Is your cat trainable?

I'd just like to take a minute to share with all of you the magic of training your cat. If you set aside a few minutes every day to work with your cat, several very awesome things will happen: the cat will learn more about your body language and gestures after succeeding in learning a few tricks, your bond will get stronger, your understanding of cat psychology improves, and your cat will be challenged to think cognitively.

Cats aren't like dogs and won't work out of love (who's the smarter species now?), but can be enticed to work for special treats.

Some taught behaviors aren't tricks at all, but cool safety procedures. For example, you can teach your cat to run into a carrier by whistling! I just read a thread about a fire earlier; if it were in my building, all I'd have to do is set my two carriers in the middle of my living room and whistle sharply...then grab 'em and go!

Its true that some cats may or may not pick up the behavior you want to introduce - after training circus cats for half a decade, I couldn't get mine to use the toilet (well, I could have, but they strongly preferred the box and I gave in). And one of my girls prefers "roll over" while the other likes hoop jumping and never rolls over. You can have a lot of fun figuring out what your little genius is capable of and running with it!

My Pandora knows around 20 hand signals and five or so verbal commands, and little Z excels at fetch, roll over and come here. What about you guys?

I've successfully taught my three to come when called, and to sit or lie down on command.
Baby, my middle cat also knows "No" and actually heeds it.
Not really tricks, but most people are very impressed by a cat that obeys, plus, it makes spending time with them even more enjoyable, no butts in the face, no blocking the tv

I used the same NILIF method that I used to train my dog.

No. But I'm fascinated! I live near Chicago. I want to meet you and hear more. I'll send you a Pm.

Robin

They sure are! They seem to have learned how to train me!

Originally Posted by bastetservant

No. But I'm fascinated! I live near Chicago. I want to meet you and hear more. I'll send you a Pm.

Robin

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Neat! Lots of love to my fellow Windy City Kitties!

I'll look for your PM. For everyone else curious about the Acro Cats, they have a website here: http://www.circuscats.com/

I believe they're in Colorado this month!

All of the cats you see at the above website are the family members of Pandora. Her mother is the piano player, her father an acro-cat, and her grandmother Tuna is the brilliant star of the show and founding cat of the show! Her aunts, uncles and siblings make up the rest of the crew. I had to pull Pandora out of show business when she was spooked in her carrier by a child one day...since then, she refused to perform. But she adored the attention and challenges from 12 weeks old up to 3 years old, and was a very reliable showgirl!

I've taught Simba to:
- come
- lie down
- sit
- give one paw
- give both paws
- and to high five

Here's a video!

I'd like to teach him to roll over next!

I'd love to train my little 'Kin, he is so placid and will do anything for a treat, even if you bunch up your hand and aren't holding one..
I'm just not sure if he's too dim..

Originally Posted by aprilyim

I've taught Simba to:
- come
- lie down
- sit
- give one paw
- give both paws
- and to high five

Here's a video!

I'd like to teach him to roll over next!

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Still loving his high fives!!!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Still loving his high fives!!!

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I'm working on high-ten just for you! When he's got it down I'll post it!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

They sure are! They seem to have learned how to train me!

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Ditto! I wouldn't have it any other way! LOL!

I don't think mine know any hand gestures. Wesley knows a foot gesture though. A slow swinging foot in the direction of his butt means "move". That is the limit of our combined talent.

Hydrox, the Old Coot, could sit up and beg for a treat. He could shake paws and, when he really, really, REALLY wanted a treat, he would stick that paw out for shake. Usually he had his treats in the bedroom before we went to bed, but when he wanted a treat anyway, we could be in the living room watching tv and he'd jump on our lap and try to shake paws. He was hilarious....and he always got his treats. When he got older (he was 20 when he died), he couldn't balance himself anymore and couldn't sit up to beg. But he could still stick that paw out for a good shake!

The cats all know what "Lunch" means and when we talk about lunch, we just say "The L Word". They know what the word "Treat" means, so when we talk about Halloween treating, we say "T & T's". They know; I'm telling you, they know. I can't even say "lunch" when talking on the phone to a GF b/c all ears immediately perk up....even the ones that were sleeping. They've got that word down pat.

When I need to count heads, I say "Treat!" and they all come running. And, of course, I wouldn't say it, if I didn't mean it, so they all get treats. Every cat knows his or her name. If I call a cat, there's a reason and he or she will come. Even Mollipop knows her name and if I call her, she'll come to me. I can say, "Mollipop, let's go outside!" and she'll come running down the steps to the front door, meowing at me the whole time...she loves to go outside in my arms.

BooBoo knows how to operate his treat machine. It's a little bubblegum type machine....when he spins the carpeted wheel, treats fall into the dish and he can eat them. DH always says that Boo has some muscled "pawceps" from using his paw to spin the wheel. And Mollipop knows the sound of falling treats, so she'll come running to try to steal them from him.

Originally Posted by Zendora

I'd just like to take a minute to share with all of you the magic of training your cat. If you set aside a few minutes every day to work with your cat, several very awesome things will happen: the cat will learn more about your body language and gestures after succeeding in learning a few tricks, your bond will get stronger, your understanding of cat psychology improves, and your cat will be challenged to think cognitively.

Cats aren't like dogs and won't work out of love (who's the smarter species now?), but can be enticed to work for special treats.

Some taught behaviors aren't tricks at all, but cool safety procedures. For example, you can teach your cat to run into a carrier by whistling! I just read a thread about a fire earlier; if it were in my building, all I'd have to do is set my two carriers in the middle of my living room and whistle sharply...then grab 'em and go!

Its true that some cats may or may not pick up the behavior you want to introduce - after training circus cats for half a decade, I couldn't get mine to use the toilet (well, I could have, but they strongly preferred the box and I gave in). And one of my girls prefers "roll over" while the other likes hoop jumping and never rolls over. You can have a lot of fun figuring out what your little genius is capable of and running with it!

My Pandora knows around 20 hand signals and five or so verbal commands, and little Z excels at fetch, roll over and come here. What about you guys?

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I also live in Chicago, along with Robin. I, too, would love to meet you and I wonder if we already have by chance or know someone in common??? She is an animal agent in Chicago and my dogs (Wilbur and Henry, Jack Russell Terriers) have done some modeling jobs quite a few years ago in their younger days . She does the rock cats show on stage with her cats and was on America's Got Talent a few years back. If you PM me too, we might have a friend in common....... Very cool

OMG - I just saw your link, and it is the same person I was thinking of How very exciting!!!!!


OK, Just sent you a PM!!!! Small world - Huh

Midnight shakes paw, jumps through hula hoops, stands, sits, walks in a circle, touches noses, and dances. Luna will stand up, lift her paw, once in awhile put her paw in my hand.

Sami is too old and too stubborn to do tricks.
Buddy is basically a moron and can't seem to learn anything.
Parker, I've taught to speak on command but of course, when he's decided he doesn't want to do it anymore, then he doesn't do it. Treat or no treat.

I've tried many, many times to teach them even simple commands and failed miserably. I guess some cats just don't want to be told what to do, even for a tasty snack. lol

Trout plays fetch, but I never taught her. She just did it on her own from when she was little. She 's it!

Originally Posted by Trouts mom

Trout plays fetch, but I never taught her. She just did it on her own from when she was little. She

's it!

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Yep. Same with Spencer.