Can You Clicker Train A Cat For Claw Trims? Am I Doing It Wrong?

[Mow Mow -^-^-]

I have read it is possible (but difficult) to train cats to do many things - use a toilet (ew!), jump through hoops, fetch, etc. I have a 5 month old kitten and I don't care if she knows tricks, but I figured it would be super useful to train her to accept claw trimmings. But so far, slow going.

I have only managed to teach her ONE trick in about 1.5-2 months. She knows that pat pat on spot means come to that spot for a treat. She will hop onto a chair, the floor, from chair to chair, or onto my lap (but only if there is a pillow on my lap, go figure). I am trying to teach her sit and shake to move into paw squeezing, but she doesn't want to cooperate.

She gets frustrated with the new tricks when I don't give the treat right away. At first she would go into her box hideout, behind the curtain, play with her other toys (I have started to move them away during training) or walk off to groom after only 1-2 attempts. I have since gotten her to sit at least a few times with the command (by holding the treat slowly up above her head) but I'm sure it was accidental and not actually responding to the command. I have also grabbed her paw a few times with 'shake' command, and have done this a few days, but no willful responding.

At this rate, I'm worried she will be 2 years old before she learns anything. I only do 5-10 minute sessions (IF she will even pay attention that long... sometimes she loses interest in 1-2 minutes). I train before her feeding time. I try to limit her dry food so she doesn't waste her wet food, often all her food is gone when I train. I wait about 10-20 min after training and feed her usual wet food.

I REALLY want to trim her claws, they are getting LONG and she scratched me a couple times while playing and it hurts.

She let me trim them ONCE. It took me an hour and a half. This was when she was mostly asleep. I only trimmed the very tips of the claws as I am afraid of cutting the quick. I can see the big red part, but I am afraid there is extra quick further down the nail that I will miss, especially if she decides to randomly jerk around. She will also SOMETIMES let me handle her paws, but only when she is in super sleepy and cuddly mood. If she realizes I am doing it, she pulls away (which is why it took me so long). I tried to cut them a second time when she was sleepy, and she caught on to my plan and started sleeping like a bread loaf.

Am I trying to train her all wrong? I am afraid she will be fully grown and miss her window of learning before I can train her properly...

 

[Mow Mow -^-^-]

Solutions I've read in other threads:
1. Cat burrito (This sounds realllllyyy mean and I don't want her to hate me)
2. Cat trim at petco (it's about $20 but would add up, she hates her carrier, and I'd rather do it myself)
3. Give her treats when she's letting me touch her paws (I will try but she gets excited and un-sleepy when she hears the treat bag)

Do I need better treats? I use the whisker lickins salmon soft treats. I cut them up into smaller pieces because she is so small and too many treats is bad. She shows little to no interest in temptations crunchy treats. Should I try canned salmon. I have some but I am worried the 8% sodium is too much, even for bite sized treats...

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I don't know about clicker training, and getting your cat to do tricks for you (and yes, the tricks would be for you, not her). Other members, will hopefully help you out with that aspect.

But, I think you are letting her be the boss when it comes to her nail clipping. Yes, there are some cats that will never be good about nail clipping, and some have to be taken to a vet or elsewhere for it.

If you have a willing friend/family member, you could clip her nails while your willing participant holds her. After she learns that nail clipping is a way of life, you could try it on your own. A treat after each paw might be appropriate, then ultimately reduce it to one or two at the end.

Feeby, my 14+ yo cat, has never been crazy about nail clipping, but after all these years, she knows it IS going to happen. Even now, I will try to do it while she is either sleeping or nearly asleep, and usually by the time I am close to finishing up she is telling me that she is not impressed. Sometimes, I sit her up on her butt between my legs or on my lap with her back to me. It is hard for them to get away in that position. Then, one paw at a time I clip. If she moves, I just hold onto her paw a little firmer. She does NOT get treats for this anymore!! Lol!

Oh, yeah - even to this day, I still only cut off the very tip of the nail, just to be safe.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I've "accidentally" trained things I didn't have any intention of training, and you mentioned your cat will only respond to the tap tap thing if there's a pillow on your lap (correct me if I'm wrong)? I'm wondering if she sees the pillow as the "thing" she's supposed to be on, not your lap, and when the pillow isn't there, the trick can't be done. (It would be like asking an obedience or field dog to fetch the dummy or dumbbell when the dummy or dumbbell is nowhere in sight!)
I would stop showing her the treat, at all. Keep the treats handy, but don't lure her or bribe her with them. A good way to use anything in marker training is to teach them how to learn that way first.
A good thing to do is just sit quietly while she's active and wait, and when she looks at you, click, then toss the treat to her. She might walk off, but that's OK. Eventually she'll realize that looking at you "makes" you click (done right, the cat is actually in charge of the game, and everyone knows cats like to be in charge ). Instead of saying "owner is training me" they'll say "LOL, I can make you click and give me some food."
Using this face orienting thing is good because, odds are, she'll take that a step further and approach you, that can also be rewarded, and will take shape to you saying "come here" or patting the floor, etc.
Everyone does things a little differently but we only stop clicking when the animal is right about 95% of the time. When that happens, we replace the click with the word we want to use ("come", "load up", "back", etc.) and continue to treat. Once they've got it down to a science, they're learning the game and we then begin to reward only 50% of the efforts to phase out the food being there 100% of the time.
She may get discouraged at this point, but the more things she learns and the better at the game she gets, she will find this to be a fun challenge and not frustration.
Another trick we use is we pair the click noise with "Good" or whatever word. The word you choose can be spoken at any time, and they associate that word with the click/treat thing. (When you click, give the treat and say the word). It isn't as strong because it's not rewarded with food a lot, but for some it seems to be an encouragement ("you're on the right path but not quite there, keep trying") and keeps them from getting discouraged or confused.
People have taught sea mammals and dolphins to do really amazing things with this method (they use things like underwater whistles I believe, instead of a clicker), dogs are taught to do almost anything you can imagine, horses and livestock can be taught to calmly load and unload from a trailer (something that can take hours, and be dangerous, if they're uncooperative), etc.
On the nail trims, I'd start by holding her (burrito if you must), touch her paw, click, give treats and let her go. Double reward. Anytime you touch her feet, click, double reward. Touch the nail clippers to her paws, click, double. Even if she resists a little, it's not a big thing right now.
If she's not absolutely crazy over the treats, I'd find something else she really likes. We mix and match things based on the pet, the species, etc. (Horses are not impressed when offered a salmon cookie )

 

[1 bruce 1]

One more thing I forgot to mention:

If you want to train her to come to you, when she approaches, click (or word), and give her a treat, but chuck the treat a bit off to the side and behind her so she has to move away, which sets her up perfectly to repeat the behavior almost immediately.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! You've gotten some great tips, and here's an article - it actually seems to be more about training the human LOL but still, is a short but worthwhile read;

Clicker Training For Cats

 

[1 bruce 1]

Hi! You've gotten some great tips, and here's an article - it actually seems to be more about training the human LOL but still, is a short but worthwhile read;

Clicker Training For Cats

Speaking of clicker training for humans, my wife likes how nice and well behaved (usually) our dogs are. Every few months, out of the corner of my eye, I'll see her sitting and watching me with my favorite BBQ potato chips in one hand, clicker in the other.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[sabian]

Manny's scared of the clicker! I didn't see that one coming! Anybody want to buy clicker!?

 

[1 bruce 1]

Manny's scared of the clicker! I didn't see that one coming! Anybody want to buy clicker!?

Baby Girl will. She steals them and brings them to us, carries them around, etc.!
If she's scared of the clicker, use a pen with a retractable tip (it's quieter), or an i-click is usually quiet.
If you want to skip all that, just use the word "good", "yes", or anything you want that you find "falls out of your mouth" when Manny is behaving. Just treat the word like a clicker, even if you manage to click (say "good, hi, yes," etc.) when your cat is licking their butt in front of horrified guests...the cat gets a treat.

 

[daftcat75]

I am clicker training my Krista to eventually come when called or at least heel to the sound of the clicker so that I have a way to get her attention for when we begin leash and harness training. Right now I can get her to come to the sound of the clicker because she knows there’s a treat reward with the click. I can also get her to do some basic agility stuff. I only want her associating positive experiences with the click. If I were to use the clicker for nail trimming, it would feel like a betrayal. The click would no longer be a positive. It would lose the motivation.

Instead, I would look into desensitization training similar to how this video breaks down tooth brush training for cats.
Brushing Your Cat's Teeth | Partners in Animal Health

Take the act of cutting the claw on a single digit and split it over several baby steps that you can build on week by week until she associates putting up with this entire routine as the way to get to the treats during and after. She’ll likely never enjoy it like a clicker-rewarded action. But she understands this routine gets rewarded, and she will at least tolerate it. Since she’s has a number of claws that need to be trimmed, you won’t run out of digits to repeat this routine enough times for the training to take. You may be clipping her claws one a day but at least you’ll be able to do it and she’ll learn to accept it.

I like using fish flakes with my Krista because the serving size is insane. I can shovel these in her mouth and still not give her the full 5 calorie serving. Otherwise, pre-portion the treats you’ll use so you can give out the rewards without making kitty sick. That would be counterproductive to the training.

 

[sabian]

Baby Girl will. She steals them and brings them to us, carries them around, etc.!
If she's scared of the clicker, use a pen with a retractable tip (it's quieter), or an i-click is usually quiet.
If you want to skip all that, just use the word "good", "yes", or anything you want that you find "falls out of your mouth" when Manny is behaving. Just treat the word like a clicker, even if you manage to click (say "good, hi, yes," etc.) when your cat is licking their butt in front of horrified guests...the cat gets a treat.

I just use commands and give him lot's of praise along with rubs and it seems to work fine. I don't always use treats either. I've done it the same way with my past cats and it worked fine with them. I think repetition and praise goes along way.

 

[nansiludie]

I am a little confused by your title question. I wouldn't call any cat to me to clip their claws. I feel that isn't such a good idea since its not a fun thing about to happen. I'll go look and find them or I'll trim their claws right after they are done eating a meal or napping someplace but be sure they are fully awake before claw clipping. I do have 7 that I clip their claws.

 

[basscat]

I've tried it and I don't get it.
Sit, (sit), Click, Treat.
Sit, (sit), Treat.
Sit, When his bottom hits the floor, he gets a treat.
Simple enough, why add confusion?

So, who's the clicker actually training, me or the cat?

 

[1 bruce 1]

I am a little confused by your title question. I wouldn't call any cat to me to clip their claws. I feel that isn't such a good idea since its not a fun thing about to happen. I'll go look and find them or I'll trim their claws right after they are done eating a meal or napping someplace but be sure they are fully awake before claw clipping. I do have 7 that I clip their claws.

I visited a zoo type facility that used this method to train animals to come to them, and push up against a gate, to accept things like injections. It was really interesting to see large animals that are wild and have no desire to "please" us willingly offer their arm, side, and look bored while an injection was given, get a reward, then the handler asked for the other side and they gave their full cooperation without any resisting, hesitation, or bolting away then accepting their next reward. Wild animals (and cats) aren't a type that you can force train and expect any kind of results except your face being rearranged, then chased with a nice stay in the hospital.
Vaccines and antibiotic injections aren't something that can wait, and need to be done, so I was extremely impressed by this place, their training and their handling skills. Not only were the animals given what they needed but there was no force necessary.
It can be done. But I'm not that advanced yet.

 

[DustyPatches]

clicker should be associated with happy stuff and reward. Don't recommend doing it with nail cutting. My cat cut us up very badly for a year whenever we trim his claws. I've got scars all over my arms and body. Literally had 3 bleeding claw mark on my face once. I looked badass for a week.

How we eventually overcome it is:
1. on the day we want to trim, play with him until he is very exhausted. Kittens can play until they start to pant like dogs. But still will keep going. Play until it decides that it's really over because he is flat out
2. then wait for it to get sleepy
3. calmly, gently, when it's half asleep, or fully asleep, push out its claws and clip. It will be too blur and daze and tired to react to the first 2 clips.
4. chances are, you will not get to clip all 18 claws. Do as many as you can before it gets really feisty. ALTERNATIVELY, after a few clips, give it a treat before it reacts negatively. Associate every few clip = treat. And end that session. Then wait for your next opportunity. It should go back to sleep pretty soon. And repeat until all 18 are cut.

Using a clicker will just heighten its alertness. You don't want it alert at all during nail cutting sessions.

Took us over half a year to finally have him not struggle when we trim his nails. He now will just give up struggling and sit very unhappily in our lap and meow in a very fierce manner as warning, but wouldn't attack us anymore. We usually cut one paw, then let him go. And catch him a while later for the other paw. And repeat. But always after everything is done, will be rewarded with treats.

 

[Etarre]

I have owned two of the sweetest cats I know, and despite the fact that they wouldn't think of hissing, scratching, or biting, both managed to make it impossible to clip their nails quickly or easily.

Gwen perfected a perfect twist and wiggle that allowed her to escape after a claw or two. I'd have to retrieve her from the bathtub or under the bathroom vanity and start over, and getting all of her claws always took at least 20 minutes. And Juniper will not keep her back feet still. I can do her front paws well enough, but the back feet are really difficult to reach while keeping her front feet still enough to prevent escapes. I have not found the towel burrito particularly effective. If they can wriggle out of my arms, then can wriggle out of a towel just as easily.

My vet will clip nails for $12, and I usually cough up for it whenever we go to avoid the hassle of doing it myself. But they only have to go once a year, so that leaves a lot of chasing a cat around the house with the clippers.

 

[vince]

I just used the sound of the cabinet door. Clicker-training seemed to be a lot of extra fuss. The treats, toys, nail clipper and brushes are all in there. A few treats one at a time got them interested, so they'll come whenever it's opened. I also give them a treat whenever I open it to do something with them, so it's associated with something good.