How To Train Your Cat to Come When You Call

Did you know that cats can be trained to come when you call? Though many people think that only dogs can be trained, cats can learn many of the same tricks. In fact, it is easy train cats to come to you if you start by making it attractive to them, and even independent cats will come to you. Here's how to train your cat to come when you call:

1. Become friends with your cat. Cats won't come to people who call their name if they don't know them. Regularly pet and talk to your cat, even when you're not trying to train her. This should happen as soon as possible after you get your cat. It will make it much easier to train your cat to listen to you.
2. Call her name with a snack. When your cat is standing across the room from you, but is looking right at you, call her name and shake a special treat. This treat can't be her regular dry food. If she does not come to you, drop the treat in her food bowl to let her see what she missed. If she does come, give her the treat, plus petting and praise.
3. Keep practicing. Whether your cat comes or not, keep calling her name at least once per day. Soon she will learn to associate her treat with hearing her name and the action of coming to you. Try to practice this trick as often as possible when she is hungry. Treats are not as motivating after she's just eaten a big meal. Be patient; some cats may take months of regular practice to learn to come when you call.
4. Call her name without a snack. Once she is regularly coming when you call her name with a treat, start removing the treat from the equation. At first, hold a treat only half the time when you're calling her to come to you. After a while, stop giving treats after your cat comes when you call.

If you find that your cat won't come when you call, cry a different signal. Some cats won't come to their names but will come to another word, or to a whistle or bell. A unique call rather than the cat's name can also make it easier to let your cat know exactly what you want, since you won't be saying the special word for any other reason. Training your cat to come when you call is a useful skill if your cat is missing or if you need to find her anywhere in the house quickly.