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So I've read some posts on training kitties, but mine doesn't seem to follow any of these methods
. Does anyone know any other training tips for stubborn cats?
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Help teaching tricks to a kitty who's never in the mood to learn?
- Thread starter littlegrey
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You just have to find something that motivates them! Try different kinds of special foods or treats (some pieces of chicken, steak or tuna are popular) until you find the one your cat goes gaga for. The basics from there are pretty easy: wait until s/he does the desired behavior and then reward for it. I just posted a question on training (I didnt see yours before I did) but I use the clicker method. It's pretty straightforward: desired behavior= click and treat!
If your cat really isn't food motivated try and think of something else s/he really loves. Maybe it's a favorite toy they only get after doing the behavior. Or a brush down. Or maybe even just a snuggle session. I would just keep trying different things until you find something that sticks.
Good luck!
If your cat really isn't food motivated try and think of something else s/he really loves. Maybe it's a favorite toy they only get after doing the behavior. Or a brush down. Or maybe even just a snuggle session. I would just keep trying different things until you find something that sticks.
Good luck!
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Yea I've tried that
and he will literally just lose interest and won't care about the treat (that usually makes him go nuts with excitement) when he realizes that I'm making it complicated to get.
You have to build up to the trick part. Part of the goal of training is that it should be fun for both of you. So, lets say you want to teach him to sit on his hind legs. Start first by charging up the clicker, meaning, you just click and treat him a few times for just laying there. This reinforces to him that the sound of the click means treat, and that he doesn't have to do much to get it!
Then, start holding the treat up a little higher so he has to be in a sitting position to get it. Click and treat him several times while he sits. Then hold it a little higher so he has to go up on his hind legs to reach. Ta da! Click and treat!
It may take several sessions of just getting him used to the sound of the clicker and demonstrating that you will follow through every time. The first day you may only click and treat 3 or 4 times before he loses interest. Just keep doing short sessions a couple of times a day and he will catch on to the fun. You can make the treats even more desirable by not giving him any except when you are doing a session.
I especially like using a target with clicker training. You can use something like the end of a wooden spoon (put a little wet cat food or other moist treat on the end to show him that touching it is what delivers the treat). When he does it click (to enforce to him that he did the proper behavior) and treat. Once he catches on then you can teach him more advanced things. Make the sessions play sessions too. With Diego I will hold his stick over the couch and call him so he has to run and jump to get to the spot. After he touches his nose and gets his treat I will run to the other end of the room and call for him. Now he will jump through a hoop if I stand on the other side with his marker and a treat. He doesn't realize it's anything other than a fun game with a juicy reward at the end!
Be patient and go slow. He will catch on!
Then, start holding the treat up a little higher so he has to be in a sitting position to get it. Click and treat him several times while he sits. Then hold it a little higher so he has to go up on his hind legs to reach. Ta da! Click and treat!
It may take several sessions of just getting him used to the sound of the clicker and demonstrating that you will follow through every time. The first day you may only click and treat 3 or 4 times before he loses interest. Just keep doing short sessions a couple of times a day and he will catch on to the fun. You can make the treats even more desirable by not giving him any except when you are doing a session.
I especially like using a target with clicker training. You can use something like the end of a wooden spoon (put a little wet cat food or other moist treat on the end to show him that touching it is what delivers the treat). When he does it click (to enforce to him that he did the proper behavior) and treat. Once he catches on then you can teach him more advanced things. Make the sessions play sessions too. With Diego I will hold his stick over the couch and call him so he has to run and jump to get to the spot. After he touches his nose and gets his treat I will run to the other end of the room and call for him. Now he will jump through a hoop if I stand on the other side with his marker and a treat. He doesn't realize it's anything other than a fun game with a juicy reward at the end!
Be patient and go slow. He will catch on!
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Thank you so much for your helpful posts! I'm new around here and I wasn't sure if I was rude or something in the way I presented this problem. I guess I should've included more background information of what I've tried, but basically I've tried all of the normal things you can do with a cat to help with training. I actually took a course on learning (specifically for pets) and so you're absolutely right about building up to whatever trick you want the cat to do, the problem is that no matter what it is (a clicker, treats he really loves, or toys) as soon as he realizes I'm making it complicated for him to get the treat, he decides it's not worth it anymore and just walks off. I can't regain his interest no matter what; he's decided he's through and he walks off (not even moving the treat under his nose so that he can smell it. He won't even attempt to nip at it out of my hand). I'm not really sure why; he's such a smart cat and he makes associations really quickly, I think part of the reason is that he knows there are some days he gets treats for being a good boy and other days where I want to train and he'd rather just wait for rewards for being good than for doing some work.
No, you weren't rude.
I went and looked at older posts on clicker training and I think it's just not a very common practice. Most people either believe 1) cats aren't trainable or 2) are just happy with their feline family members the way that they are (and I have an untrained girl who is just perfect as is thankyouverymuch)! I got interested in it with a very specific goal in mind but I didnt expect Diego to have so much fun with it! It's not really training as much as it's positive reinforcement. I have found it increases our bond and he enjoys the whole process. Now, when I get the clicker out he is stilling on the stool just waiting to see what we do next.
His walking away just means the session is done for the day. Try again the next day. In theory he will start to become more and more engaged. But, at first, you may only be able to get one or two treats and clicks in before he is done.
If you are really interested I recommend the book "clicker training for cats" by Karen Pryor. She addresses this issue of the uninterested feline. I bought the starter kit on Amazon (http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=11118&source=GA-PLA01511118 ) and it was totally worth it ! use a different clicker and different treats now but it was nice to have it to start off with and it's very reasonably priced.
His walking away just means the session is done for the day. Try again the next day. In theory he will start to become more and more engaged. But, at first, you may only be able to get one or two treats and clicks in before he is done.
If you are really interested I recommend the book "clicker training for cats" by Karen Pryor. She addresses this issue of the uninterested feline. I bought the starter kit on Amazon (http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=11118&source=GA-PLA01511118 ) and it was totally worth it ! use a different clicker and different treats now but it was nice to have it to start off with and it's very reasonably priced.
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Thanks for replying again! What if he's done with training less than a minute after it begins?
Are you starting by just sitting next to him and clicking and treating? Don't try to get him to move or anything, just get him used to the idea that the clicker means he gets a treat. I would just do 4 or 5 clicks and treats back to back and then be done with that session.Ideally, you want to leave it with him wanting more. Do it a couple of times a day. Also, keep some treats and your clicker on you. Anytime you see him doing something "good" click and treat him. Laying on the couch, sitting by the window- ANYTHING is grounds for a click and a treat!
After a few days his interest will probably be piqued. Don't do it often but try just giving a click and seeing if he walks over toward you for the treat (you want him to associate the click with the action but it's a good way to tell if he's interested). Once you reach this point then slowly start adding more interaction to it. So, for 6 days you may just click and treat a few sessions a day. Maybe days 6-10 you just work on getting him to sit down to get the treat. And so on and so on....
Also, does he free feed? Part of the issue may just be he isn't hungry and therefore not motivated. If possible start time-feeding him but if you can't, try picking up his dishes for a few hours and then doing a session. If he's hungry he will be a lot more into it!
Does any of that help?
After a few days his interest will probably be piqued. Don't do it often but try just giving a click and seeing if he walks over toward you for the treat (you want him to associate the click with the action but it's a good way to tell if he's interested). Once you reach this point then slowly start adding more interaction to it. So, for 6 days you may just click and treat a few sessions a day. Maybe days 6-10 you just work on getting him to sit down to get the treat. And so on and so on....
Also, does he free feed? Part of the issue may just be he isn't hungry and therefore not motivated. If possible start time-feeding him but if you can't, try picking up his dishes for a few hours and then doing a session. If he's hungry he will be a lot more into it!
Does any of that help?
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Mmm thank you so much EB24! I will definitely try again, slower this time 
I need to buy a new clicker, mine's stuck. Do you have any suggestions?
Also, I keep forgetting to mention, your kitty is too cute! Girl or boy? Name?
I need to buy a new clicker, mine's stuck. Do you have any suggestions?Also, I keep forgetting to mention, your kitty is too cute! Girl or boy? Name?
Well I'm glad some of it helped!
This is the clicker stick that I use and I love it: . It has a softer click than others which is good for cats because they have such sensitive ears. It's also nice because if you decide to do target training then it's all in one.
I also really like this one for the same reason (a softer click). . I didnt buy it solo I bought it in the training pack with the book but I put this link in case you just want the clicker. It's also a good size. I just put it on a lanyard and wear it around my neck. That way, if he does something I want to reward I have it right there. I save the stick for our "training sessions" because it's too hard to carry around and if I leave it out he will keep pushing his nose to it expecting a treat! The stick does have an attachment so you can hook it on your pants but I wear a lot of dresses for work so that doesn't really work for me. Personally I just like having both- gives me flexibility depending on what we are doing!
And, thank you for the compliment! He's a little boy named Diego. He started out as a foster and I named his litter the City/State babies (Jersey, Dakota, Diego, Quincy, and Boston). I thought about changing it once I decided to keep him but for some reason Diego just fits his personality. Guess it was meant to be!
I can't wait to hear updates once you get started!
This is the clicker stick that I use and I love it: . It has a softer click than others which is good for cats because they have such sensitive ears. It's also nice because if you decide to do target training then it's all in one.
I also really like this one for the same reason (a softer click). . I didnt buy it solo I bought it in the training pack with the book but I put this link in case you just want the clicker. It's also a good size. I just put it on a lanyard and wear it around my neck. That way, if he does something I want to reward I have it right there. I save the stick for our "training sessions" because it's too hard to carry around and if I leave it out he will keep pushing his nose to it expecting a treat! The stick does have an attachment so you can hook it on your pants but I wear a lot of dresses for work so that doesn't really work for me. Personally I just like having both- gives me flexibility depending on what we are doing!
And, thank you for the compliment! He's a little boy named Diego. He started out as a foster and I named his litter the City/State babies (Jersey, Dakota, Diego, Quincy, and Boston). I thought about changing it once I decided to keep him but for some reason Diego just fits his personality. Guess it was meant to be!
I can't wait to hear updates once you get started!
