Can you train cats? Tips, Tricks and Common Questions Answered

So, can you train cats?

The short answer: Of course you can!

Using positive reinforcement (rewarding desired behaviour), you can train just about any animal. That said, training cats is a little different to training, say, dogs, so here are my tips to get you started and some answers to common questions. 

Tip one:  Make it fun! 

Cats, unlike dogs, haven't been bred to work with us - they don't tend to have the desire to please that drives dogs to do well in training, so we have to be extra awesome to hold their attention. 

I do this by using treats that my cats only ever get during training.  So, if you are thinking of throwing your cat some special treats, or a delicious morsel from the dinner table: Stop. Save it. Use it to motivate him/her later, when you need them to focus in training.

Tip two: Keep it short!

Training a cat (even an adult one) is more like training a puppy, than teaching an older dog. They have relatively short attention spans, they want to go off and do their own thing, and sometime they just want to take a nap. So when you are training your cat to do anything, keep sessions as short as possible - a maximum of 5 minutes, and pick times to train when your cat is naturally active and playful (dusk is usually good but if you know your cat likes playtime in the morning then train early, conversely, if your cat likes to sleep in the afternoon then that would be a bad time to train). 

You'll get much more progress from your cat if you train for 5 minutes a couple of times per day, than if you try to train once a day for 30 minutes. 

Tip three: Stay positive!

Punishment doesn't really 'work' with cats. They are nowhere near as forgiving as dogs and will often see being punished for something as you getting aggressive with them for no reason. This can lead them to either fear you and begin avoiding you or to become aggressive towards you.

  

If you want to train a cat NOT to do something, don't wait for it to do it and then punish it. Instead, teach it something it CAN do. Example: don't want your cat to jump on kitchen counters? Give it a cosy perch (something at the same height, or higher than the counter tops) in the kitchen, that it IS allowed to sit on, and simply encourage it to go there instead. 

(TV cat behaviourist, Jackson Galaxy (of 'My Cat From Hell'), describes this as always giving the cat a clear 'No' and a clear 'Yes'. Going on the counter is a 'No', but the perch supplies a 'Yes' that the cat can do instead. I like to think of it as focusing on the positive by teaching something desirable, instead of punishing something undesirable, but it's the same concept.)

Tip four: Don't push it!

Don't expect your cat to learn complex tricks after a couple of days of training - start with the small stuff like 'Sit' and 'Shake' before getting into more difficult stuff like this: Cat Parkour . Remember that training well, means challenging your animal enough that they have to think, but not so much that they start to get it wrong! Getting it wrong, means they don't get a reward, and getting it wrong a few times in a row will start to make them frustrated and bored! Set them up to succeed, so that they get plenty of praise and rewards and learn to love training.  

Common questions answered: 

So, can you train a cat to do anything a dog can do? 

Pretty much! Apart from barking, cats are physically and mentally capable of learning just about any trick you can teach a dog - and there are some cases where a cats athletic prowess and graceful movement might make it much BETTER at something than a dog!  

You just have to keep in mind that, while your Lab might do anything just to please you, your Persian is much more independent creature - sometimes she just doesn't feel like training, and you have to respect that and leave her be (or come back with tastier treats!) trying to force her to train will get you nowhere. 

My cat is old, is it too late to start training it? 

No. It's never too late to give training a go. With an older cat, however, there are extra things to bear in mind:

It might take more to motivate an animal that has never had to work for its food before. Make sure the treats you are using are extra special, or your old cat might take one sniff and wander off to eat the free food from its bowl instead!  

An older cat might have physical issues that need to be worked around, like arthritis or less range of movement. Think about whether the things you are training are safe for an elderly cat's weaker body. 

Be very patient. Older cats might take a few more repetitions to learn something new. They'll get there if you keep at it!

My cat is just a kitten, is it too early to start training? 

No. Kittens can be trained from a very young age. In fact, in my experience, kittens/juvenile cats are much easier to train than adults. Their brains are like sponges at that age; they just soak up anything you care to teach them. Though, of course, they will have a very short attention span and be more easily distracted than an older, wiser cat!   

Also, similar to elderly cats, kittens have weaker bodies. They are still growing, their joints and muscles can easily get overworked and they could get injured fairly easily. Always ask yourself if the trick you are training is safe for a delicate kitten. If it might be a little too much work for them physically, save it till they are older and more up to the challenge. 

I don't know where to start! What can I teach my cat?

When I first started training my cats, it was because I noticed they used their paws a lot to try and get treats out of my hands. So I harnessed the fact they naturally pawed at my hands to teach them to 'high five' and we went from there. (Full tutorial on that soon!)

If you can't think of anything your cat already does that you want to encourage, then start with the same basic things you would teach a dog: Sit, Down, Come, Touch, Shake etc. then you can move on to more advanced things, like complex tricks or even agility!  Don't believe you can teach a cat agility? Think again: Best of: Cat Agility They can even compete in organised shows: http://catagility.com http://agility.cfa.org/index.shtml

Personally, I would start with 'touch'. Its so simple, and it can be a base for teaching more complex things later. Just hold out a finger, or target stick

A commercial Target or Touch Stick, you can also make your own with a stick and small polystyrene ball/circle of paper.

and reward the cat for touching it with their nose. Cats are so curious, they'll naturally give it a sniff eventually, so its a really easy one to start them off with. Its especially good for a cat that hasn't ever met the concept of doing something to get a treat before. 

What rewards motivate cats most? 

Treats. Delicious, preferable smelly, moist, treats. Its best to use something small and soft (tiny cubes of cheese, little bits of cooked chicken) so that they can eat it quickly and then keep the training going.  Some cats might work for toys, but most don't, so treats are definitely the best way to reward. 

Praise? Not so much. Even most dogs don't respond that much to praise unless it's paired with treats or playtime, and with cats it's even less so. You can eventually phase out food rewards for some tricks and with some cats, but mostly they are in it for the rewards and the fun of the activity itself, not the love! By all means, praise and pet your cat AND give them the treat - a little affection is always appreciated - just don't expect them to work for cuddles alone!

Should I use a clicker to train my cat?

If you'd like. All the clicker is, is a tool to 'mark' good behaviours with a distinctive clicking sound. You first get the animal to associate the click sound with getting treats, then you proceed to train by clicking and rewarding when the animal does the right thing. 

A simple clicker.

Its mainly useful because it allows us to have perfect timing - so, for example, we can click as soon as the animals bottom touches the floor when teaching 'sit' and the animal knows the exact moment it did the correct thing (rather than it having to wait for you to fumble around in your pocket  to find a treat and you accidentally rewarding it for something else it did after it sat). 

I personally prefer to use a marker word, instead (I used clickers for a time but they're small, and I kept misplacing the damn things!). So, where a clicker trainer would click, I say 'Yes'. It works on exactly the same basis as the click - a short noise that marks the exact moment the animal did the right thing, and means 'That's right! A treat is coming'. Some people use a phrase like 'good boy' to try and mark behaviour, but that is much less effective - the reward marker word MUST mean 'a treat is coming', and you might say 'good boy' a lot to your dog during the day without giving a reward. It's also too long - a reward marker should be one syllable, short and crisp, so as to mark the split second in which the animal does the right thing - 'Yes' or 'Good' are the ones most people use, though some people choose to click with their tongue instead. 

Teaching Recall: How to Train a Dog to 'Come' When Called.

Teaching great recall is actually a lot easier than it sometimes seems - the reason many of dogs have poor recall is either that they haven't ever really been taught it properly, or that owners have accidentally taught their dogs to actively avoid coming when called! 

There are three things to remeber when training your dog to 'come':

1) Make it a fun 

Coming back to should always be a good thing for your dog - never call him to you just to tell him off and try use the recall command randomly and often (even when you don't really need to call him back), instead of just using it when you need to take him home, or stop him chasing something interesting. 

2) Make it easy

Never push your dog too far too fast - before you let him off leash always take a look around for hazards that might spook him or things he might chase. If you see anything, then consider whether his recall skills are good enough to withstand it yet. Always set him up for the best chance of success. Also, be reasonable about WHEN you call him - if he's in the middle of playing (safely) with another dog then wait for a lull to call him back, otherwise you may be teaching him to ignore you.

3) Make it stick

Don't just train recall on leash in the house or garden and then expect it to work off leash in a busy, distracting dog park! Build up to it; gradually training with more distance/distractions and less physical control over him. Then, once you've taught it, use it! Don't just assume he's going to remember months later in an emergency!

So, let's get started!

Step One: Recall Games.

Start out training recall by making it all a game.

It can be helpful to play the game with another person:

Have person A hold puppy's leash or collar, while person B riles up the dog with the lure (a toy or treat). Person B can wave the treat or toy about, play with it to make it interesting to pup, call to the pup to get its attention. Once pup shows signs of wanting to get to them, B can issue the recall command word - Person A then releases the pup and allows it to run to B. 

Once pup has got to person B and been praised and rewarded, B can then take the leash/collar and A can call the pup. 

Its important to get the timing of the word right. There's no point saying it before he moves because he doesn't know what it means yet! But there's no point saying it once he's already got to you, because then the word is associated with taking the treat or toy. It needs to be said as soon as he decides to move towards you, so that he learns to associate it with the act of going to you.

After a few repetitions of recall games like this, pup should come to make the association between the cue word, and choosing to go to you. 

You can then see if he's got the idea, by issuing the recall command before he moves. If he comes, then you know he's starting to get it. 

If you need to train recall on your own at first, then I suggest this method: http://www.doggiebuddy.com/topics/tricks/come.html  The instructions on this site are very good, so I won't give you a blow by blow here, but the method involves teaching the dog to expect rewards when it hears the recall command and is easily done by one person on their own. You can always use recall games later, as practice for pup, when you CAN find someone to help. 

Step two: Practice and proofing at home.

At the beginning you should start off close to the dog, in a very low distraction area of the home, but once its clear that pup knows what 'come' means in that situation its time to start upping the ante a little. 

I would add distance, before adding distraction. So start, for example, going down the hall to call the dog instead of just across the room. Once pup has that down, (and if they start to falter, don't be afraid to take it back a step and get closer to them - every dog learns at a different pace) then you can start playing hide and seek!  At first, just go into the next room and call the dog, but build up to going right across the house from him and calling him to come to you. 

Remember that, when you start making things harder, it can be helpful to use 'jackpot' rewards (really great food, an absolute favourite toy) the first couple of times just to really help motivate your dog. 

Step 3: Practice and Proofing Outside.

Once he's doing well in the house, take it outside. Being outside is a lot more distracting for a dog with all those sights and smells, so start practicing fairly close to him, and then build up distance. If you don't have a safe, fenced in area to practice, then you can buy very long (up to 50ft) training leashes to allow you to build up distance in a quiet corner of the park, while maintaining a safe level of control over him, just in case. 

When he is responding well in low distractions outside, start adding distractions. Have a friend stand nearby or walk past at first, build up to them waving their arms, running past, cycling past, or walking their own dog past yours. Move training to the park using a long leash, if you haven't already, and slowly practice closer and closer to the busy cycle paths, favourite dog walking areas, or the most squirrel heavy trees! This is called 'proofing' a behaviour and it aims to ensure that the dog can respond reliably, no matter what sort of distractions he encounters. 

Avoiding common problems:

My dog only comes back if you call and call and call again!

When training anything, use the command only once.

If the dog fails to respond issue a 'no reward marker' like a calm 'ah-ah' or 'nope' to let the dog know they aren't getting a reward - you can also take any toys or food and put them behind your back or hold them against your chest. Then you can give the dog a moment, and start again.

If you start rewarding the dog after saying 'Come...Come...Cooome' then your dog is going to learn that he doesn't have to respond the first time you call to get the reward. 

That said - Don't tell your dog off for not responding fast enough:

Its difficult to be fun when your dog is being frustrating: say he's chased off through the park after a squirrel and made you run off after him like a mad person. You finally get him to come back to you and your natural inclination is to give him a good telling off! Of course it is, you're only human! 

But HE isn't - he isn't a naughty child who can be told WHY you are so angry; he's a dog! He doesn't understand you are angry that he ran off because his memory for association is only a couple of seconds long, at best - so he thinks you are angry because of what he just did, and what he just did is COME BACK TO YOU!   

So, SMILE (as you wipe the mud off your knees with one hand and hold his collar tightly in the other) and tell him what a good boy he is for coming back, such a good boy, so deserving of cuddles and praise for choosing to return to you (even if it was a bit late). Recall must always be a good thing.

My dog doesn't want to come back to me at the end of a walk!

Another thing that stops the fun for dogs is only ever calling them back to you to clip on their leash and take them home, or to put them indoors after playtime.

Dogs aren't dumb and he'll soon come to realise that when you say 'Come here, boy!' all the fun stops!  Try and use the recall command randomly throughout the walk, praise him, then let him go and play some more, so that he never comes to associate 'come' with 'we're leaving'. You can also praise and reward him ANY time he chooses to come back to you of his own volition, encouraging him to want to stick close by and check in with you more because he knows it gets him a fun or tasty reward. 

My dog comes back to me, but not close enough to let me grab him!

Some owners make the mistake of teaching a dog to come towards them, but not right up to them. Only reward your dog for coming to you once you have a hand on his neck/collar. This makes it habit for your dog to be handled in that area and stops him learning to come JUST close enough to get a treat and praise, and then slipping out of your grasp when you try to get his leash on! 

My dog just isn't interested once there are distractions around!

You have to do your best to make yourself more interesting than the world around you. 

Try:

Lying on the ground. This is sometimes enough to get a curious dog interested.  

Getting VERY interested in something -especially good if you have a toy with you! Act like this object is the most interesting thing in the world (even if its just a stick!). Throw it from hand to hand, bang it on the ground, drag it around. Make it seem like something your dog absolutely HAS to come play with. This also works great for getting your dog to give up something you need him to drop. 

Run away as you call him. Might seem counter-productive, but dogs have a deep seated desire to chase things, and this makes getting to you something interesting and fun.

Wave your arms around, make interesting noises (whistles, clicks, excited calling) and generally act like a loon. Dogs are like toddlers- the more exaggerated your excitement, the more engaged they become. Plus, most dogs are curious enough to want to check out why you are acting so odd! 

What not to do:

NEVER chase your dog to try and get him back (unless it's absolutely necessary for his safety) - chasing him makes evading you into a game dogs love. Your two legs will tire out quicker than his four! 

NEVER rely purely on recall if:

- You are in a potentially dangerous area, such as near a busy road. 

- You haven't properly practiced and proofed, or aren't sure of your dog's ability to return to you when a little distracted. 

- Your dog is of a breed that naturally finds control or recall difficult. Huskies, for example, should never be allowed off leash in open areas - they are bred to run, and if they do you might never see them again. Sighthound breeds like Greyhounds and Afghans will not be able to overcome thousands of years of breeding and resist that small, furry, fast moving animal.                                      

That doesn't mean you shouldn't train recall in these breeds, it could well save their lives one day, but it does mean that they'll have a harder time listening under certain situations. It would be unfair and unsafe to put them in those situations and rely solely on training, rather than a leash.

Have fun training recall! Not only is it a vital way to keep your dog safe, it also allows them to have a great deal more freedom than a dog who's owners don't take the time and effort to train it.   

More advice on recall training:

The ASPCA suggest some great recall games: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/teaching-your-dog-come-when-called

Training Positive's tutorial video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QonpHq930Rk

Kikopup's youtube channel, which has several videos on training recall:  http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup