Welcome to your first trick — Target/Touch!

This command is most commonly called "Target", but you'll hear me say "Touch" simply because I prefer how it rolls off the tongue compared to "Target". You can name commands whatever you'd like, so choose what fits you and your cat best!

This video shows two separate learners, so you'll get to see just how different training two individuals can be.

Training Steps for Target/Touch:

• Put some soft food on the end of your target.
• Hold the end of the stick at nose height 1 to 3 inches from your cat.
• As soon as they touch the stick with their tongue or nose, click your clicker and let them eat the food. (Don’t move the stick towards them; they have to make the touch all by themself!)
• Do this a few times in a row until your cat consistently touches the end of the target stick with their nose.
• This time, don’t put any food on your target. Hold it in front of your cat and let them touch it with their nose, then click and treat.
• Once they master this, you can say "Target” or “Touch” before you present the target.
• Slowly start to move the target further and further away from your cat so they have to take a step to touch it, then a few steps, then a full stroll, and then one day a full jump!