Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats

I read about clicker training and decided to give it a try. Pryor's book is easy to follow and you can achieve results very quickly. It's a great tool for bonding with your cat. My cat Donut was a feral kitten who never properly socialized to humans, although she was gently and lovingly raised. Pryor explains how clicker training can make your cat calmer and more responsive, and since I've been working with her, I can attest. She has a bad attitude, generally, but she seems to be getting nicer over time. People just do not believe what she can do, as everybody always thinks cats cannot be trained. Clicker train--it works! Here's what my cat can do: Comes when called by name, comes with a "rap-rap" signal, sits, "targets" to a pointer or to my finger, lays down, rolls over, stays, rises up and pats my hand with an "up-up-up" command, gives me "five", can chase a thrown object and touch it with a paw when given the command "touch," and can discriminate among sizes of objects and touch the one thrown rather than a closer one, touch a little bag of treats when she wants one, and I'm teaching her to hop through a hoop. All of this using clicker training! She loves for me to put her through her paces and I enjoy working with her, too. Get this book. Amaze your friends, and let them think you have a genius cat.

I found this book very informative on the benefits of clicker training, how to get started with the cat, and how to train specific desirable behaviors using the clicker. The author also addresses times when clicker training can be used to eliminate bad behaviors, as well as other reasons they might be displaying undesirable behavior. Although quite short and an easy read, the author managed to cover many topics of interest. From start to finish, the book is quite specific to cats and their peculiarities, including a number of amusing anecdotes. If anything, I could have used a little bit more of step-by-step procedural instructions on how to conduct the training. I've just started training my very active part-Siamese kitten using the clicker. After only a couple of sessions, I can't speak to the long-term results, but the cat did learn to touch a stuffed animal for reward, and we are working on cues.

I bought this book to help me understand how to train my very active Bengal. He needed to learn some manners, and we both needed a "common language" so we could communicate with each other. This book was specifically recommended to me by a cat behavior specialist in Seattle. The book is an easy read, as it is not overly long or complicated. The techniques are simple to understand and are explained in clear terms. The clicker training techniques were originally used to train marine mammals, like dolphins! I have seen the amazing things trained dolphins can do when trained, so I thought surely my cats can benefit from this technique as well. The book suggests that you begin with a very simple little trick, which actually comes naturally to your cat. Once your cat figures out that by performing the trick he has trained YOU to give him a treat, the rest is a piece of cake! My cat enjoyed the training and it provided some nice bonding time for us. It was exciting to be able to clearly communicate with my cat and know he understood exactly what I was saying. My Bengal can now (on command)"sit," "get down," "jump up," and walks on a leash. The training only took a few minutes a day, and in less than a week the communication between me and my cat had improved significantly. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand their cat, change or improve their cats' behavior, or anyone who wants a fun way to create a bond with their pet.

My dogs are both clicker fanatics, but my kitties were left out of the fun. Who knew that after only a few sessions with the clicker, my cats' recall would be more reliable than my dogs'?These exercises are simple, clearly explained and fun. All of us who live with cats should have a copy!

All cat owners should read this book! Just a few minutes a day with Karen's methods and you can cure all the behavior problems you have with your cat!. Clearly and entertainingly written.Just as importantly, cats need the emotional enrichment and stimulation that using clicker training provides. And its great fun with endless possibilities. A lifelong tool kit. We know a child who has clicker trained her cat to skateboard.PS You can purchase the book or buy the Clicker Training for Cats Kit ...