Clicker Training Your Cats

Cats have developed a reputation of being self-sufficient and independent. You might assume that makes them difficult to train. But the reality is that using a positive reinforcement training method - clicker training – works very well with cats.

Patience is absolutely essential when clicker training your cat. If you’ve clicker trained a dog, you were probably very happy with how quickly your dog learned the behavior or trick. Most dogs are eager to please their owner and will work hard to learn new skills.

But with cats, it may take a little longer to get and keep their attention. Be sure to take all the time necessary to practice “loading” the clicker, i.e. making your cat familiar with the click-treat pattern. Keep cat clicker training sessions very short, no more than five minutes, and be sure to practice every day.

You can teach your cat to do basic obedience skills, use the litter box, and do a variety of tricks, such as shake and high five as demonstrated by CatChannel.com.



Cats have been successfully taught to run obstacle courses and agility courses. In the International Cat Agility Tournaments (ICAT) competition, “cats negotiate an agility course designed to display their speed, coordination, beauty of movement, physical condition, intelligence, training, and the quality and depth of their relationship with their owner who trains with them and guides them through the course.”

Of course, everyone knows that cats have mastered training their owners. TV star Morris the Cat’s owner tried to entertain Morris with a wind-up mouse on the floor, only to have Morris chide, “Great – play with it outside.” But all cat lovers secretly love being trained to cater to their cats. With clicker training, cats might just enjoy performing for their owners.