How to Teach a Cat to High-Five (in 5 Steps)

Nothing makes a celebration better than a quality high-five. Who better to share life’s celebrations with than your feline bestie? Despite their reputation of being aloof and independent, cats can be trained to do tricks. With these five simple cat training tips, you can train your cat to high-five in a few short sessions.

Can you train a cat?

Cats are not particularly known for following instructions, but, generally speaking, cats are trainable. Training a cat in at least basic areas is actually an important part of cat ownership. Not only does this help reduce or eliminate undesirable behaviors in your cat, but training a cat can also boost mental stimulation and help form a stronger bond between the two of you.

That said, training a cat is different from training a dog. So, it may come as no surprise that you shouldn’t rely on the same methods and expect the same results.

Benefits of training your cat to do tricks

Believe it or not, there are multiple benefits to training your cat to perform tricks like a high-five! The process of training your cat to high-five involves repetitive interaction and reward between you and your pet, which over time will help strengthen your bond. Social interactions between cats and humans are always important for a healthy relationship, but training can elevate things even further. In addition to spending more time together, positive-reinforcement training can help your cat develop a more positive association with you. And while cats are not the pack animals that dogs are, they do still thrive on the stability and understanding that comes with having a human family member they can trust and look to for direction.

Teaching your pet to high-five and do other tricks can also engage their brain and provide enrichment, which is part of keeping cats healthy.

How to train your cat to high-five

Before you start, find a quiet place with as few distractions as possible. Don’t attempt to train your cat in a high-traffic area of your home because they are likely to lose focus. And while it does depend on how food-motivated your cat is, successful high-five training revolves around treats. So, it’s a good idea to avoid starting training sessions right after your cat has eaten, since they’ll have a full stomach.

Training your cat to high-five is a simple process, and you can get your cat to master the move in one session with these five simple steps:

1. Introduce the treats

Hold several treats in your closed hand. Make sure your cat sees you put your hand around the treats so they know where they are. Your cat should be interested and will start to paw at your hand. When they touch your hand with the treat, praise them with a “yes”, “good kitty”, or a clicker (see additional training tips below) to acknowledge the action, then reward them with a treat.

Repeat this process two or three more times, raising your hand so they have to rise up to tap it for the treat. This initial step may take the longest for your cat to figure out, so be patient. Once they realize they can tap your hand for a reward, the rest of the process of training your cat to high-five should be quicker.

2. Open your hand

Once your cat has begun repeatedly tapping your closed hand, open your hand and remove the treat. You may have to start with your open, empty hand lower again to get your cat to engage with it, but the process is generally the same. Reward them with a verbal acknowledgment and then give them a treat.

3. Raise your hand above your cat

Once your cat is tapping your empty hand, begin to raise it above their head so they are forced to stand on their hind legs to tap your hand. As before, vocalize the correct action with your selected praise word and follow it immediately with a treat.

4. Introduce a verbal cue

When your cat touches your hand, say “high-five!” followed by your praise word or clicker and a treat. Repeat this process so your cat begins to associate “high-five” with tapping your hand. Start by holding up your hand and saying 'high-five' until your cat recognizes it as a cue, and reward each successful high-five.

5. Repeat

Repetition is an important part of training your cat to give you a high-five. Once your cat has mastered the high-five, repeat the trick over and over to reinforce the action. This is especially important to do over several days to ensure your cat does not forget the previous training session.

Additional cat training tips

Before you begin training your cat to high-five, make sure you’re prepared for your training sessions. Get a pack of your cat’s favorite treats and a clicker if you’re going to be using one as part of the process. Clicker training is often recommended for cats, but it is not the only way to go. It’s important to take the time to try different approaches and stay patient, following the process that is best for you and your cat. Here are some basic cat training tips to keep in mind when you start on this journey:

Use positive reinforcement

Training should be a fun experience for you and your cat, so reward them with pets, treats, and praise when they complete the task you’re looking for. Avoid using punishment as a training method because this can create fear and make your cat resistant to further training sessions.

Add a clicker to your training

As mentioned, clickers are often recommended to assist with cat training (whether you’re teaching them to high-five or do other tricks). Using a clicker right before the reward to signal a successful behavior marks the exact action that earned the reward. Your cat will begin to associate the sound with the positive item, like praise or treats, so they can repeat the action.

Keep it simple

If this is your first training session, start with something simple like sit, or in our case, high-five. These small actions are easy for your cat to master in one session and repeat. Keep training sessions short and positive to keep your cat’s interest. Once you and your cat are accustomed to the training process, you can move on to more advanced tricks.

Stay patient when teaching cats to high-five

It can be frustrating if your cat isn’t picking up a trick like high-fiving as fast as you’d like them to. But like all good teachers, patience and showing respect are keys to success. Training your cat to high-five should be a fun and rewarding experience that strengthens your bond while providing mental and physical stimulation for your feline friend. With consistency and positive reinforcement, your cat may learn this playful trick in just a few short sessions!

Don’t fret if your cat isn’t picking things up very fast. Some just need extra time and practice. But if your cat isn’t seeming to have a good time at all during high-five training, it may be time to stop. Ultimately, there are cats who may have little desire to learn any tricks, much less high-fiving. That doesn’t mean they still can’t be wonderful companions and show their affection in other ways.

Really! Check out the signs your cat loves you.