What are the Easiest Commands to Teach a Cat?

Command: “Sit”

How to teach your cat to sit? You can start by placing your cat on a table. Put a food reward above its head. First, call out its name, then command “Sit,” and move the food above your cat’s head. As its head follows the food, it will naturally sit down in the direction of your hand. Once it sits, give a click with the clicker and immediately reward it with food, saying “Sit.” If your cat doesn’t sit when you move the food above its head, gently press down on its hindquarters. While doing this, continue to lift the food over its head and say “Sit.” When it sits, click the clicker, then treat it. Soon your cat will associate the food reward with the command, and you won’t need the clicker anymore. Just saying “Sit” will be enough.

Command: “Come”

Teaching your cat to “Come” when called is essential, especially for situations like going to the vet. If your cat is reluctant to enter a carrier, teaching it to come when called can reduce stress for both of you. For instance, if your cat is in the yard, a simple call will bring it back to you without a major search. When your cat comes to the feeding area upon hearing the clicker, say “Come” and click. Give it food and praise when it approaches. Continue this process, changing training locations to different spots around your house. Eventually, when you say “Come,” your cat will come to you willingly, and you won’t need the clicker as the association with your call and reward will be established.

Command: “Stay”

Teaching your cat to stay can be a bit challenging. Start by placing food about ten feet away on the floor. When your cat approaches, extend your hand to stop it, say “Stay,” and if it stops, click and reward. If it continues forward, extend your hand again, repeating the “Stay” command, and only reward when it stays in place. Repeat this process until your cat understands that “Stay” means it should remain in place.

Training a command may take one to two days or even a week, so be patient. Make the training sessions enjoyable for both you and your cat to encourage more active participation.