My special thanks go to the photographers Christina Boumala and Kai Nissen as well as the animal trainers Helena Dbalý and Christina Nissen for their dedicated cooperation and the marvellous photographs. Honour where honour is due goes to the photographic stars of this book: Birne, Cuno, Eazy, Faramir, Lütti, Plato and ZsaZsi.

The ‘she’ pronoun has been used throughout the text. It is however not gender-specific and tomcats as well as queens are invited to join in the fun.

All rights reserved: No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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The second technique towards the completed trick: Support with targets or titbits

Tricks with cats? How to use this book

(Photo: Nissen)

Tricks with cats?
How to use this book

In my opinion, clicker training is one of the most entertaining and rewarding things that a human being and his/her cat can do together. The aim is not to reduce the status of the cat to that of a subservient creature without any willpower of her own that jumps if we command her to ‘jump’.

Clicker training encourages cats to be active, to try to explore new behaviour patterns and to improve their agility. It can help timid cats to gain more selfesteem, passive cats to develop more initiative, and impatient and unruly cats to improve their self-control. Most importantly, this type of training requires that your cat uses her mind and learns new things. It is therefore a great method to fight against chronic lack of challenges in the everyday environment of many housebound cats.

At the start of your trick training you will have two roles to fulfil. You are learning something completely new, but from the start you are also the trainer of your cat. It depends largely on your qualities as a trainer how easily and with what enjoyment your cat is able to learn the tricks. Clicker training is based on the voluntary cooperation of your cat, and you will succeed if your training is fun for your cat. This can depend on a multitude of small and large factors, therefore it is worthwhile if you familiarise yourself with these factors before you start your training.

I am sure that you have already had a browse through the pages of this book and have read one or the other trick instructions. At least, that is what I would have done in your place, and my fingers would be itching to start immediately with the first exercise! However, I would ask you to take some time with your preparation. Your cat will only be able to carry out trick training with success and enjoyment if you lead her through the exercises without hesitation and in a calm manner. You will only achieve this if you first acquire the necessary knowledge and do a bit of practical work as well. Don’t worry; this is not a textbook! You will be able to start the training with your cat very soon.

You will find the instructions for the first tricks, together with further information regarding training techniques, from here→ onwards. Please follow the exercises in this chapter with your cat in the given order, as they form the basis of all subsequent tricks and exercises. Following that, you will be able to teach your cat all the other tricks and ideas in this book. Initially you should practise clicking with a person; work on your timing and get some experience under your belt. If that works well, you will be able to show your cat the path to a variety of different tricks. Also, allow her a bit of time to learn what the principle of clicker training is about. You will recognise the moment when your cat has ‘clicked’ with what you want from her!

I wish you many wonderful moments, exciting discoveries and loads of fun during your clicker training!

Christine Hauschild, August 2010