It seems that several of us will experience lockdown again due to the Delta variant. This time around, why not try your hand at teaching your cat one of the many entertaining tricks there is?
On today's blog, we're challenging you to high-five your cat and tag five friends to do the same with their pets!
How To Teach Your Cat To High-Five
High-five isn't just one of the cutest beginner cat tricks; it can help your cat feel more comfortable with having their paws touched.
Teaching this cat trick to your cat will help by making them voluntarily engage with people and, in turn, improving your cat's confidence. Additionally, the process can help establish a cat's social skills, making them comfortable having her paws handled help them better cope in the circumstances like vet exams and nail trims.
Here are some tips that you can use as you try to teach your cat this cute trick! We hope that this guide helps your training sessions and will work for your cat.
Know The Essentials
Cat Treats. One crucial factor has something that your cat can benefit from, such as their favorite treats or play, to function as a reward. Some cat parents even use extra-special treats when teaching their cats a new skill. Have a handful of treats handy. A combination of treats and toys can also work!
Clicker. Learning how to use a marker signal, like a clicker or a word like "good" or "yes" that tells the cat it will gain a reward, is likewise vital. The marker needs to be utilized at the precise moment the action takes place.
Start With A Sitting Cat
Sitting is a preferred starting point to teach the high-five (or any other tricks for that matter) as it is a more controlled setting. But you can also teach the trick on a standing cat. If your cat doesn't already know how to sit, training them to do this part of the technique will work just as well. Nevertheless, just coming close to the feline when they're sitting works too!
Lure Your Feline to Reach Their Paw Towards Your Outstretched Hand With A Toy Or A Treat
The most effective way of getting the paw to touch the hand relies on what helps your specific cat. One way is to hold a reward inside a closed fist. Lots of cats will become curious and will smell or paw up towards the hand, and the front paw will frequently rise off the ground throughout the investigation. For even a slight paw lift, mark with a click or word, and then give a reward. After your cat enjoys the reward, reset and try again. Eventually, the goal is for your cat's paw to lift off the ground and touch your hand. To do this, reward your cat as its foot raises higher. Some cats will use their paws to touch your hand right away, while in others, it will be built upon in numerous training sessions.
One more way to get the paw towards the hand is to utilize a toy that your cat will paw at, like a stick toy. When the cat's paw also elevates a little to paw at the toy, mark, and give a reward. If needed, move the toy around to lure your feline to paw at it. As soon as your kitty recognizes the pawing movement is the source of reward, decrease the toy's movement until it's still, and the paw swipe happens. When your cat's accurately pawing the fixed wand toy, start to decrease the length of the toy by putting your hand down on the middle of the stick. If at any point, the cat stops pawing as before, the toy might be extended once again, or you can move it around once more. Then, in a much more steady fashion, the toy can be made less visible. The goal is for the toy to come to be so short that the paw will essentially touch your hand.
For any method that you choose to use, as soon as your cat is already touching her paw to your hand, you can eliminate the plaything or reward and also hold your hand shut like there's something in it. When the cat continually paws the closed hand, begin to open your hand so it's in the position you'd use for the high-five. Gradually change the position of the hand from being shut to opening by loosening up the palm and ultimately straightening out the fingers.
Add A Verbal Command
The natural cue to ask your cat for a high-five will likely wind up being an outstretched hand. However, to help your pet cat identify when a high-five is being requested (rather than chin rubs) is to add a spoken cue to help them recognize what you are asking for. The cue can be whatever you desire, but some examples are "high-five" or "here" To make your cat recognize the cue, practice the high-five and begin to say it as your feline's paw moves up toward your hand. Then start to state the word before your cat places his paw up and just as your hand is being stretched out. Ultimately, if you are using spoken cues to the high-five, only reward high-fives when you ask for them.
We hope this guide helps you in training your cat to give you high-fives! If you are able to teach your cat successfully, do not forget to tag us and let us know!
