10 Things You Can Train Your Cat to Do

Every cat owner has had this thought at least once in their life: can I train my cat to do... anything? Well, the answer is yes, and you can actually teach your cat 10 different tricks, no matter how stubborn they might be.

From fetch to high fives, these are some of the best things you can train your cat to do. Become the coolest cat owner on the block by training your kitty to learn a few new tricks. Who wouldn't want a cat that can spin, sit, jump, roll over, and even run through an obstacle course (with a little help from cat treats)? And of course, you get some quality bonding time with your pretty kitty.

Sit

Let's start with a basic trick. One of the easiest things you can train your cat to do, this is a great place to start if you want to begin teaching them a few tricks. Like anything, you have to lure your cat into the sitting position with a piece of food or treat.

You should do this while saying the command "sit," just like you would with a dog. Then, after a few successful attempts of this with the food, you should be able to do with without anything in your hand. After some practice, they should sit on their own.

Shake

Who doesn't want a high five from their kitty? Next on our list of the best things you can train your cat to do is to shake. This is trained by waiting until your cat is sitting still calm. Gently lift their paw into your own hand, and say the command "shake." After this, reward them with a treat, and repeat.

This should be repeated until the cat will begin to place their paw in your hand without your physically having to move it. Allow your cat to meet you halfway, and lift the paw each time to make the exercise consistent and memorable for your kitty.

Leash Trained

This is a bit of a harder trick to train, but well worth the trouble. First, you must introduce the harness to your cat, to get your cat used to wearing one in the first place. Make it a positive experience by introducing the harness with food; this way your cat will think of it as a positive thing when you bring it out and put them in it.

Once you've got them comfortable with the harness, you can now attach the leash. Have yourself an indoor adventure with your cat, and allow them to become used to the leash without being too overbearing. And finally, take them outside!

Jump Through Hoops

Another tricky one, but jumping through hoops is one of the coolest things you can train your cat to do. Let's start off with teaching your kitty how to jump on command to begin. Lure your cat to jump up to you while they are on the ground with a click and a treat. Once you two have mastered this, you will begin to teach your cat how to walk through a hoop on command.

Complete the same process with your clicking and providing a treat each time they walk through the hoop you positioned on the ground. Over time, you will raise this higher until it is at a distance high enough for your cat to want to jump through.

Come

We all know that cats can be stubborn, and unlike dogs, they will typically not even look your way when calling their name, especially after the second time. To stop this heartbreak from happening, you can train your cat to come to you whenever you please.

Like any other trick, there is no magic word or act to do to get them to remember their commands; simply be sure to consistently reward them each time your cat comes to you, and your training will complete in no time. It just may take a little time luring your cat to you the first few times for this to become effective.

Fetch

Next on our list of the best things you can train your cat to do is to fetch. Fetching isn't just for dogs, and teaching your cat to do this will be the best party trick you can imagine. To start, pay attention to which toy your cat gravitates toward, and use this as their favorite.

The trick to getting your cat to chase after the toy is to playfully throw the toy away, maybe by skidding it across the ground, or providing a more difficult task to retrieve it; this way your cat will not get bored. After some practice and reward, you never know, they might just start bringing it back to you for more.

Lie Down

So now that you've mastered the "sit" command, you can also teach them how to lie down on command as well. This is best done by beginning with them in a sitting position, and luring their head down to the ground with a treat. You should also do this with your simple "lie down" command, and by giving them the treat once they have completed the action.

You might have to be a bit patient the first few times you try this trick out, because it may take a bit of time for them to understand that you are trying to get them to lie flat. Bring their entire body down, and start over again, using the treat to lure them. After some time, your cat will automatically do the action, and bring their body to the mark to receive their reward.

Spin

One of the cutest things you can train your cat to do is to spin in a circle. This should be done practicing the motion one direction at a time, and again with the use of a handy treat.

Without making yourself dizzy, lead your cat in a circle with your hand with the food while saying your command. Once they have completed the circle, click and provide them with the reward. This will also help you teach them the directions such as simply leading them to the right or left.

Roll Over

Another adorable trick is the roll over command. So after you have gotten them into the lying down position, you'll be able to easily continue with this trick. Lure them with a piece of food or treat over their left shoulder.

This should be done in a counterclockwise motion, allowing the cat to follow the treat with their head, and lift their feet to attempt to get the treat. This will soon follow with them rolling over onto their side. Once completed, click, and reward them with their treat. Do this a few times, and they'll be professional rollers.

Obstacle Course

To complete our list of the things you can train your cat to do is to complete an entire obstacle course. Now that you've brought your cat through the ropes of the basic tricks, they're ready for an obstacle course.

This can be easily taught by providing an end target for the cat with praise and rewards as they reach each target. Also included with this, you should provide a chase for your cat; this way they will find motivation to travel through the course. And, like anything, consistency is key.