Ragdoll cats respond very well to praise as reinforcement. You can use this along with food as a reward to teach your Ragdoll tricks. It is best to use soft and moist food for treats so you will not disrupt your cat’s diet. Once your Ragdoll cat performs the task you are training, reward with both treats and verbal praises.
Your training will go better if you concentrate on only one task at a time. With any training session you need to be consistent and train at a pace your cat can learn. Cats have very short attention spans so these training sessions will probably last no more than ten minutes and you should stop as soon as you see your cat becoming bored or distracted. When you see the slightest comprehension from your Ragdoll of the tasks you are teaching be sure to praise enthusiastically to reinforce the behavior.
Teach Your Ragdoll Cat to Shake Hands
To teach this skill you will need your Ragdoll to sit in front of you. Touch your cat’s front paw and say “Shake” or “Shake a paw.” As soon as your cat reacts to your touch shake the paw and give praise along with a treat. Be consistent in your training and deliver the same command each session.
Teach Your Ragdoll Cat to “Come”
Teach this skill near mealtimes. Speak your Ragdoll cat’s name followed by “come.” If necessary rap on the bowl or food container to get your cat’s attention. When your Ragdoll comes use enthusiastic verbal praise and the food. Once your cat associates the command “come” with food they will come running every time you use it.
Teach Your Ragdoll Cat to Sit Up
To teach your cat to sit up, start with your Ragdoll sitting down in front of you. Hold up a treat over your cat and give the command “sit up.” Only give your cat the treat if he or she sits up to get it. If your Ragdoll stands or tries to grab the treat do not give the reward until performing the desired behavior.
Related Articles Other People Have Read:
- Teaching Your Ragdoll Cat Tricks
- Teach Your Cat to Shake Paws
- How to Train Your Cat
- A Trick to Teach Your Ragdoll Cat
