Teach your cat to fetch

Step 5 Remember, Cats are easily distracted

Keep your cat interested in chasing the ball and bringing it back to you. I picked her up a lot of times, put the ball in my mouth and brought her and the ball back to the starting point. Give her a treat once in a while. Flip her over, pet her. Talk to her in cat talk.

When your kitty gets sick of it (maybe a leaf blows by and she goes for that), just forget about it and come back to the task at hand later.
Repetition is the key but there is a fine line.
Don't make it into a military drill or your cat will never fetch and someday eat you in your sleep.
Remember, your kitty is not a doggy.  Cats will hold grudges.

Comments

[ellomate56]

Yes, a cat is not a dog. Cats/Kittens don't do tricks not because ther are not smart, because they don't have the motivation (food, praise, pet). You have to find you're kitty's motivation and get lots of it. If it is petting, pet her, food, feed her, praise, talk to her. You get the idea. So, yes. A kitty is not a doggy.

[_Scratch_]

In my opinion cats are rather smart compared to dogs. Maybe the reason they don't do tricks is because they are smart enough to realize that tricks are rather pointless.

[killerjackalope]

actually cats will rarely do stuff for you because they're essentially egotistical self centred little balls of fur that think you're there for their amusement but it can be done when you don't feed a cat it demands food but a cat that loves people and attention can easily be manipulated in to fetching

[swinding]

True - but at the same time, if the cat is not overfed and a monster like ours, favorite treats are an amazing motivator :)

[I am in no way saying starve your cat, but do note how much food is a serving on the bag, it is usually a LOT less than you would think. Esp since the adults pretty much sleep something like 18 hours a day]

[RaisedByRobots]

oh my gourd, what a cute little monster