The Top Tricks You Can Teach Your Cat
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Cats doing tricks, nope, not a common sight. However, that doesn’t mean that your cat isn’t capable of impressing you with the same things a dog is. So, if you are unsure where to start, just keep in mind that persistence and positive reinforcement brings results, and here are the top 5 tricks you can teach your pet feline.
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Sit
Teaching your cat to sit is a simple command that you can use as the basis for other tricks. Moreover, it is not that difficult. Start by placing your cat’s favorite treat near. With that in hand, dangle it above her head, just behind her ears. Now, slowly move it towards her tail. Doing so will naturally put your cat in a sitting position. Keep repeating the word “sit.” and reward her once she successfully obeys you. Practice this technique repeatedly until your cat responds to the command.
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The ‘Up’ Position
“Dancing” cats are commonly seen on TV, and you can easily teach this trick to your pet feline. After your cat has perfected the ‘sit’ command, you can easily push her into the ‘up’ position. Hold the food above her head and keep repeating the ‘up’ command. Once she stands up on her hind legs, praise her and reward her with the much-deserved treat. You can take this up a notch by slowly turning your head in a circular motion to imitate the ‘dance’ trick when she is up. This will take some practice but eventually your cat will be ready for the big trick.
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Fetch
Many people think “fetch” is only for dogs, but some felines have a real skill for this fun trick. Naturally, cats love to hunt and thus make for great chasers. However, getting your cat to leave her “kill” so you can throw again is a bit of a task. Nevertheless, it is not impossible and with a little time and repetition, your cat will become good at it just as any other dog.
The key to “fetch” is having your feline’s favorite toy in place and repetition. Throw the toy at a short distance and once he brings it back in his mouth, gently go over, retrieve it, and then throw again. Repeat these steps until your cat gets a good idea of what you want from him.
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The High Five
This trick is surely going to impress your friends and family as they will see how clever your cat it. Similar to the sit trick, all you need to do is hold the treat over your cat’s head, and when she makes a
move to reach out for it, tap your hand against her paw and say “high five”. Like others, this trick will also take some time and effort, but it is sure worthwhile at the end of the day.
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Waving Bye-Bye
Waving goodbye is quite similar to doing a high-five. First, get your cat in a sitting position, then hold a treat above her head. When she tries to reach out for it with her paw, ask her to “wave” and give the food morsel. You will surely have to repeat the process a number of times your cat finally gets the hang of the word “wave” and associate it with the desired action.
Be patient and persistent, and you will soon see results. Remember that any frustration or negativity on your part will only alienate your cat from the training process and will make her react more negatively.