# Are cats trainable?



## mariam (Oct 15, 2011)

My moggy Princess Leia is intelligent like all cats but does she show signs of being trainable?


We never set out to train her specifically but she has got into the habit of knowing her name (which most cats do) playing fetch with her favourite toy, jumping up onto something when we raise our hands or tap the surface of the object and she responds to the word ‘no’ when she does something naughty.


We know cats are mainly solitary animals and don’t live in packs like dogs do. The point is… dogs and horses and the like are trainable because they depend on their pack or herd. So, they treat us as part of the family and therefore obey our commands. But we provide cats with food and shelter; and they will respond with affection and bringing you little gifts (dead animals)! But they won’t respond like dogs and do everything you want them to.


Put a few cats in the same household and they are bound to have constant fights. But they do get on; and make friendships too.
When cats are injured or ill they will find a quiet place to hide. When hunting they don’t rely on anyone else. But they still need to socialise with other beings. The fact that they can make lasting friendships make it possible for cats to become trainable… it is just so much harder than training a dog. But respect a cat and become its friend and they’ll do the same.


I once read an amazing quote regarding cats and dogs and it went something like this; dogs will do what you want when they’re asked, cats will do what you want when they feel like it. 



So in conclusion, cats are trainable – but they’ll only do what you ask when they want to. But they’re so adorable so that’s fine by me!


Mariam x


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## LadyMiseryAli (Jan 22, 2012)

That is true. Peanut can be a challenge during our clicker-training sessions, but when he is in the mood to be cooperative, he impresses by knowing how to "sit", "touch" his nose to my finger, jump "up" on a surface I point to and "down" off it again. Now if only I can train him to "leave your elder sister alone" or "never bite mommy/daddy".....


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Yes cats can learn basic obedience skills (and more). Here's an adorable Himalayan kitten that is very good at some basic moves.






and check out this circus cat troupe....amazing!
cats doing circus tricks | Have you seen this?!

Yes, cats can learn tricks!


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## Cat'sHouse (Apr 5, 2012)

Once I was leaving for work and the wife was playing with our new american shorthair cat. she had a rolled up cig pack and was tossing it. I said, "you'll never get a cat to fetch". How little did I know how persistant she could be when she wanted to. So, when I got home she tossed the crumpled pack across the room over and over again and each time it was brought back and dropped in front of us. 

Can cats teach themselves? guess so...I had a stereo plugged in where a wall switch powered the outlet. How and when our siamese cat figured it out, I don't know. But, when I would be relaxing to some music, he would jump up and hit the switch turning it off. Now, the wife used praise (and maybe treats) to teach fetch to the other cat but this one was before that cat and no way did I even know our siamese cat saw me use that switch but he must have.

Big cats hunt in groups..seen many documentaries on their techniques. I would think that if a feral colony was in the wild, they might socialize enough to form group hunts but this is only my conjecture.

I once interrupted a game our two Siamese cats were playing. I swear the bigger one mooned me because of this and then he went into the kitchen where the other one had gone. Wife said I PO'd them. I poo pooed that... but, I moved the piece of funiture (a rocker they were springboarding from during chases) back from the wall and then watched the bigger one go to the other one, nudge him and take off running. Soon the game was in full swing again. They taught me something else about cats, these two Siamese, more than once.

And, Kermit? We know he thinks things over before deciding to do things...happens too many times and when I call him he waits a bit so that when he does respond he makes it seem like it was his idea in the first place.


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## Kjs (Feb 22, 2012)

Cats are somewhat social and particularly domestic cats tend to form "colonies" when living in the wild or as strays.

The difference between cats and dogs is that cats are both more intelligent and usually more independent. You cannot train a cat well unless it respects you first. It might love you but that doesn't necessary mean it respects you. 

Because they are more intelligent, it makes the need for respect more important, otherwise they find a way around doing what you want them to do. The big thing apart from gaining the cats respect is consistency. Most are not at all consistent when training their animals and it leads to bad results.

If your cat thinks it owns your house / apartment rather than you, then it probably loves you but it probably doesn't respect you. You know you have it made when the cat goes to it's spot on your bed (rather than taking over the bed) and when it doesn't dare sit in your chair (instead it sits in it's chair).

All of my cats are as well trained or better trained than my dogs, and to be perfectly honest, training them is much easier than training a dog, they catch onto things so much quicker.


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## mariam (Oct 15, 2011)

I knew cats were trainable but no idea exactly how much! Thanks guys... think I'll work on Leia a bit more! x


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

I trained Tequila to shake a paw, high 5 and to fetch. They are trainable but it depends on the cat too.


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