For large members of the feline family, the most common circus trick is the hind-leg support, sitting on the hindquarters, and raising the front legs in the air. This maneuver seems unimaginably complex for wildcats, yet domestic cats effortlessly master it. In fact, this pose serves as the foundation for many more intricate actions, such as shaking hands, extending claws, jumping onto objects, or maneuvering through obstacles.
When your Maine Coon learn “come here, sit down,” they can likely pick up this pose in less than 5 minutes. Once a cat is enticed by something, it instinctively sits down, adopting a poised posture with hindquarters on the ground and front paws suspended in the air, ready to snatch desired items at a moment’s notice.
Let’s jump into our awesome cat training adventure!
Contents
Teaching Your Maine Coon to Sit in 4 Easy Steps
When Maine Coons see something interesting, most of them will sit down. However, this is quite different from the command to sit. Yes, they sit attentively, gazing at your visual cues, but it’s the combination of your cues and their desire for rewards that prompts them to assume the sitting position. In other words, it’s not a spontaneous action but one triggered by your behavior. However, in the process of training Maine Coons to perform actions on command, you want them to feel that their behavior is entirely voluntary.
After teaching a cat to sit, there’s no rush to maintain the position for too long, as this can be achieved in the “maintaining position” phase of training in a more efficient manner.
- After your cat comes over, hold a piece of cat food between your middle finger and thumb, pass it between its eyes and a few centimeters above its head, guiding it to lift its head.
- As it raises its head, its hindquarters will lower.
- Point your index finger in the same direction, moving your hand with the cat food towards its rear. Keep the cat food not too high, or it might jump to grab it. The cat food should be tantalizingly close to its nose, just out of reach.
- Once the Maine Coon’s hindquarters touch the floor, immediately press the clicker, praise it, and give a reward.
Now, even without saying the “come” command, you can directly use the “sit” command. After a Maine Coon learns the “come” and “sit” commands, it can learn other actions and even sit in place. Even if the “come” command temporarily fails, if the Maine Coon can sit on command, it becomes much easier to handle.
Repeat this action in the Maine Coon’s training sessions to lay a solid foundation for more advanced training. For example, after learning “sit” and “maintaining position,” it can proceed to learn “shake hands,” “wave,” and “stand up.” A good sitting posture ensures that the Maine Coon moves more gracefully when learning other behaviors.
Next Step: How to Teach a Cat to Stand Up?
To encourage a sitting Maine Coon to stand up with the bait, the bait must be kept within its close proximity. Hold the bait between the thumb and cat finger, with the forefinger extended, establishing a connection between the food reward and the visual cue for this training.
Initially, lure the your Maine Coon to sit down several times to capture its attention. After repeating this a couple of times, position your fingers above its head while saying, “Little cutie (you can replace with its name), stand up.” The cat gets rewarded for looking up.
Next, guide it to lift its front paws slightly off the ground and reward it. Gradually increase the height of lifting the front paws through a combination of commands like “come,” “sit,” and “stand.”
To avoid patterned training, refrain from using the same command combination repeatedly. Sometimes, issue only “come” and “sit” commands, and at other times, incorporate the “stand” command. Always praise your Maine Coon after completing the entire sequence of commands, saying “Well done, little kitty.” Praising before the completion may confuse your cat into thinking it has finished the command.
Always remember, timing is crucial, and praise should be given immediately upon completion, complemented by a gentle pat.
Training Your Cat in Different Standing Positions
Let’s tackle those advanced cat moves! The “stand” position has several variations:
- Allow the cat to balance its hips and hindquarters for a few seconds without touching you;
- Have it grasp your hand with its paws;
- Let it support its paws on the surface of a raised object.
The simplest method is to let your Maine Coon grasp your hand with its paws and then guide it to maintain a standing position without touching you. Once your cat understands this command, encourage it to support itself on the surface of other objects, starting with the “come” and “sit” commands. Once the Maine Coon follows the command and completes the action, make sure to praise it to strengthen the behavior.
After your cat “sits down,” raise the target hand or a teasing stick with bait to its nose, gradually attracting its gaze upward. Praise and reward it each time it lifts its head a bit. When your Maine Coon is fully upright, guide it to touch your hand or not touch it, as desired.
At the beginning, many cats may naturally rely on touching you to maintain balance. You can combine this behavior with commands and rewards to create a new command. More challenging is training the Maine Coon to assume the “stand” position without touching your hand. If your cat is accustomed to gripping with its paws, it is essential to teach it to balance without grabbing your hand. When the cat extends its claws to touch you, move your hand slightly farther away. When it no longer extends its claws but still maintains the “stand” position, praise and reward it.
Stand with Grace: Paws on Objects Made Easy!
The steps to train your Maine Coon to place its paws on an object (such as a chair or sofa) are as follows:
Use the command “come” to guide it to the designated location. Once it is close, instruct it to “sit.” Tap the target surface, and your cat will naturally bring its nose close to the target and treat. If it doesn’t get what it wants, its upper body will naturally stand upright. At this point, immediately praise or use a clicker and reward it.
Whenever the cat’s upper body stands upright, request it to do it again until it places its front paws on the object’s surface. Once it achieves this, you can have it maintain the position for a while, then praise or use a clicker and reward it. Additionally, use the “maintain position” training command (which will be discussed in the next chapter) to reinforce this behavior.
You can also increase the difficulty of the “stand” training, such as having the cat “grab air” like large circus felines or stand on its hind legs and spin. However, this is contingent on ensuring that your Maine Coon has fully mastered the basic “stand” action and can confidently perform the three variations of the “stand” without hesitation.
Remember, patience and rewards are the best methods to develop your cat’s abilities!
In Conclusion
The process of training your Maine Coon to sit and stand is a delightful and rewarding adventure. The initial steps involve using enticing treats and positive reinforcement to encourage your cat to adopt a poised sitting posture. The foundational commands of “come” and “sit” pave the way for more advanced training. Patience and consistency are key as you gradually introduce the standing position, ensuring the bait is kept close for guidance. Through a combination of commands and rewards, your Maine Coon can confidently lift its front paws off the ground.
Moving forward, advanced training can include teaching your Maine Coon to maintain various standing positions, such as balancing on hindquarters, grasping your hand with its paws, or supporting its paws on a raised object. Timing remains crucial, and immediate praise, accompanied by a gentle pat, reinforces positive behavior. By embracing these steps and incorporating training variations, you can transform your Maine Coon into a skilled performer, showcasing its abilities with grace and flair. This journey not only strengthens the bond between you and your cat but also provides a fun and engaging way to explore your pet’s capabilities.
