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Teach Your Cat New Tricks
Teaching Your Cat To Beg
To teach your cat how to beg, hold the treat between your fingers and show it to him. Make sure he knows the treat is in your hand and smells it. But do not give it to him yet. Raise your hand slowly above his hand, making him follow and sit up on his haunches. When he starts to reach for the treat, say "Beg," and hand him the treat. Repeat this several times. At the point when you want him to learn the trick, hand him the the treat each time. Do this every day, and then slowly try just giving the command, but keep the treat in your hand. See if the cat sits up. If he does, have a treat and lots of praise daily. If the cat does not sit up, then start the training session over again. Most cats get it after several weeks if you are diligent and work with them daily. Keep the training sessions short, (about 5 to 10 minutes a day) so your cat does not become bored (or overfed!).
Teaching Your Cat To Fetch
Teaching a cat to fetch is always a fun trick.. Most cats need more encouragement than simply a love of play, and this is where your food reward will come in handy.
The first step in teaching a cat to fetch is to use a toy the cat loves and will want to chase. Make sure you use a ball or a round object that can't be eaten, swallowed, or chewed up. A ball that has grooves or holes is good because it will be easier for your cat to pick up and bring back to you.
Rub the toy in catnip and show it to your cat. When the toy is covered in the catnip smell (you can use catnip leaves or catnip spray found in pet shops), show it to the cat, make sure he wants it, and toss it a few feet away. When the cat runs to retrieve the toy, follow him and take the toy once he has caught. Praise him and tell him that he is a good cat as you take the toy. Return to where you were originally standing and make sure that the cat follows you. Once you have the cat's attention, toss the ball a little further and repeat the process.
You might want to add verbal commands such as saying, "Fetch," and perhaps give the cat a very tiny food reward. If you keep it fun and don't make the sessions too long or too heavy, eventually you might find your cat bringing the toy back to you so you can throw it again.
Teaching Your Cat to Walk on a Leash
You first need to get your cat used to the harness. Always use a cat harness and not a collar to walk your cat. A collar can slip and choke your cat. Hook your cat into the harness and let him get used to it. Be sure to give him lots of food rewards and praise. You might want to do this daily for a week or see until his is comfortable wearing the harness around the house. Whenever your cat is comfortable, start "walking" your cat around the house. Use food to lure him to walk with you and also let him go where he wants. never force him do anything.
When the cat is accustomed to walking around the house, try taking him into the yard and see how he reacts. If he is terribly frightened, bring him back inside. This training sometimes doesn't work as well with an older cat that has always been an indoor cat. In fact, unless there's a very specific reason, you shouldn't leash-train an older cat that has never been outside and has no desire to go out, particularly if the cat is shy. The experience could make the cat worse.
Once your cat is comfortable walking around the yard, try taking him in other places, like on a sidewalk, but avoid areas of heavy traffic (foot or vehicle) until he is completely comfortable. Remember to take each step gradually, use praise and rewards, and eventually you might have a cat walking alongside you as you take your daily walk.
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