I tell my cat to "sit" he only sits if I show him a treat, if there's no treat she won't sit!

Question

How do I get her to sit without a treat I've been teaching this to her 3 days and she's good but only if there's a treat! Is it possible to make her do the trick without the treat?

Answer 1

unlikely. cats are smart and it sounds like yours is no sucker! why do something for zip when you used to get a reward for it? aren't people (at least immature ones) basically the same way? the only luck I think you will have is to go cold turkey on the treats and demand the behavior. you have to have a lot of toughness for this, though, because if you give in he knows he's got you. get a spray bottle and when he doesn't behave, spritz him lightly from a few feet away. he'll get the hint. it sounds mean but it works. otherwise, keep buying the treats!

Answer 2

Without meaning to you have conditioned your cat to sit only when you have a treat and you probably did this by showing her the treat then saying sit.

To correct this you can show her the treat then close your hand in a fist and say "sit." She will look at your fist because she knows that is where the treat is then she should sit as told. After a day or so you will just be able to hold your hand in a fist and say "sit" and she will assume that there is a treat in your hand and will sit.

Answer 3

Having had cats since whenever (have 3 now) feel fortunate that you can even get his/her attention! You can't train a cat like you train a dog. Frankly, I don't really have a solid answer for you. I know there are some books out there that attempt to figure those little furries out. Purrrhaps only 3 days isn't enough. Just remember, you can't own a cat. I treat mine as "fellow travelers on the planet Earth" and that works for all of us. Like the show I watched on the Discovery Channel about cats quoted in closing, "We like them and they like us". I let it go at that. We have a couple of dogs too and at least one does tricks. Fortunately the cats tolerate them and probably regard them as an inferior species! Good luck!

Answer 4

It is possible. But it just takes time. She probably thinks that when you have a treat it means to sit. So if you want her to sit without a treat do a hand motion. I have a dog and what I do is I put my hand out like I am begging for money then I raise my hand and my dog sits. So your cat thinks when you have a treat and say sit, it means to sit. So next time you are trying to have your cat sit. Don't have a treat and try hand motions.

Answer 5

Would you like a job without pay? Just be happy you get the cat to listen and buy more treats.

Answer 6

Cats aren't very trainable, and are incredibly obstinate. If you're the patient type, you can just keep trying. I'd suggest using other forms of positive reinforcement though, not always using a treat. That way he will be conditioned more towards the command itself and not just the treat.

Answer 7

Cats are a bit independent for that sort of thing. He's smart enough to know not to work without getting paid.

Sounds like he's got you trained well.

;-}

Answer 8

lots of practice. Instead of a treat, try something different, or pretend like u have a treat in your hand.

Answer 9

Tell him to sit when you dont have a treat in your hand. When he does sit, go and get one. Then he will learn to sit when you dont have one in you hand, and eventually, he should just do it.

Answer 10

why not give the treat.when you do some good don't you like getting a treat?