With the annual dog show Crufts taking place from March 9-12 at the NEC in Birmingham, many pet lovers across the UK will be taking note of the talented performing pooches. Sit, roll, high five, fetch! These are some of the easiest and basic commands that a dog is taught right from a young age.
But, did you know you can teach your cats to do some tricks as well?In the last couple of years, more and more people have adopted cats and they are curious to teach their smart felines some tricks as well. Interest has grown so much that over the past 12 months, searches for ‘tricks to teach your cats’ went up 125% and ‘easy cat tricks’ went up 86%, revealed Kitty Bingo.
It might require more patience and time to teach your kitty, but if you want to learn to train your cat, there are several YouTube cat experts like Jackson Galaxy, Albert and Mia who are sharing their knowledge. It is ideal to start teaching them tricks when they are young and don’t lose hope.
Here are five tricks to teach your cats, according to Kitty Bingo:
1. Jump through the hoop.
If you’re looking to wow your guests with an adorable trick – teach your feline companion to jump through a hoop. Hold up the hoop on the floor, facing your cat. Guide your cat through the hoop slowly, and use a treat to lure them forward. Once your cat has walked through the hoop, reward them with the treat and use the command “hoop.” As your cat becomes more confident walking through the hoop, slowly raise it higher until it’s the hoop is at a jumping level. (Photo - Unsplash)
2. Roll over!
This is a fun trick to do with your cat and is guaranteed to impress an audience. First, train your cat to lie down. Once they have completed lie down, hold a treat to your cat’s nose. Slowly move the treat so that your cat tilts its head. Move the treat slowly so that the cat rolls onto its side. Once your cat is on its side, reward it with a treat and use the command “rollover”. Keep repeating this trick until your cat automatically lies down on its side. The final step is to arc your hand to encourage your cat to roll all the way over, reward with lots of treats and praise. (Photo - Unsplash)
3. Teach your cat how to spin
This command is simple yet extremely cute once perfected! It can take some time for the cat to associate the action with the command, so be patient when practising. Grab a tasty treat to get your cat’s attention. Circle the treat around your cat’s head, slow enough for them to follow the treat. Once the cat has performed a full spin, reward them with the treat and use the “spin” command. Keep repeating this routine with treats until your cat has perfected the command. (Photo - Unsplash/ Kabo)
4. High Five
Teaching your cat high five is both an adorable and exciting trick to have under your sleeve. Face your cat in front of you Hold their favourite type of treat in front of them, in line with their shoulder. Wait until your cat goes to touch the treat in your hand with their paw, once they do, use the “high five” command. Continue to do this multiple times until your cat has mastered how to high five. (Photo - Unsplash/JonasVincent)