Cat Tricks

Have you ever heard of teaching a cat to do tricks? It’s fairly common for dog owners to teach their furry pals classic or silly tricks like ‘Shake hands’ or ‘Play Dead’ but you don’t see too many cats doing tricks. Why not? Kitty is more than smart enough to learn a few tricks. After all, just a few decades ago, before pop-top lids became the norm, cats everywhere learned to run to the kitchen at the sound of the can opener. In this article, your veterinarian West Greenwich suggests some simple tricks you can show your furball.

Ring A Bell

Hang a small bell so that your furball can reach it with that cute little paw. You can guide her paw the first few times, or just dangle the bell and wait for her to smack it hard enough for it to ring. Immediately give Fluffy her favorite treat. It shouldn’t take long for her to get the idea. Other variations on this will have cats ringing bells to open doors, or for a new toy.

Gimme Five

You can teach your cat to slap your hand, though it may take a bit of time. This is a good one for kitties that like to paw or bat at things. Wait until your furball bats at something and slaps your hand. Immediately give Fluffy a treat.

Jump Through A Hoop

Start out by teaching your cat to associate the hoop with good things by rewarding her with a treat whenever she goes near it. Then, put the treat on the other side of the hoop, so that Kitty has to walk through it to get her tidbit. Once you have that mastered, keep it going by continuously putting treats down on the other side of the hoop.

Fluffy can actually learn many of the basic tricks usually associated with dogs, such as Sit, Roll Over, and Play Dead. Try to choose tricks that suit your cat’s personality. If your furball sometimes sits up on her hind legs, you stand a pretty good chance of teaching her to do so on command.

When training your kitty, make sure to only use treats she really loves, like tuna, meat-flavored baby food, or bits of cooked meat. It’s best to do frequent but short sessions, so Fluffy doesn’t get bored.

Results may vary.

Please contact us, your vet clinic West Greenwich, with any questions on cat care.