Yes, You Can Train Your Cat (and They'll Love It)

Why clicker training isn’t just for dogs—and how it keeps your cat’s brain sharp, especially in their senior years

I always thought I was doing pretty well as a cat dad—good food, lots of love, and plenty of toys. But I never set out to be the kind of cat dad who trains his cats.

I mean, cats are independent, right? They do what they want, on their schedule. That’s part of their charm. But then I had a conversation with feline behaviorist Marci Koski during the Feline Wellness Summit… and she completely changed my mind.

Marci introduced me to something I had never tried: clicker training for cats. And not only is it possible—it’s fun, deeply enriching, and a surprisingly effective way to reduce stress and boost your cat’s confidence, especially in their senior years.

I want to share with you some tips I learned from Marci, why it works, and how I’m starting to use it with my own cats, Niko and Milo.

If you want to listen to an audio of my clip with Marci on clicker training for cats, just take a listen here.

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🎯 What is Clicker Training?

Clicker training is a form of positive reinforcement—you’re teaching your cat to associate a specific behavior with a click sound and then a reward (like a treat, petting, or praise).

The “click” acts as a marker, letting your cat know exactly which behavior earned the reward. It’s like saying, “Yes, that thing you just did—do more of that.”

The beauty of it? Cats love it once they understand the game. And it works just as well with senior cats as it does with kittens. Marci began training her cat Abby when she was 11 years old—and Abby learned sit, high five, fist bump, wave, spin, jump, and more.

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🐱 Why Clicker Training is Especially Great for Senior Cats

Marci emphasized something I hadn’t considered: senior cats still crave mental stimulation. As they age, they may lose some physical abilities—but their brains are sharp. Training offers:

• Mental enrichment that keeps them curious and engaged

• Bonding time that strengthens trust

• A sense of confidence and success from mastering new cues

Even if your cat is hearing-impaired, you can still “clicker train” using a visual marker like a flashlight flicker instead of sound.

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🛠️ How to Start Clicker Training at Home

You don’t need any special gear—Marci actually prefers using a tongue click (like tsk) instead of a physical clicker, which frees up your hands.

Here’s the basic process she recommends:

1. Loading Phase
   Start with “click → treat” several times in a row so your cat learns that the sound means something good is coming. This helps them understand the “click” is a bridge to the reward.

2. Teach One Behavior at a Time
   Once the click is loaded, try rewarding a simple behavior like “sit.” When they do it, click the moment it happens and follow with a treat.

3. Use Variable Rewards
   You can mix it up—sometimes a treat, sometimes praise, sometimes petting. This keeps your cat engaged and interested without expecting the same reward every time.

4. Train More Than One Cat
   Marci says it's absolutely possible—you’ll just need two hands for treats and a little extra patience. Reward each cat for their own good behavior, and make sure nobody feels left out.

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🐾 My Take: Training Niko and Milo

This got me thinking about Niko, who has started rolling over when I say “roll over.” It wasn’t something I trained him to do—it just sort of happened. But now I realize I’ve been missing a chance to reinforce it and maybe even expand on it.

So I’ve started adding a simple tongue click when he does it, and then giving him his favorite reward—belly rubs. I’ve also begun loading the click sound for both Niko and Milo so we can build a strong foundation and eventually add more fun behaviors.

So far? They’re into it. And I’m seeing how this can become a fun daily ritual—a few minutes of play, learning, and connection that we both enjoy.

It’s honestly making me feel like an even better cat dad.

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📚 Want to Go Deeper?

Marci recommended a great book:
How to Clicker Train Your Cat by Stephanie Mantilla
It includes step-by-step training for basic cues, handling, enrichment games, and more.

Marci did mention she disagrees with one section (the part about rewarding a cat for getting down off the counter—she prefers strategies that prevent jumping up in the first place), but otherwise it’s a solid resource.

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💬 What About You?

Have you ever tried clicker training? Or does your cat already have a quirky trick they “accidentally” picked up like Niko?

Hit reply or leave a comment—I’d love to hear what your cats can do and how you’re keeping their minds active and engaged.

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Scott | Golden Whiskers