Cat Training Videos: Easy Tips for How to Train a Cat

Did you know that you're already training your cat every single day? It's true! Every interaction you have with your cat can reinforce whatever behavior they just did. And we can teach you how to train your cat in a way that improves both of your lives.

The following videos offer tips and tricks for how to train cats and kittens.

The up-down game

Here’s your first cat training activity: the up-down game. It’s the perfect activity to start with because it’s easy and fun. And it really bonds you and your cat and sets the stage for our upcoming fun training activities. Once your cat has the knack of the up-down game, you can play it in situations where your cat is feeling stressed. The familiar feeling of the game and the connection with you will help your cat feel confident in these situations.

Targeting

Here’s your next cat training activity: targeting. Once your cat has the knack of targeting, you can use it to lead your cat to different locations in your home when necessary, or you can just do it for fun!

Sit

Here's your third cat training activity: teaching your cat to sit. Once your cat learns “sit,” you can start using it in everyday situations, such as before feeding or opening a door.

High five

Here's your fourth cat training activity: teaching your cat to high five! It’s a great way to bond with your cat and enrich their life. 

Kitten training tips

Sweet, well-mannered adult cats often start with good kitten training. Kittens are more easily desensitized to new things than adult cats because they’re more open to new experiences. So whether you’ve just adopted kittens or are fostering some, this is the perfect time to train them to tolerate procedures that will make life easier for everyone in the future.

Here are three things you can do to help kittens grow up to be super easy cats.

  • Handling for routine medical care: Give them a squirt of water every day or two through an oral syringe, and coat tiny empty capsules in squeezy treats, so they don't mind taking medicine. 
  • Brushing teeth: Open their mouth, touch inside, and start brushing only with pet toothpaste. 
  • Nail trims: Touch their toe beans and pop out their claws every day, so nail trims are no big deal.

When training any cat or kitten, be gentle and calm, and use a soft, reassuring voice to help your kitty learning as a positive experience.

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About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends is working to end the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters in part by getting more pets out of shelters and into loving homes.

We’ve come a long way since the first known city reached no-kill in 1994, and now we’re closer than ever to making the entire country no-kill. Today, roughly 2,500 shelters are no-kill throughout the U.S. — and 700 more are just 100 pets or fewer away from reaching that milestone.

Best Friends is committed to working with passionate people like you to save homeless pets through adoption, volunteering, fostering, and advocacy. In addition to our lifesaving centers around the U.S, we also founded and run the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals.

Working together, we can save homeless pets in our communities and secure a better future for our best friends. Together, we will bring the whole country to no-kill.