To train a cat, make the behavior easy to do, mark the exact moment the cat does it, and follow the mark with something the cat values. Keep sessions short, positive, and voluntary, and never use punishment. The same approach handles the everyday problems most owners want fixed: scratching furniture, litter-box trouble, and biting during play. Where a behavior change may have a medical cause, check with a veterinarian before assuming it is a training problem.
Start with what the cat wants
Training works only when the cat has a reason to repeat the behavior. Before teaching anything, find out what this particular cat values. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends identifying each cat’s preferred reward in its beginner guide, “Cat training 101,” published February 10, 2026.
Choose a reward
Rewards fall into a few groups: small food pieces, a short play session with a wand toy, petting, brushing, or simply attention from you. Food is not universal. A cat that ignores treats may work hard for two minutes of play. In a quiet moment, offer two or three options and note which one the cat chooses and how quickly it responds.
Choose a marker
A marker is a signal that tells the cat, at the exact instant, “that is the behavior I wanted.” Two options are widely supported:
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| Marker | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Clicker | A short click at the moment of the behavior, followed by the reward | Needs a brief introduction so the cat learns the click predicts something good; one more object to carry |
| Spoken word, such as “yes” | One brief, consistent word said at the moment of the behavior | Costs nothing, but must sound the same every time and be used only at the moment of success |
AAHA lists the clicker as one option, and the Feline Veterinary Medical Association’s Positive Reinforcement Training Educational Toolkit supports either a click, a sound, or a word. Pick one marker and keep it.
The core training sequence
- Choose a reward the cat wants right now.
- Pick your marker and use it for training only.
- Wait for the behavior, or set things up so it is likely to happen.
- Mark the instant the cat does the behavior.
- Deliver the reward promptly after the mark. The sound or word should predict the reward, so timing matters more than intensity.
- End the session while the cat is still comfortable and engaged. Do not force participation; a cat that walks away is telling you the session is over.
Your first exercise: targeting
Targeting teaches a cat to touch an object with its nose. AAHA describes it as an accessible first exercise because the cat can succeed quickly, which builds confidence for harder skills.
- Hold a small target object a short distance from the cat. A pen, a chopstick, or a dowel with a small ball on the end works well.
- Wait for the cat to investigate and touch the target with its nose.
- Mark the touch and give the reward.
- Repeat several times. Once the cat touches the target reliably, move it slightly farther away before marking, so the cat must reach or step toward it.
Once targeting is reliable, the same skill can guide the cat to a spot. AAHA describes place or stationing training, in which a cat learns to go to and stay on a mat, bed, box, or scale. Stationing can make routine tasks such as nail trims, carrier practice, or a vet-office weigh-in easier for both of you, because the cat has a predictable, rewarded place to be.
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Redirecting scratching furniture
Scratching is normal feline behavior, and the goal is to redirect it rather than erase it. Trying to stop a cat from scratching entirely usually fails, because the cat still needs to scratch.
Work out the scratching style
- Vertical scratching: the cat stretches up and works a post or tall surface.
- Horizontal scratching: the cat works a flat, carpet-like surface.
- Texture: note whether the cat prefers sisal, carpet, cardboard, or wood, since the material matters as much as the shape.
- Location: note the exact furniture piece the cat uses. The new option should go near it.
Cornell Feline Health Center’s behavior guidance and the ASPCA’s Destructive Scratching guidance both focus on this kind of observation before any change.
Offer a matching alternative
- Place a sturdy vertical post or horizontal scratcher that matches the style you observed.
- Put it directly beside the furniture the cat currently uses. Moving it too far away often means the cat ignores it.
- When the cat uses the new surface, mark the moment and reward it, or offer a short play session on or near the scratcher.
- If the cat keeps going back to the furniture, make that spot less accessible for a while with a temporary barrier while the new habit forms.
Declawing is a separate, serious decision. Discuss it with your veterinarian rather than treating it as a scratching fix.
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Litter-box setup
Most cats instinctively use a litter box, so a good setup usually matters more than any training. Cornell Feline Health Center’s guidance on choosing and caring for a new cat lays out the basics:
- Box count: one box per cat, plus one extra. A two-cat home should have three boxes.
- Box style: most cats prefer simple boxes. Cornell reports that many cats do not like hooded boxes.
- Litter: many cats prefer unscented, fine-textured litter. Preferences vary, so if a cat avoids the box, try a different litter before anything else.
- Location: choose a quiet spot that is easy to reach and separate from food and water.
- Cleanliness: keep boxes clean; cats often avoid a soiled box.
- Entry height: kittens and cats with mobility limitations may need a box with a lower side.
When a cat stops using the box
A cat that begins eliminating outside the box has a reason, and the reason is not always behavioral. Cornell’s House Soiling guidance lists urinary, kidney, thyroid, and diabetic conditions among possible medical causes. Environmental causes include a dislike of the box or litter, limited access, an unsuitable location, and conflict with another animal in the home. A sudden change, or one that persists, calls for a veterinary exam, especially if the cat seems to be in pain or ill.
What not to do
The ASPCA’s Litter Box Problems guidance cautions against giving treats while a cat is eliminating, because many cats do not want attention at that moment. Reward the cat for good litter-box use in the usual way, but do not turn the box itself into a training exercise.
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Play biting and aggression
Biting is not one problem. Start by noting the context: is the cat stalking hands during play, or biting when handled, or reacting to another animal? Cornell’s Aggression guidance describes play aggression as a distinct category, and notes that kittens normally learn bite limits through social play with littermates and their mother.
- Use a wand or toy as the target for pouncing and biting, never your hands or feet.
- Keep a toy between the cat and your hands during play, so the toy is what the cat reaches for.
- When the cat redirects its bite onto the toy, mark and reward the choice.
- Keep hands at a safe distance from the cat when the play session ends.
Sudden aggression, or aggression linked to pain, needs a veterinary assessment before you try to train it away.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why punishment backfires
AAHA warns that punishment can increase stress and fear, worsen behavior, and harm the bond between cat and owner. Punishment also tells the cat that you are unpredictable, which makes training harder. A better approach is to manage the environment and teach a behavior the cat can perform instead of the unwanted one.
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For example, if a cat keeps jumping onto the kitchen counter, remove the attraction, place a sturdy perch somewhere nearby, and mark and reward the cat for using the perch. The cat gets a rewarding option, and the counter stops being the easiest choice.
When to get professional help
- A new or persistent change in litter-box use, which needs a veterinary exam first.
- Sudden aggression, or aggression that seems linked to pain or illness.
- Fear or aversion that continues after the setup has been corrected and medical causes have been addressed.
- Aggression that does not improve with consistent, reward-based changes. A veterinary behaviorist is the appropriate professional for persistent cases.
Some Cornell Feline Health Center behavior pages are older, so their general principles apply, but check any medical advice with your veterinarian. Sources for this guide are AAHA’s “Cat training 101” (published February 10, 2026), the Feline Veterinary Medical Association’s Positive Reinforcement Training Educational Toolkit, Cornell Feline Health Center’s behavior and new-cat pages, and the ASPCA’s Litter Box Problems and Destructive Scratching guidance.
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