Tricks that make cats more adoptable

[Kimmiebear]

As part of the program that I am currently enrolled in, I need to train a cat. Would you be more interested in a cat that sits, downs and sits up; runs an obsticle course; walks on a leash or plays fetch?
Any suggestions welcome because I want my cats to find a good home. (they are adopted out to the public at the end of the semester).
The dog I am training sits and downs well. He also sits at doors until I say it is ok to go through. I am working on stay and roll-over as well as not pulling on a leash.

[lankeela]

And you need to go on a course to do this? I would have thought (with the dog anyway) this is basic training that everyone should do anyway.

As for the cat, any self respecting cat would only do what it wanted to, and if it did do as you command, it would only be because it suited it to at that particular time!

And am I right in thinking that you are 'given' a cat as part of your course, which is then given away at the end of the course? Whatever happened to 'forever' homes?

A dog has an owner, a cat has a servant!

[SCHUMI]

Totally agree with you lankeela why would you want to train a cat?? they are classed as a wild animal in law and their world.
The only way to train a cat is stick a dog in a cat suit and call it felix.
Ihave two cats and they are a law unto themselves in fact one of them actually threw up over the dog last night just for the pure hell of it.The dog remains traumatised to this time but if it was possible I would have trained her to go to the bathroom. Leave the cat be my good aber it is a lost cause.

[Noweia]

Cats aren't impossible to train - my own cat knows 'Paw' (both left and right), 'Sit', and is currently being trained to 'Speak'!

I would have thought that as most of the public don't put their cats through Agility courses, sit/down/up or fetch would be more interesting?

[Kimmiebear]

I am given a new pet every month as part of the program. They are from death row of the local shelter and we train them, castrate them, vaccinate, microchip, tattoo, and then adopt them out. Last month my cat didn't get adopted very quickly (was the last to go) and I want my next cat to find a home faster. The home it goes to after the semester is its "forever home".
Lankeela you know as well as I do that many people will get a puppy and then not train it so it develops behaviour problems and is surrendered to a shelter. That is the case with my dog. He destructively chewed up their house when left alone. So far he hasn't even chewed on his bed so I think he was bored. When I got him he didn't sit, come or down and he HAD to e first through doors.
I am also marked on how well my animal performs what I train it, as well as how much I understand about the animal. Being a dog person, I don't really know what would interest people in a cat. So I thought I would ask.

[divegirl]

Are you for real? I own both cats and dogs and as previous posts have said....you train a dog....a cat trains you! If you are saying that a cat at your rescue is only adopted on it's ability to do tricks I would be very interested to know what rescue you work for. Sounds a little sick to me.

[Kimmiebear]

Wow with the opening of a can of worms.
I get graded on how well I am able to teach tricks.
The cats find good homes regardless, but it is proven that cats that come when called or sit on command are adopted faster. I thought I would ask what people would be interested in- what tricks would appeal to people as I am a dog person and so I don't really know what appeals to cat people. Maybe I will just train it to walk on a leash and be done with it!

[naz_nomad]

Train the damn thing not to come into my garden ... lol

[burnhal]

Lets try a reasonable answer. I guess from your comments that you are in the US? Maybe they prefer cats that can obey commands over there?
Myself- I prefer a cat that is as cats do and personally would choose a cat that is just a normal cat over one that has been trained.

[Athley]

In my experience cats choose the person and not vice versa. Sounds interesting what you are doing though Kimmiebear but also quite unusual too.

I can't imagine my cat doing anything I tell her to. She's a very typical cat!!

:o)

[janeo]

Cats are appealing precisely becasue they do exactly as they please!

What "course" are you doing?

[The Big Gill]

I've got an old cigar tube in which I keep dried cat food - my cat will come running to the sound of it being shaken and rattled. It's not much of a trick, but it's quite useful when he's outdoors and I need to find him.

[kaylamay]

I do cat rescue and have quite a few kitties of all temperaments.
I have yet to meet a kitty that didn't do only what it damn well pleased. I do have a female calico/siamese that taught herself to pee in the toilet(she's yet to learn to flush though) oh, and SHE taught ME to play fetch. They all have their own little quirks, but the more i have tried to get them to do what i wanted the more they did what they wanted. I will say though ALL the kitties i have had the pleasure to meet loved Gerber brand baby food meat, i usually get the lamb flavor, in the jars(i'm from the US do you have this in England?) anyway i do think my cats would do back flips for a finger full of that. In fact they only have to hear the pop top to come running and then i get moggie mobbed until the jar is empty.
Mikala

[The Big Gill]

I know it's a bit late, but...

the most helpful thing that you can do to help rescue/shelter cats find a home is to 'socialise' them - simply playing with, grooming, being around them. If you can get a nervous, timid cat used to humans so that they greet a prospective owner entering their pen, instead of cowering in a corner, it massively increases their chances of adoption.