‘You’ll find that clicker training is fun and stimulating for your cat and, helpfully, it can also improve any less-welcome behaviours,’ Kim says. For the best chance of success, it’s important to find extra-special treats, such as small pieces of cooked chicken.’ Keep in mind that when rewarding your cat in this way, you’ll need to monitor her overall intake of calories. So always make sure the click is followed by an immediate edible reward. ‘Cats’ natural instincts compel them to hunt – to work for their food – and they’re generally food-motivated. ‘Your cat learns to associate the sound of the clicker with a treat,’ Kim explains. You can put it into action by ‘clicking’ it every time your cat performs the behaviour you want (for example, coming when called) and then giving a reward. A clicker is a small plastic device that makes a distinct sound. So how do you train your own cat to the same level? Kim recommends clicker training as the most effective way to teach cats. Happily, his response has been astounding.’ Click and treat ‘I didn’t have any preconceptions, and just approached Gremlin as I would any other pet. ‘I think a lot of cat owners have this idea that their moggie won’t respond to commands, and it prevents them from trying any training techniques,’ Anna says. Then, when they later moved to the Buckinghamshire countryside, Gremlin also began joining Anna and Molly on their walks – much to the local villagers’ amusement. In no time he had mastered a reliable recall, would sit on command and even learnt to give great high-fives. Gremlin began mimicking Molly and was soon taking treats from Anna’s hand, too. Molly always works for her food, and that’s how she, and Gremlin, became trained to such a high standard.’ He started watching my sessions with Molly and quickly learnt how she earns her treats. ‘So I treated Gremlin like a dog, as that was all I knew – and that meant training him. ‘I’ve always had dogs and had no idea what to do with a cat,’ Anna admits. ‘He started watching us through the window and then began tapping the glass to get our attention!’ Anna had never owned a cat before but, when attempts to find the kitten’s owner were unsuccessful, she christened him Gremlin and he moved in for good, soon becoming the best of friends with Molly. ‘After three days he was still in the garden,’ Anna recalls.
Despite first being soundly barked at by her Bull Terrier, Molly, the kitten was determined to stay. The tiny black-and-white cat appeared five years ago in the garden of Anna’s London flat. A dog-on approachĪnna Webb, the co-host of BBC Radio London’s The Barking Hour, who is also a dog trainer and an animal nutritionist, began cat training by accident when a stray kitten moved into her home. And in the case of recall – or coming on command – it might even help to draw your cat away from potentially dangerous situations.
Training not only helps to keep your cat’s mind as agile as his or her body, but can also help to strengthen your bond. ‘However, the key to training them lies in understanding what motivates them, and using positive, reward-based techniques.’ ‘Unfortunately, our feline friends are often wrongly viewed as disobedient and stubborn – when, in fact, they are supremely intelligent and extremely trainable,’ says Kim Houston, one of the UK’s leading cat behaviourists. The good news is that most cats – even the most independent – are easy to communicate with and more than capable of learning new skills.
There are cats all over the world that will come when called, sit when asked and can even be taught to give their owners a high-five, but for some reason the perception of cats as ‘un-trainable’ persists. Plus, we give you step-by-step instructions for tricks to try out with your kitten. Karen Cornish explains that your feline friend is quite willing to learn, and asks an expert for the steps you should follow. It’s high time the myth that cats can’t follow commands was busted.
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