch him on the hand or forearm...just to remind him that he`s there waiting. When Larry looks at him he`ll raise the paw up again, and sometimes even lick his lips.
It`s really cute....and I do have a picture of it in my new camera. (But I have`nt figured out how to get the pics out of my camera to do anything with them yet!)
Cats are smart!
Linda

Ya, cats are definitely smarter than most people think. Mellie does the hand-shake trick, too, and two others. Rocket does "sit" and "roll over" but Twinkie's a bit dense -- he hasn't learned any yet. (or maybe he's the smart one.) Can't wait to see the pics.

Originally Posted by coaster

Ya, cats are definitely smarter than most people think. Mellie does the hand-shake trick, too, and two others. Rocket does "sit" and "roll over" but Twinkie's a bit dense -- he hasn't learned any yet.

(or maybe he's the smart one.)

Can't wait to see the pics.

Click to expand...

Ohhhh....I can`t wait to tell Larry! Now he`ll be trying to teach tedy to sit and roll over!
Can you post pics if you have any so I can show him???
Linda

I only have one ... of Mellie doing "beg...beg" because they seem to be VERY shy about doing their tricks. I tried to get Rocket to do a couple of his outside yesterday, but he wouldn't do "roll over" -- maybe he was embarrassed -- thought someone was watching. But I'll try again.



Actually, I don't think it's so much "teaching" a certain "trick" as it is just catching them in the act of doing something naturally and then reinforcing that particular behavior and tying it to a certain "command" word using treats and praise. Mellie does this behavior that a lot of cats do, which I sometimes call "catching sunbeams" and is similar to a dog doing a sit-up-and-beg, so it was just a matter of getting her to do it on cue. I think it would be very difficult to get a cat to do that from scratch.

Ophelia learned to "ask nice" because she would DEMAND treats and I wouldn't give it to her until she mewed nicely for them.

Mojo has kinda learned "sit nice". I started making her do that because otherwise she would about climb into the treats can/bag to get one and wouldn't wait her turn.