By Mark Gill, CEO, Petasure

You call their name. They look directly at you. Then they turn around and walk in the opposite direction. If this sounds familiar, you might have already concluded that training a cat is about as realistic as teaching one to do your tax return. But here is the good news: cats are highly intelligent, surprisingly trainable creatures. They just need you to earn it.

Why Bother Training Your Cat?

With an estimated 10.2 million owned cats across the UK – almost one in four households, according to the Cats Protection CATS Report 2025 – felines are a huge part of British family life. Yet while most dog owners consider training a given, cat owners tend to assume their pets are simply too independent to bother. Or, more accurately, too busy judging us from the top of the bookshelf.

In reality, training offers real benefits for cats and their owners alike. It provides essential mental stimulation, helps to prevent boredom-related behavioural issues such as scratching, spraying and aggression, and, perhaps most importantly, it strengthens the bond between you and your cat. Cats that are engaged and mentally challenged tend to be happier, calmer and more confident in their environment. Think of it as giving your cat a job – with snacks!

As the Cats Protection report also highlights, 15 per cent of UK cat owners now own a cat harness, and 12 per cent use a GPS tracker collar – both signs of a growing appetite for more active, engaged relationships with our feline companions.

Understanding How Cats Learn (Hint: It’s All About the Snacks)

The key to training any cat is understanding what motivates them. Unlike dogs, who evolved alongside humans within a social hierarchy and are often motivated by praise and the desire to please, cats evolved as solitary hunters. They are not trying to impress you. They are running a cost-benefit analysis – and the benefit had better be delicious.

Zazie Todd, animal psychologist and author of Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, emphasises that positive reinforcement is essential. Punishment-based methods, such as squirting water or raising your voice, are not only ineffective but can damage the trust between you and your cat, potentially making future training impossible. In short, if you shout at a cat, the cat does not think “I must try harder.” The cat thinks “I must avoid this person.”

Cats also have significantly shorter attention spans than dogs, so training sessions should be brief – no longer than five to ten minutes – and always end on a positive note. If your cat gets up and walks away mid-session, that is not a failure. That is just a cat being a cat.

Getting Started: The Basics

Whether you are hoping to teach your cat to sit, come when called, or simply redirect them from shredding your furniture to using a scratching post, the principles are the same:

• Find the right reward. Most cats respond best to high-value food treats – small pieces of cooked chicken, spreadable purées, or specialist training treats. Some cats also respond to play or brushing. Think of it as finding your cat’s currency
• Keep sessions short and focused. Five to ten minutes is ideal. Train when your cat is alert and a little hungry – just before a mealtime or after a nap works well
• Work in a quiet, distraction-free space. Cats are easily distracted by movement and noise. A rogue fly in the room and the session is over
• Focus on one command at a time. Trying to teach multiple skills at once will overwhelm your cat. Master one behaviour before moving on to the next
• Be consistent. Use the same verbal cue or hand signal every time and make sure all family members are on the same page. Cats are quick to exploit mixed messages

Why Clicker Training Works

One of the most effective methods for training cats is clicker training, a technique rooted in classical and operant conditioning. The principle is simple: a small handheld device makes a clicking sound the instant your cat performs the desired behaviour, followed immediately by a treat. Over time, the cat learns to associate the click with a reward, and the behaviour becomes reliably repeatable. It is essentially a conversation: “Do this, and good things happen.”

Clicker training is widely used in professional dog training and has been shown to be highly effective with cats. It can be used to teach everything from basic commands such as sit, come and high-five, through to more practical skills like using a cat flap, accepting a harness, or calmly entering a carrier for vet visits – the holy grail of cat ownership.

Beyond tricks and commands, clicker training also has real welfare benefits. It helps to reduce stress, build confidence in nervous cats, and can be a valuable tool for addressing behavioural issues such as aggression or inappropriate scratching.

What About Unwanted Behaviour?

Let’s be honest – many cat owners come to training not because they dream of a cat who can high-five on command, but because their sofa is in tatters or their kitchen worktop has become a feline highway.

The golden rule is to focus on what you want your cat to do, rather than what you want them to stop doing. Instead of punishing a cat for scratching the sofa, redirect them towards an appropriate scratching post and reward them generously when they use it. If your cat insists on jumping on the worktop, make the surface less appealing and provide an alternative elevated spot where they are allowed to perch. Cats love to be up high – it is not defiance, it is instinct.

If unwanted behaviour persists despite consistent positive training, it is always worth consulting your vet. Sudden changes in behaviour can sometimes indicate an underlying health issue and ruling that out first is always a sensible step.

It Is Never Too Late to Start

While kittens are naturally curious and quick to learn, adult and senior cats are perfectly capable of picking up new skills. Shelters that have introduced reward-based training programmes have reported that cats of all ages become more confident and engaged, which can even improve their chances of being rehomed. You really can teach an old cat new tricks – they just might need a slightly better bribe.

Regardless of your cat’s age, breed or temperament, the fundamentals remain the same: patience, consistency, and a generous supply of their favourite treats. Remember to factor training treats into your cat’s daily food allowance, though – a well-trained cat is wonderful, but an overweight one will not thank you for it.

So, can you train your cat? Absolutely. You just need to remember one thing – your cat is not a small dog. They are a magnificent, self-governing creature who will happily learn new things, provided they believe it was entirely their own idea.

For more expert advice on pet wellbeing, visit: www.petasure.co.uk

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