How to Teach a Cat to Fetch a Paper Ball

Teaching a dog to fetch is one thing - but how about a cat? Yes - cat can be taught to retrieve a ball and once taught will reliably perform their little trick. Well, as reliable as a cat's attention span is anyway. But here it is regardless - How to Teach a Cat to Fetch.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 piece of paper

1. Take your piece of paper in hand and crumple it up. Do this while the cat is in the room with you. Any old piece of paper will do. The sound of crinkling paper is generally of great interest to the average cat.

2. If crinkling the paper got the cat's attention, just throw the ball. If it didn't get it's attention, try unfolding it and putting a treat inside. Once the cat's attention is focused on the ball - throw it. (The Ball - not the Cat)

3. Reward the cat for chasing the ball. Even if it doesn't pick up the ball or do anything else. This is referred to as behavior shaping - you will reward any behavior that gets you close to the desired trick you're trying to train into the cat.

4. When the cat eventually picks up the ball - reward that behavior as well. The cat will eventually learn what you want, and through the process of gradual behavior shaping you can train the cat to get the ball, return with it, drop it in your lap, sit down, and over and over and over.

Tips & Warnings

• If you successfully train your cat to do this simple trick - be prepared. Just like a very stupid dog, the cat will be in your face with the ball - waiting for it to be thrown.