Clicker training

danteshuman

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
5,030
Purraise
6,077
Location
California
I use clicker training and just training. I always say the same phrase every time (good boy, you are such a good boy!) Plus I train with hand signals since cats learn hand signals first.

Jackie knows:

Sit and meow for the wet food
High 5
Spin
Get on the footstool to put on/take off his harness

He is learning to lay down and is working on meowing as I carry his wet food (so I stop tripping on him!) The wet food? I stop walking, wait for the meow; then take a few more steps. So I’m not rewarding him with the good boy. His lay down he gets about half the time without prompting. I might have to pull out a clicker and a target to train him on that one.
 

cmshap

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2019
Messages
1,490
Purraise
3,531
Location
Milwaukee, WI
I use clicker training and just training. I always say the same phrase every time (good boy, you are such a good boy!) Plus I train with hand signals since cats learn hand signals first.
How old was Jackie when you started the clicker training?
 

iPappy

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 1, 2022
Messages
5,051
Purraise
15,786
I use clicker training and just training. I always say the same phrase every time (good boy, you are such a good boy!) Plus I train with hand signals since cats learn hand signals first.

Jackie knows:

Sit and meow for the wet food
High 5
Spin
Get on the footstool to put on/take off his harness

He is learning to lay down and is working on meowing as I carry his wet food (so I stop tripping on him!) The wet food? I stop walking, wait for the meow; then take a few more steps. So I’m not rewarding him with the good boy. His lay down he gets about half the time without prompting. I might have to pull out a clicker and a target to train him on that one.
Definitely pull out the clicker when he offers a down! You can mark it and then put a cue onto it. :)
I need to dust off my clicker, it's been awhile since I trained anything new!
 

danteshuman

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Messages
5,030
Purraise
6,077
Location
California
How old was Jackie when you started the clicker training?
I started training them to high five at 9 weeks without the clicker (to try to get the black kitten adopted.) I pulled out the clicker when he was a year old. All the tricks besides laying down and sitting while meowing he mastered by 2. I honestly have nothing new to train him….. I might have to start him on an obstacle course some day. Just to challenge his mind on rainy days.

Just train them once a day and keep it short every day. Use treats they love and praise them a ton. The clicker just trains them quicker.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #26

Furrywurrypurry

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 14, 2023
Messages
171
Purraise
472
danteshuman danteshuman

thank you for this. This is the kind of thing I was hoping to hear. My 2 older cats, one who is still with us, have always been pretty well behaved and so I guess I taught them something, somewhere along the way, although never in a specific and structured way and it’s 13 years+ since they were the kitten age, so I think I’ve forgotten how I got from crazy kitten to good cat. My old girl who is still with me I believe is primarily on best behaviour because she has always been of nervous disposition, I believe if she could get the new kitten to counter surf on her behalf so she can claim ‘it wasn’t me’ she definitely would 😂

so yeah I’m not looking for a circus performer, or a obedient dog instead of a cat. I just want to help my little one learn.
 
Top