A curious cat looking directly at the camera

How to Train Your Cat

A step-by-step guide for kids aged 9–11

Did you know you can teach your cat to sit, wave, jump through a hoop, and even ring a bell? All you need is a clicker, some treats, and a few minutes a day.

🛒 What you need

Before you start, grab these five things. You'll use them every session.

🔔 A clicker (~£2–5 at any pet shop) 🍗 Small, soft treats your cat loves 🏠 A quiet room — no other pets or TV ⏱️ 5 minutes a day is enough 😋 A slightly hungry cat — train before meals!

Treat tip: Cut treats into tiny pieces — no bigger than your thumbnail. You might give 20–30 treats in one session, so keep them small! Soft treats (like small pieces of cooked chicken or lick tubes) work better than crunchy ones.

📋 The golden rules

1

Click at the exact right moment — the second your cat does the right thing, not a moment after. Timing is everything.
2

Every click must be followed by a treat. No exceptions, even if you clicked by accident.
3

Keep sessions to 5 minutes or less. Cats have short attention spans — short sessions work much better than long ones.
4

Always end on a success. Finish each session with something your cat already knows, click, treat, then stop.
5

Never get cross. If something goes wrong, ignore it and try again. Cats won't learn if they feel nervous or confused.

⚡ Before any tricks: charge the clicker

This is the most important step. Before teaching any tricks, your cat needs to learn one thing: the click sound means a treat is coming. This is called "charging" the clicker.

Sit quietly with your cat in a calm room.
Click the clicker once.
Immediately give your cat a tiny treat — within 2 seconds.
Repeat 15–20 times, then take a break.
Do this again in your next session.

How do you know it's working? Your cat will turn toward you and look for their treat the moment they hear the click — before the treat even appears. That's when you're ready to start training tricks!

No clicker? You can use a ballpoint pen that clicks, a tongue click, or just the word "Yes!" said in a short, bright voice. Whatever you choose, use it the same way every time.

🏗️ Foundation skills — learn these first

These five skills are the building blocks for every trick in this guide. Practise them before you move on to the tricks section.

👆 Nose targeting

The single most useful skill

Hold your finger 5cm from your cat's nose.
Wait — they'll sniff it out of curiosity.
The moment their nose touches your finger, click and treat.
Toss the treat away so they have to come back. Repeat!
Gradually move your finger further away.

📣 Name recall

Getting your cat's attention

For two weeks, say your cat's name every time you put their food bowl down.
Then say their name from 1–2 metres away. Click and treat when they look at you.
Slowly increase the distance.
Never use their name for anything unpleasant — baths, nail trims, or vet visits!

🐾 Sit

Your first real trick

This is covered in full as Trick 1 — go there for the full instructions.
Once learned, use "Sit" as the starting position before many other tricks.

✋ Stay

Holding a position

Once your cat sits reliably, hold your palm flat toward them.
Click while they're still sitting — reward the stillness.
Slowly delay the click: 1 second, then 2, then 5.
Add distance one small step at a time — only after they can hold the sit.

🏃 Come

The practical recall

Build on name recall (above) — once your cat reliably comes when called, add the word "come."
Say "come," then immediately make an encouraging sound or crouch down.
Click the moment they reach you. Treat generously — this is one of the most important behaviours.
Never call your cat to "come" and then do something they dislike. They'll stop coming!

🎓 The 12 tricks

Start from the top and work your way down. Each trick builds skills you'll use in the next one. The beginner tricks can be learned in days. The advanced ones might take weeks or even months — that's totally normal! Your cat isn't being stubborn; they're just learning something genuinely hard.

⭐ Beginner tricks

A cat sitting neatly with its paws together

Trick 1 Sit ⭐ Beginner

⏱️ 1–5 short sessions | 🏁 Starting position for many other tricks

Hold a small treat right at your cat's nose.
Slowly move the treat upward and backward, over your cat's head between their ears.
As their head follows the treat up and back, their bottom will naturally drop to the floor.
The moment their bottom touches the floor — click!
Give the treat. Toss it a short distance away so they stand up and you can practise again.
Once they're doing it reliably, start saying "sit" just before you move the treat.

💡 Tip: Click the instant their bottom lands — not a second later. If you wait until they're settled, you might accidentally reward them standing back up!

A cat raising its paw toward a person's hand

Trick 2 High Five ⭐ Beginner

⏱️ 3–7 sessions | 🔗 Also teaches the "Paw Shake" with a small change

Put your cat in a sit.
Hold a treat inside your fist at your cat's chest height. Let them sniff it through your fingers.
Wait. Your cat will try pawing at your fist to get the treat — the moment a paw touches your hand, click and open your fist to give the treat.
Repeat until they're reliably pawing your fist.
Now open your palm and hold it at the same height. When they paw it, click and treat.
Gradually raise your open palm higher. When they reach up to touch it, that's your high five! Add the cue "high five."

💡 Tip: For a paw shake instead, keep your palm low — at chest height — so their paw lands into your hand rather than slapping up. Cue it with "shake" or "paw."

Trick 3 Wave ⭐ Beginner

⏱️ 3–7 sessions | 🔗 Learn High Five (Trick 2) first

Put your cat in a sit and hold your palm up for a high five — but keep it just out of reach.
Your cat will reach up looking for the high five. They may wave their paw slightly as they search for your hand.
Click and treat that paw movement — even a tiny one counts at first.
Over the next sessions, only click bigger and more obvious paw waves.
Once they're doing a clear wave, add the cue: say "wave" while raising your hand, and do a small wave yourself as the visual signal.

💡 Tip: Wave uses one paw. "Beg" or "sit pretty" (Trick 7) uses both paws raised together. Train them separately with different cue words so your cat doesn't get confused.

Trick 4 Spin ⭐ Beginner

⏱️ 2–5 sessions | 🔗 Can also teach Left and Right as two separate tricks

Hold a treat at your cat's nose level.
Slowly move your hand in a wide circle — at nose height — so your cat follows with their whole body.
Keep the circle big enough for your cat to turn comfortably.
When they complete the full circle, click and treat.
Practise until they follow your hand smoothly. Then start making the hand motion smaller.
Add the cue "spin" as you begin the circular gesture.

💡 Tip: You can teach spinning in both directions — use "spin" for one way and "turn" for the other. Just train them separately at first so your cat learns which is which.

A tabby cat looking curiously at an object on the floor

Trick 5 Ring a Bell ⭐ Beginner

⏱️ 2–5 sessions | 🎁 Bonus: teach your cat to ring a bell at the door when they want to go outside!

Place a bell on the floor in front of your cat. A jingle bell tied to a ribbon works well.
Click and treat for any interest in the bell — just looking at it, walking toward it, or sniffing it.
Over the next sessions, only click when your cat actually touches the bell with their paw.
Raise the bar further — only click when the contact is hard enough to make the bell ring.
Your cat will quickly figure out that it's the sound of the bell that earns the treat!
Once reliable, hang the bell at paw height on a door handle. Add the cue "ring."

💡 Tip: This trick is great for teaching by shaping — you're not guiding your cat at all, just rewarding closer and closer to the final behaviour. Let them figure it out!

⭐⭐ Intermediate tricks

These take a bit longer — usually one to two weeks of short daily sessions. Don't skip ahead; master the beginner tricks first.

A relaxed cat lying on a soft blanket or mat

Trick 6 Go to Mat ⭐⭐ Intermediate

⏱️ 1–2 weeks | 🏡 One of the most practical tricks — keeps your cat calm when visitors arrive

Choose a small mat, towel, or folded blanket and place it on the floor near your cat.
Click and treat immediately if your cat looks at it, walks toward it, or sniffs it. Toss the treat off the mat each time so they have to walk back.
After a few sessions, only click when paws touch the mat — then raise the bar to all four paws on the mat.
Now shape a specific position: encourage a sit or a lie-down on the mat. Click and treat for that.
Start delaying the click — wait 1 second, then 2, then 5, then 10 before clicking. Build up slowly.
Once they go to the mat reliably, add the cue: "mat," "place," or "go to your spot."

💡 Tip: Always use the same mat. Your cat builds a strong connection between that specific mat and the reward, so keep it consistent.

An orange cat sitting up on its hind legs with front paws raised

Trick 7 Sit Pretty / Beg ⭐⭐ Intermediate

⏱️ 1–2 weeks | 🔗 Needs a reliable Sit (Trick 1) first

Ask your cat to sit.
Hold a treat directly above their nose — a little higher than their head.
Wait. They'll strain upward to reach the treat, and their front paws will naturally lift off the floor.
Click and treat the moment their front paws lift — even just a tiny bit. Don't wait for a perfect "beg" position yet.
Over several sessions, only click when the paws lift higher and higher.
Build up until your cat is balancing on their back legs with both front paws raised. Add the cue "pretty" or "beg."

💡 Tip: Build this up slowly — it requires real balance and core strength from your cat. Never push them or try to hold them in the position. Let them figure out the balance themselves.

A white fluffy cat leaping through the air mid-jump

Trick 8 Jump Through a Hoop ⭐⭐ Intermediate

⏱️ 1–2 weeks | 🎪 You'll need a hula hoop or a large embroidery hoop

Hold the hoop flat on the ground (not raised at all). Lure your cat through it with a treat held on the other side.
Click and treat when they step through. Repeat until they do it easily at ground level.
Lift the hoop 2–3 cm off the ground. Reward for stepping through at this low height.
Gradually raise the hoop over multiple sessions — 5 cm, 10 cm, higher — as your cat gets more confident.
Hold a treat on the far side of the hoop at nose height to encourage them to jump rather than walk.
Add the cue "hoop" or "jump" as your cat begins their run toward the hoop.

💡 Tip: If your cat tries to go around the hoop instead of through it, lower it back down to the previous height. You've raised it too fast — no big deal, just slow down.

Make it harder: Hold the hoop in different positions — to the left, right, lower, higher — so your cat learns to jump through it wherever you hold it.

⭐⭐⭐ Advanced tricks

These can take weeks or even months. That's completely normal — you and your cat are doing something genuinely impressive. Celebrate every small improvement!

A cat lying on its back looking relaxed and comfortable

Trick 9 Roll Over ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced

⏱️ 4–12 weeks (this one takes patience!) | 🔗 Your cat must be comfortable lying on their side first

First, get your cat used to lying on their side. Lure them to lie down, then slowly move the treat from their nose toward their shoulder. When they roll onto their side, click and treat. Do this many times over a few sessions until they're totally relaxed on their side.
With your cat on their side, hold a treat at their nose.
Slowly arc the treat in a big curve — up over their shoulder and down on the other side of their body.
Their head (and body) will follow the treat and roll through to the other side.
Click and treat the moment they complete the roll. Even a partial roll counts at first — build up over sessions.
Add the cue "roll over" as you begin the arcing hand movement.

💡 Tip: This is genuinely one of the harder tricks. Don't be discouraged if it takes weeks. Every session where your cat gets a little closer to a full roll is progress!

Trick 10 Play Dead / Bang! ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced

⏱️ 2–6 weeks | 🔗 Your cat must be comfortable lying on their side (from Roll Over practice)

Ask your cat to lie down. Then lure them onto their side using a treat arced from their nose toward their shoulder (same as in Roll Over, Step 1).
Click and treat while they stay on their side. Start with just 1 second, then build to 3–5 seconds before clicking.
Once your cat stays on their side reliably, you have "Play Dead"!
Add the hand signal: point your finger like a pretend gun and drop your thumb — then immediately lure them onto their side. After many repetitions, the hand signal alone will cause the flop.
Add the verbal cue: "bang!" or "play dead" just before the hand signal.

💡 Tip: The hardest part of this trick is getting your cat to stay on their side. Most cats want to pop right back up. Build the duration in tiny steps — 1 second, then 2, then 3.

Trick 11 Fetch ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced

⏱️ 2–8 weeks | 🧩 Fetch is actually 4 separate skills chained together — train each one first

Step 1 — Interest: Roll a lightweight toy (crinkle ball, small stuffed mouse) a short distance. Click and treat any contact — sniffing, pawing, or touching with their nose.
Step 2 — Pick it up: Now only click when your cat actually picks the toy up in their mouth. Ignore pawing. (If they never pick it up, try a different toy or rub a little treat on it.)
Step 3 — Carry toward you: After they pick it up, call their name. Click and treat when they take even one step toward you while holding the toy. Over sessions, require them to come all the way to you.
Step 4 — Drop it: Say "drop" as they approach. Click and treat when they release the toy. Never yank it from their mouth — just wait.
Put it together: Throw the toy, say "fetch," and wait. Click and jackpot when they complete the full chain: chase → pick up → return → drop.

💡 Tip: Some cats fetch naturally from day one. Others need weeks on each individual step. Both are normal — follow your cat's pace!

A cat sitting in front of a door, looking curious

Trick 12 Open a Door / Cabinet ⭐⭐⭐ Advanced

⏱️ 4–12 weeks | ⚠️ Fair warning: once trained, your cat may start opening doors whenever they feel like it!

Tie a ribbon or short rope to a cupboard door handle at your cat's chest height.
Click and treat for any paw contact with the ribbon — touching it, batting it, grabbing it.
Raise the bar — only click when your cat actually pulls the ribbon hard enough to move the door.
Raise the bar further — only click when the door opens enough to see daylight.
Add the cue "open" while pointing to the ribbon.
Once solid with the ribbon, try repeating the whole training sequence with the bare door handle itself.

💡 Tip: This trick needs lots of patience and tiny steps. If your cat gets stuck at one step, go back to the previous one and spend more time there before moving on.

Think before you teach this one: Once your cat learns to open doors, they'll use that skill whenever they want — not just on cue. Make sure you're OK with that before you start!

🆘 If it's not working...

😐 My cat just ignores me

They're probably not hungry enough. Try training 30–60 minutes before their meal — not after. Also try upgrading your treats to something more exciting, like tiny pieces of cooked chicken or a lick tube.

🚶 My cat keeps walking away mid-session

Your session is too long or the trick is too hard. Shorten sessions to 2–3 minutes and go back to an easier step. Always end by letting your cat do something they already know well — then stop, even if things are going well.

👀 My cat only does the trick when I'm holding a treat

The treat has accidentally become part of your signal — your cat thinks the trick only happens when you're holding food. Fix it by using an empty hand with the same motion, and delivering the treat from your other hand (or a pouch) after the click. Do this from the very start with new tricks.

😨 My cat is scared of the clicker sound

Put the clicker in your pocket to muffle it, or wrap it in a cloth. If that still bothers them, ditch the clicker completely and use a short, bright "Yes!" instead — it works just as well.

📉 My cat was doing great and now they've stopped

You've probably raised the bar too fast. Go back one step to where they were succeeding easily, rebuild their confidence there, then try again more slowly. This is totally normal and nothing to worry about.

😩 We've been trying for ages and nothing is working

Take a break for a day or two — seriously. Cats sometimes make a breakthrough after a rest. When you come back, go back to the very beginning of the trick and work through it again. Sometimes things click (pun intended) the second time round.