High fives are actually really easy tricks to learn! So I thought I would put together a quick tutorial on how to teach your cat to do a high five! Humans just need a little patience, and spend a few minutes every day with their cat.
The two things the cat needs is a) to be treat motivated, and b) be comfortable with having her hand gently held — no more than what you see in the photo above. Just sort of lightly scoop your cat’s paw into your palm like that. Say, “Gimme paw,” then give her a treat. The treat should be what they call “high value,” or better than the normal treat. Anything from freeze dried chicken to low-sodium deli turkey to tiny bits of roast chicken.
Once the cat lets you do that, give her a treat. Place it in the palm of your hand. If you try to give it with your fingers, they may get chomped if your cat is too enthusiastic! Make sure the treats are teensy-tiny because you are going to want to do this several times each session. The sessions should only last for a few minutes, or your cat will get bored. Or maybe you will!
After doing this step for a few days, your cat may start reaching for your hand on her own, expecting a treat. That’s cause for an extra treat and lots of praise!
Stay at this step for a few days. Don’t be tempted to rush your cat. Your cat is probably already enjoying spending extra time with you, and getting treats and praise. At this point, you can teach her to shake paws, by giving the command, “Shake!” or “Shake paw!” every time she reaches for your hand. Remember to reward your cat every time she does that.
See? You’ve already learned a bonus trick! Now let’s get to the high five part.
Start to turn your hand around into the high five position when your cat reaches over. When she touches your hand, say, “Gimme paw!” or “High five!” and give her a treat.
If your cat is very “handy” — in other words, likes to use her paws a lot — you can bypass the paw shake part this way. Put a treat between your fingers like you see above and hold it in the high five position. When your cat reaches out for the treat, say, “High five!” and give it to her.
Don’t expect your cat to give you high fives perfectly right away. I know I can be pretty sloppy with my high five giving, even now. But when she gets it right, give her extra praise and a little more of the treat.
How long this takes depends on your consistency, your persistence, and your relationship with your cat. Also, some cats learn things more easily than others. It’s not necessarily a matter of intelligence. My human has come across some very smart cats who just did not want to learn a particular trick. But you know how it is… time spent with a cat is never wasted. And if you can do high fives with your cat, that is definitely worthwhile!
I hope you enjoyed my tutorial! Wanna high five me?
Summer, I wonder if my mom would just go on and tear me this? IF she does, I will blog about it.
My cat can’t high five..but will bring me a plastic bag when she wants the litter box cleaned
I definitely want to high five Summer! I’m thinking my Ziggy might learn this. Our little Shasta is just too skittish.
My cat is a tor tortie and is not great motivated, how would I be able to train her to do high fives or to wear a harness and Walk in a leash? Only thing she really really likes i s pets.
If she responds to praise, you can use that, doling it out whenever she performs properly!
MK thanks Nutmeg would probably enjoy this!
Purrz!
Selina
Great pics and tutorial. I got the #1 part about treat motivated but I don’t like anyone touching my paw. I bet I could learn the trick but I prefer to use my claws so TW won’t like it.
I can see you were extra good. Extra lovely too!
Meow wow Summer youre so clevurr!! An you shake pawss an high five furabulusslee…
An yore selfiess are purrfection; just like you!!!
***purrss*** BellaDharma
You are one of a kind Summer. We are difficult to train. Our humans are easy to train, though.
Well Summer Samba, you’ve got a more pawsitive learning cattitude than most. Thanks for the tips!
OH Summer…that was perfect!!!!
This is so cool Summer. Now mom can at least teach 1 of us 7 or more to “high five”. You make it look easy but we know it takes time and repetition. And of course quality treats, MOL. What a great tutorial you and your mom made for us. Thank you so much! Love and Purrs
That was a very good tutorial, Summer.
We love your step-by-step tutorial ; Zorro is food-motivated, it could work with him. I am not in the food stuff, I don’t think it could work with me. Purrs
That sounds like it’s well worth it Summer!
That’s a good idea, I will try it with Rosie and when I visit Isis I’ll try too or teach her human how to do it. We will see who does it first !
You are so clever. My Millie used to slap me five.
Wow, you make it look so easy! We’ll give it a try here, thanks!
Mew are so talented Summer! And totally adorable too! XOX
What a great instructor you are, Summer! High five!
You are an amazingly cute teacher sweet Summer!
Patience and love pays off.
I just still can’t get over how adorable Summer is! Love the high fives!
That was a good lesson, Summer. But can you teach an old cat a new trick??
Binga learned after I did!
Great lesson thanks!
Y’all are quite the awesome learner, Summer. I’d love to be able to do this, but I can’t see dad being patient enough for the process. For now they’ve got me where I get treats from their fingers gently while sitting upright like a gopher (says mom). I’ve learned to be real gentle, where at first I’d lunge at their fingers because it was hard to maintain my balance. You are one talented girlcat!
Wow! That looks like a lot of hard work, Summer!
Purrs,
Tama and Genji
In all honesty, Summer … I don’t know if I’m more impressed with your human for having such patience or with her ability to take pictures with herself in them that turn out so wonderful. I fail every time – at patience AND photographic ability. Any post that focuses on those floofy paws is going to have all your readers swooning.
My human has a recently-acquired bluetooth doohickey (her words) that enables her to fire off the iPhone camera remotely.
Fabulous!
I would have to say that I am very impressed by the obvious patience that your human has. With my fur crew I would most likely give up a lot faster.
Great pictures Summer.
I’m going to try this!