Contrary to popular belief, we can actually train cats! One way to train a cat is to teach it to come when you call it. Fortunately, cats can usually learn this ability fairly easily so it shouldn't take long for them to consistently respond to your calls. With a little patience and lots of reward, you'll be able to summon your cat from various places in your house and make it run (or walk) toward you.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Preparing to Summon the Cat
Step 1. Learn the benefits of calling a cat
There are several advantages to having your cat approach you when called. For example, you can call him to play and eat. You can also call the cat if you can't find one in your home. Plus, when your cat knows how to approach you when called, you can be sure that it's there and safe if you have to leave the house.
- If your cat is indoors or outdoors, it would be helpful if you could call him over.
- Calling the cat is also useful when it's time to see the vet. Your cat may not find a trip to the vet a pleasant experience so you may have to wait a while for it to come to you when it's time to go to the vet.
- Since cats are naturally intelligent, teaching them to come up to you when called is a good mental exercise for them.
Step 2. Choose a gift
While positive encouragement (verbal praise, petting) is an important component of successful training, the key to training your cat to respond to calls is a tantalizing reward. The most tempting gifts for him are delicious foods, such as tuna, mashed chicken, or sardines. You can also buy cat treats at the pet store.
- Prepare some snacks. When giving him a gift, you can give him a variety of foods so he won't expect the same gift.
- Catnip no good gift. The cat's desire for this plant will disappear if he receives it more than once a week. Better to choose a snack that will constantly tease him.
- Whatever food you choose, give it only when you call it. It's a good idea for your cat to be able to relate delicious treats to responding to your calls rather than other verbal commands or prompts.
- Playtime can also be a tempting reward.
Step 3. Decide what call you will use to call the cat
You can use any call you like. One of the calls that cat owners often use is, “Here, pus pus”. You can also use the words “come here” or “eat”. This call cannot be something that has been used before, as the name suggests.
- You can also use different voice tones. Cats usually respond to high pitches of voice because cat prey usually makes high-pitched sounds in the wild.
- If you're not the only person in the house calling your cat, make sure everyone uses the same call and tone when calling the cat.
- If your cat is deaf or hard of hearing, you'll need to use other methods to get his attention, such as visual cues by turning lights on and off or using a laser pointer (available at your local pet store). Cats that are deaf or hard of hearing also respond to vibrations on the floor, so you can stomp loudly to call out to them.
Part 2 of 2: Summoning a Cat
Step 1. Choose when you will call the cat
A good time to practice calling a cat is around feeding time. Your cat will most likely feel hungry, which will make the training process easier and faster. Plus, he's probably used to going to the kitchen (or where you keep his food bowl) so don't call him into an unfamiliar room when he's starting the training process.
- Another advantage of calling your cat at mealtime is that it will know what time it will eat. This will make the practice process easier because you don't have to do anything unfamiliar to him.
- If you choose to reward the cat with extra playtime, you can practice calling her as it approaches playtime for the cat.
- If the kitchen and play area have a lot of distractions, consider calling the cat to a quiet, undisturbed room that could prevent it from coming to you.
Step 2. Call the cat
When you're in the room where you're practicing, say the call in a high pitched voice. If you call him out to eat, make sure you say the call before opening a can or box of food. Make sure the cat is coming because it hears your call, not the sound of food.
- Reward him right away when he comes to you, whether it's a tasty treat or extra playtime. Extra positive encouragement through petting and compliments can also be useful.
- Even if you call him at mealtime, it's very important to give him a tasty treat as a gift rather than just giving him a regular meal.
- If you call him during playtime, call him without shaking the toy that makes a sound.
- It will take about a week for him to start coming to you consistently when you call him.
Step 3. Add a challenge when summoning a cat
Once the cat consistently comes to play or eat when you call him, add another more difficult challenge. For example, if someone else lives with you, you can practice calling them back and forth between you and that person. For this challenge, each person must reward him when he responds appropriately to the call.
- If your cat is indoors or outdoors, you can also practice calling him in when he's outside. This will be easier to do when he is near the house so that your voice can be heard.
- Practice calling him from every room in your house. Gradually, he will learn how to approach you from wherever he is.
Tips
- As with most exercises, it will be easier to train a kitten than an adult cat. If your cat is an adult, it may take a little longer for her to understand when called.
- Practice calling him several times a day. Calling him at mealtime will help you practice more than once a day.
- Reward the cat even if it takes a long time to respond to your calls. He may choose to linger when he comes to you (and that can be really annoying), but giving him a treat when he decides to respond to your calls is still very important.
- If your cat seems unresponsive because she can't hear you, take her to the vet to have her hearing checked.
- Cats don't want to come when called out of shame or fear. Consider asking your vet or animal behaviorist for advice to help your cat deal with her fear or embarrassment.
