Clicker Training Cats

Clicker training has become a popular way to train pets. Some people consider cats to be too independent to train. However, cats can be taught certain behaviors that would be helpful to the cat and cat owner. Cats can also enjoy time spent with their owners while the owners teach the cats a few tricks.

The process of clicker training cats makes use of marking and rewarding desirable behavior. A clicker is a small, handheld device that makes a clicking sound when activated. When the cat owner is trying to teach a cat to perform an action, the cat owner clicks and treats behavior that is a step to completing the correct behavior.

Some cat owners clicker train kittens to wave. This can be done by holding a toy above the kitten’s head. When the kitten reaches for the toy, the cat owner can click and give the kitten a treat or let the kitten play with the toy. After several repetitions, the cat owner should add the verbal command. Verbal commands should be one word and easy for the pet to distinguish. For waving, the cat owner may want to use “wave” as the verbal command. After sufficient repetition, the kitten should respond to the verbal command by lifting its paw as it did to reach for the toy.

Clicker training a cat to enter the cat carrier can be a helpful behavior. Anyone who has ever put a frightened or angered cat into a carrier knows how helpful such a behavior could be. Cats can be taught to enter the carrier when given a verbal command to do so. This can be extremely helpful in emergency situations when the cat and family have to quickly evacuate the home.

Teaching a kitten to use soft paws while playing or being handled is another behavior that can be taught. Using soft paws means that the claws are retracted. There are many guides, kits, and resources about clicker training cats. With patience and a good attitude, clicker training a cat could be an enjoyable experience for both the cat and cat owner.