How To Teach Your Cat To Fetch

How To Teach A Cat To Fetch

Pet behaviorist Arden Moores one-year-old kitten, Casey, sits on command and walks on a leash. But his favorite thing to do is play fetch.

Moore just has to open a drawer and pull out a toy, and Casey comes running, excited to play.

Its important to enrich your cat physically and mentally, says Moore, founder of the site Four Legged Life and the author of Fit Cat: Tips and Tricks to Give Your Pet a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life.

When you play with a purpose like you do with fetch you achieve both.

Besides, why should dogs have all the fun? Here are Moores eight tips for teaching your cat how to fetch.

Training Your Cat To Do Other Tricks

You dont need to stop at fetch, as long as your cat enjoys training, as most do. You could always train your cat to sit and beg as well. Providing lots of tasty treats are involved, youll have a very willing participant!! Always be patient and only stick to a short 3-5 minute session each time. Respect your cats needs and dont disturb her rest for training. Youll only have an agitated kitty on your hands!

Now you know how to train your cat to fetch, I hope you and your fur baby enjoy fun times together. Training also strengthens the bond, and creates a positive relationship. If youve enjoyed this post, please share. Feel free to share this pin on your pets board.

Id also love you to share any experiences youve had of training a cat. Please leave any comments or questions below.

Wishing you a purrfect day:)Kathy

What Kind Of Cat Plays Fetch

Any cat can play fetch, but certain kinds of cats have a better chance of playing fetch with you.

• Young cats, like kittens
• Active cats, no matter their age
• Lonely cats that may be willing to play with you whenever they can
• Certain cat breeds that are more active than others

Dont think that your chubby, senior cat will immediately start chasing after balls. Even older cats can have a playful streak.

Almost every cat Ive come across enjoy playing, so you need to find your cats favorite toy. Throwing your cats favorite toy will increase the chances of your cat responding to fetch.

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Teach Your Cat To Fetch

I found a kitten in the ditch as I was walking down the road one day. I brought her home and cleaned her up with all intentions of giving her to one of my lovely friends. Soon I was once again reminded of the old adage that “kittens are like opinions, everyone is trying to give them away”.To make a long story short I was stuck with her.So I decided to teach her how to fetch.This is how I did it:

How To Train A Bengal Cat To Fetch

How to train a Bengal cat to fetch. Thats the title of the article. Here Im going to tell you all about it.

Youll also get tips on training your cats to behave and be more patient.

If you have a kitten, a young adult or an older Bengal cat, it is likely that one day it will start begging for food.

Youll find that it wants attention so much that when its left alone it will dig under the bed and beg for food. This is what is known as a natural behavior.

The point is that your cat will learn this behavior, eventually, and the best way to get it to stop is by teaching it how to fetch.

It is an extremely effective way to teach your cat to have patience and control its own life. Therefore, to train your cat to fetch you need to think like a cat.

I always tell people who are considering buying a cat that they should visit a pet store and see if there are any kittens in that store. You dont want to buy a cat just because it looks like it will be good for them.

In fact, kittens look cute but when you take them home, its usually true that you end up with a very active cat that wants attention and will jump from one toy to another.

However, you cant expect a cat to fetch because kittens have not yet been trained to do so.

Thats why a lot of cat owners dont bother training their cats to fetch. They find it tedious and boring and they go along with it.

But for cats to behave properly you need to train them to learn this behavior.

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Tips For Training Your Cat To Fetch

There are a few tips to remember when training your cat to fetch, including:

• Be patient: One of the best things you can do when training your cat to do anything is to be patient. A lot of these animals are quite stubborn and take longer to do what you want than dogs. Losing your temper is only going to make this a lot more challenging to say the least.
• Choose the right space: It is also a good idea to choose a wide open space that is very quiet when training your cat to fetch. The fewer distractions that are around, the easier it will be to do this.
• Be consistent: You will need to make a point of being consistent with everything you do while training your cat. Inconsistencies in your training can make accomplishing your goals very hard.
• Use catnip: If your cat isnt responding well to a normal toy, pack it with some catnip. This should instantly increase their interest in it tenfold.
• Make it interesting: You might want to consider having another person participate in a game of fetch with your cat once it has everything down. This can make it even more fun for them.

Find A Toy Your Cat Likes

First things first, you want to determine what your cat’s favorite toy is. It should be something light and soft so that your cat can fetch it and bring it back to you easily. As I mentioned previously, I use a small felt mouse and crumpled up paper balls, but you can use a small plastic ball or some other small cat toy. Whatever your cat prefers will be easiest.

The two older cats I had, as well as the younger set, preferred the crumpled up paper balls. They loved it when I crumpled up the paper into little balls. They knew it was time to play. The paper balls are super light, so they can carry them back without any difficulty.

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Can You Train A Cat To Play Fetch

You can train a cat to play fetch.

As weve already mentioned, cats can be taught like dogs. If you do something enough times around a cat, most cats will come to expect it.

Some people believe that cats cannot learn any tricks as dogs can, but that is not true. It might take a cat longer to learn tricks like playing fetch, but it is not impossible to do.

Dont stop at playing fetch either. Find your cats favorite treats, and you may be able to teach your cat to sit, give paw, and even lay down.

Teach Kitty To Carry It In Her Mouth

I dont have a pic for this, but this is the most important part!For my kitten, Dorothy, I took her into a small room . I then sat on one side of the room and after I teased her with the bag/ ball a little, I tossed it to the other side of the room then I, myself, crawled over to the bag/ ball and put the ball in my mouth and brought it back to where I started.Let kitty see what you are doing . Do it again. Do it again. Do it again. Keep doing it. I recommend a small room because it makes it easier to go back and forth.Kitty will eventually learn that with bringing the ball/bag back a reward is in store.

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Throw The Toy Further

Get your cat’s attention on the cat toy again and throw it a little bit farther this time. Go to your cat and fetch the ball and return to your original place. Throw it again and repeat the exact same behavior several times. Letting your cat know it is doing a good job. Praise, praise, praise. Pets love praise for a job well done. Not to mention a treaty to boot.

Don’t Stand On Ceremony: Teaching Cats To Sit

Consider teaching your cat how to sit as his first trick. Not only is it a basic skill your pet — cat or dog — should know, it’s also a building block to other trainable skills, including other tricks on this list.

Before you can train your cat to sit — or train your cat to do anything, really — you need to get his attention and hold his attention. And any cat owner knows the best way to do that is with food.

For “sit” training, hold your cat’s favorite treat over his head. The best spot? Experts recommend holding it a few inches above his ears or holding the treat above his head and moving it toward his tail — that way he’ll have no choice but to sit, at least slightly, in order to get a better look at what you have . Reward him immediately for his efforts and he’s on his way toward learning that new skill .

Mastered sitting? Raise the treat instead, and you’ll begin to train him to stand on his hind legs — another trick that begins with the simple “sit” command.

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Preparing To Play Fetch

Training A Cat To Fetch: Step 1

This step is about getting the cat to target the ball. Set up the cat for success by selecting a ball that fits into her mouth, in a texture your cat has already experienced. Grab a clicker and some treats your cat loves. If you are new to clicker training, dont worry.

The first step for teaching fetch is to get the cat to realize that the ball is the object you want her to focus on. So hold the ball in your fingers about 6 inches away from your cats face. When the cat sniffs it or touches it with her nose, click and offer a treat. Repeat until your cat is looking for the ball as soon as she is done eating the treat.

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My Cats Love Fetching The Ball

Going to rest, hope you don’t mind?

This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Teaching Your Cats To Play Fetch

You probably wonder if cats play fetch, too. Definitely, yes! Cats, like dogs, are also fond of playing games like fetching. Other than that, they can do different tricks as dogs. While some cats are natural with it, there are also those which require intensive training and a lot of patience. Either ways prove that cats are also capable to retrieving toys like how dogs do.

Doing the tricks will be challenging and rewarding at the same time. And to be able to succeed in it, there are a few things that must be considered carefully.

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Training A Cat To Fetch: Step 6

This step involves picking the ball up and bringing it back to you. Place the ball a bit farther away from you, such as behind your cat. Your cat will turn, pick up the ball and turn toward you, at which point you then click and offer a treat. Keep doing this while moving the ball a bit farther away from you each time. Now you have the behavior of fetch.

Not only does your cat know fetch, but you both had fun in the process.

Featured Image: By Tony Harrison/Flickr

Teaching A Cat Tricks Is Easier Than You Think

Believe it or not, you can easily teach your cat to play fetch. It’s not a game reserved just for dogs. I’ve heard people tell me that cats do not play fetch, but I am here to tell you that they love it almost as much as dogs do. They are actually very intelligent animals, and as you may know, they have their very own distinctive personalities. They can be just as demanding as any high maintenance dog. In fact, in my experience, they are even more so.

I never thought much about teaching my cat tricks until I actually started doing it, and they seriously started responding. I started out crumpling paper into small balls. The cats really seemed to like the sound of the crumpling. They came zipping out of nowhere every time I crumpled a wad of paper, and when I tossed the balls, they darted after them in a frenzy. So, I was onto something, I thought. And the game of fetch began.

To my surprise, I found that teaching your cat to fetch is a lot easier than you might think. You will find that the more you do it, the better your cat responds because animals love repetition. When my cats were just kittens, I started throwing out those crumpled up paper balls, and, every once in a while, those little cloth mice for them to fetch. Strangely enough, and to my surprise, with just enough coaching, they would bring them back to me every single time.

Pooped out from fetching…

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Supplies You Need To Train A Cat

• Treats: Rewards should be small and soft so your cat can eat quickly without filling up. You could try using store-bought, freeze-dried treats, meat-based baby food, or homemade tuna-paste delivered on a tiny spoon.
• Treat Cups: Put treats in a cup, shake it, and reward your cat. Viola, youve got a treat cup! You can buy one online or make one out of any container you have lying around the house .
• Target Wand: A target wand is used as a pointer to guide your cat into positions or locations. You can buy a target wand or make one out of a chopstick or the end of a utensil covered in cloth affixed with a rubber band.
• Sound Marker: Many cat trainers are fond of, as it helps cats identify the exact behavior you will reward through perfect timing and a noticeable sound. You dont have to buy a clicker to use the clicker training method. A ballpoint pen or simply the click of your tongue is an equally effective sound marker when paired with a high-value treat.

How To Train A Bengal Cat Not To Bite

Training a Bengal cat not to bite is not a difficult thing to do. The tricky part, of course, is getting them to stop biting you!

I want to take the time to explain this process to you so that you can give it some serious thought.

Training a cat not to bite is something that should be done as soon as possible. While your cat is young and cute and adorable, the thought of being bit will give him or her a bad attitude.

You will have to be prepared for a dog-biting cat, which may turn out to be worse.

A nice way to teach your pet not to bite is by showing him that biting and other types of physical aggression is not good. I love to let my cats out on my balcony and walk in their path.

This usually causes a slight chiding reaction from my feline friend. When he notices the cat coming up to me, he immediately turns and runs off.

Cats are basically like dogs in the fact that they tend to be territorial, therefore, it is common for them to exhibit a bit of physical aggression.

When he realizes I am trying to help him by not giving him too much attention, he instantly turns around and sprints away. Unfortunately, this behavior of his is called batting.

It is similar to humans in that it begins with some sort of emotional bond or contact between you two.

After a short time of not being around, your cat will seek you out to get his affection.

Take the time to explore and show him that he is going to live in an indoor life where he does not have to fight his battles with you.

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