Clicker training cats is a fun way to strengthen your bond, provide enrichment, and correct behaviors. It’s very simple with the right tools.

Clicker training can help with better behavior because your cat learns that he gets a yummy reward after doing a desired behavior (aka what you want your cat to do).

I started clicker training Jericho because he jumps on the counters and into the kitchen constantly.

So I focused on training him to sit and stay first. Then I started teaching him how to jump up and down on his condos and circle objects with a target stick.

clicker training cats jericho circling object jess caticles
Jericho circling his scratcher

It’s such a wonderful feeling to see your cat complete the commands you teach! I believe that our bond has gotten stronger with each session.

I’m more interested in agility and the physical exercise of clicker training rather than tricks.

But clicker training tricks is still a helpful way to get better behavior and bonding with your cat.

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Jericho touching his nose to the target stick

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Jericho’s first week of clicker training

For Jericho’s first week of clicker training I focused on getting him used to the clicker and target stick. We practiced sit, jump on a chair, and stay as well.

I attached clicker training to a routine that I already have in place so that I actually stuck with it. And Jericho expects training now!

I can tell that he enjoys it.

Jericho is very food motivated, thanks to his healthy raw diet so that helps a lot.

But I really enjoy that he’s learning and has better behavior.

Now I’m focusing on more agility and physical activity training sessions. Jericho’s extremely active and runs around and plays a lot already.

But I love playing with him and getting him even more active for added mental stimulation and enrichment.

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Jericho jumping over an obstacle

Clicker training kit that I use

I use Cat School’s clicker training kit for cats. My good friend Julie created the kit and developed her own method for clicker training cats.

clicker training kit for cats cat school jess caticles

The kit includes a clicker, target stick, and a booklet to get started with simple training.

I love her training because you only need 5 minutes a day. Super short and simple!

Cat School also has a monthly membership with tons of training videos, and you get support from Julie.

You get a 14-day free trial when you buy her clicker training kit on Amazon.

Best treats for clicker training

The best healthy cat treats are freeze-dried or dehydrated muscle meats and organs.

Treats like salmon, beef liver, turkey thigh, chicken breast, etc. Very simple ingredients – single-protein and you know exactly what it is.

Or you can use your cat’s current food as clicker training rewards.

I like to use Quest Cat Food frozen raw nuggets. I prefer these because whenever I use freeze-dried (aka low moisture) treats I notice that Jericho needs more water.

quest cat food frozen raw nuggets jess caticles

The frozen raw nuggets are high moisture so I don’t have to worry about that.

Plus they are complete and balanced so I can use as much as I want.

I also really like the nuggets because it’s so easy to scoop a few out each day, and they thaw very quickly.

I buy Quest at my local pet food store. But if you can’t find it locally, you can buy Quest Cat Food online and get 25% off with my code JESSCATICLES (or just use my link and the code will apply automatically).

How long does it take to clicker train cats?

You can clicker train your cat in just 5 minutes a day. Cats actually do better with shorter sessions. So you don’t need a lot of time!

How quickly your cat understands the commands depends on your routine and consistency.

Some cats are more food motivated than others which can also affect how long it takes to clicker train your cat.

Most of the time, cats who eat dry food aren’t as food motivated. This is largely because dry food is addicting. Read more about why cats are so picky about food.

I’d suggest slowly transitioning your cat’s main meals to a high moisture low carb wet food or (ideally) a balanced raw diet. And save your cat’s dry food for clicker training during the transition.

Then once your cat is eating a 100% high moisture low carb diet, you can start using healthy freeze-dried treats for clicker training.

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Jericho sitting pretty like a good boy 🄹

Is it too late to train my cat?

No, it isn’t too late to train your cat! You can start clicker training at any age. Your cat doesn’t have to start when he’s a kitten.

I started clicker training Jericho when he was about 6 years old. Very far from being a kitten!

Ready to start clicker training your cat? I highly recommend Cat School’s clicker training kit on Amazon.