Are there "tricks" I can teach this cat to engage more with her?
Asked by
harple (
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February 8th, 2012
Where I now live, there are three cats, and one in particular seems to have adopted me. She’s just over a year old, very agile, very vocal and seems to love company. I’m working on teaching her to use the scratching post rather than the sofas, and she’s responding very quickly to this.
Naturally,now I feel like she has become my cat I’ve decided she’s a bright young thing, and wonder if there are other things I can teach her that would challenge her little brain in a good way? It would be sad if she became solely a lap-cat too soon.
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My cat and I have a ritual when she gets fed or gets a treat.
She asks me for her treat, (vocalizing or coming to get me) and then when I open the cupboard door, she gets up on her hind legs and gives me a kiss, (we bump noses). Then I tell her to sit, and she does, while I get her treat out for her. She waits in her sitting position until I put the food in her bowl. We have been doing this for a while, so now I don’t even have to give her the sit command, she just does it on her own.
My sister had a cat who fetched a small ball.
You might be able to teach her to fetch, using a straw, hair tie, rubber band or twist tie. Cats love those things. Regardless of what you do, she’ll probably become a lap cat eventually. They almost all do. But lap cats are equally awesome, so its okay!! Watch for rolling around on the ground, stretching and exposing her belly, as well as tail quivering (we call it ‘rattlesnaking”) , those are signs of a happy kitteh that adores you.
My Jacky learned how to “bring me the ball” only he did it like a soccer player. It was quite marvelous. Rewards were very important though. The best ball for this is not one of those fragile plastic cat toys, though. Jacky, who was very active, loved weasel balls—a much sturdier ferret toy with holes in it so he can still pick it up in his mouth if he wants. It also has a bell. For sheer exercise those interactive wands with feathers are great for jumping, stalking, and playing sort of hide and seek. Cats do sleep a lot during the day. That is normal and happens more as they grow older.
I used to discipline Jacky when he got on the table while food was on it by squirting him with a little squirt gun. It worked until he grew to love the squirt gun game more. It had 12 ritual moves. Him on chair raising ears then eyes above table level. Me pointing gun at him. Him putting one paw then 2 paws on table. Me waggling gun. Him jumping up. Me squirting. Him jumping to window and licking himself then looking at table. Me waggling. Him jumping up again. Me squirting. Him jumping to chair, licking and looking over table again. Me squirting. Him jumping to floor but staying there looking at me. Me squirting. Him running 3 feet away and looking back. Me squirting. Him running out of the room—game over.
Cats can surprise you. I got up to go to work when the clock radio went off and first fed the cats. When I retired the radio didn’t go off. I got up when I wanted. He figured out how to stamp on radio buttons to turn on clock same time every morning.
I like them to learn how to use their “hands” to the extent they can. Jacky could pick up things like pencils. Coins, however, were too difficult.
Bed games can be fun, like the “moving foot-lump” game or peekaboo if cat is a burrower.
Best way to help a cat get smart—an active cat friend.
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