How to Train Your Cat to Come When You Call

Follow these steps and even your aloof, independent cat will come to you when she hears you say a special word.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cat Brushes
• Cat Dishes
• Cat Treats

1. Talk to your cat - a lot. Encourage her to come to you, and regularly pet her and brush her.

2. Choose a special dry snack that she has shown she likes. It cannot be her regular dry food.

3. Pick a special word, such as "snack" or "dessert." It must be a word she will associate only with the special snack.

4. Use your special word during her next snack time. In her presence, place one piece of the food in her empty dish and say the special word.

5. Say the word again after she eats the first piece. Place another piece of the food in her dish and say the special word again.

6. Walk away. If she is giving you "I am really starving" cries, say your word again and give her one more piece. Then walk out of the room.

7. Repeat the procedure in 5 minutes. Cats learn very quickly when they are motivated.

8. Follow this procedure for the next several days.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the snack only for those times when you call the cat. Make certain it is nutritious. Choose a dry, crunchy snack that is also good for the teeth.

• Don't forget, this is to be a small snack, not a small bowl of dry food. Otherwise, your kitty might gain unwanted weight.

• Be patient.

• Train the cat by using only adults as trainers. Children might tend to overfeed the cat or overuse the special word, thereby confusing the cat.

• Use your special word only when you will follow through with the snack, or you may confuse your cat.

• Use the special word daily, not only when you want to find the cat for a trip to the vet or when it is bath time. On those occasions, give her the snack and try to allow a few minutes before following through on your hidden motive.