Effective Tips for Training Cats to Carry Objects

Russian Blue Cat
First, during training, put a special collar on the cat to make it easier for the owner to control the cat's movement. The owner holds the collar with one hand and holds the object for the cat to carry with the other hand. The owner gives the command “carry” while forcibly putting the object into the cat’s mouth. Then use your hand to gently stroke the cat as encouragement, considering it has done very well. Next, give the command “release” and take the object out of the cat’s mouth, then stroke it and offer a treat as a reward. After repeated training for a period of time, the cat will develop a conditioned reflex and understand that completing the carrying and releasing actions will earn treats. It will willingly accept training and perform the actions.
Next, after training for some time, the cat can master the carrying action. Then, the owner can shake the object in front of the cat’s eyes to fully attract the cat’s attention and curiosity, then throw the object a few meters away and give the command “carry,” letting the cat fetch the object by itself. Early on, the cat may not cooperate well, so the owner needs to guide or forcibly lead the cat to carry the object. After returning to the original position, the owner gives the command “release,” allowing the cat to spit out the object, then strokes it and gives a treat as a reward. After training for a period of time, the cat will master the entire carrying action.
Training pet cats to develop a certain habit requires owners to invest more time and be more patient in training. Only through long-term training can the cat skillfully master a particular action or skill.