# Can Cats Be Trained? How Feline Learning Actually Works Source: https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/blog/cat-training-learning Published: 2026-08-20 / Updated: 2026-08-25 Publisher: NekoIQ (https://iqcat.vercel.app) Tags: 猫, 学習, 認知科学, 研究 > Is it true that cats cannot be trained? Using a study that clicker-trained 100 shelter cats, we explain how feline learning works and what conditions make training succeed at home. ## Key takeaways - In a study of 100 shelter cats, all four trained behaviors showed significant post-training gains. - Training consisted of short sessions — 15 sessions of five minutes each. - When a cat seems not to learn, the cause is usually the choice of reward or the session length, not intelligence. - Punishment raises fear and stress and interferes with learning, so it is not recommended. The belief that dogs can be trained and cats cannot is stubbornly common. Experiments say otherwise. Cats learn — the conditions simply differ from a dog's. ## A training study with 100 shelter cats [Kogan and colleagues (2017)](https://doi.org/10.3390/ani7100073) assessed 100 shelter cats on four behaviors — touching a target, sitting, spinning, and giving a high-five — then ran 15 clicker-training sessions of five minutes each and reassessed them. All four behaviors showed significant post-training gains. These were not long-settled house cats but animals in the unfamiliar environment of a shelter, and learning still took hold through short, repeated sessions. ## Why a clicker works A clicker marks the exact instant of a correct action with a sound. Handing over a treat takes a few seconds, during which the cat has already done something else. The click identifies which movement earned the reward, making the link between behavior and consequence unambiguous. This is basic operant conditioning, not something peculiar to cats. In human skill acquisition too, learning slows as feedback is delayed — a theme that runs through [whether IQ can be raised](https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/blog/how-to-raise-iq). ## Why a cat may seem not to learn When a cat ignores a cue, the cause is usually one of four things. First, the reward is not appealing enough — a lickable paste or boiled chicken often motivates far more than dry food. Second, the session runs too long; past five minutes, interest drops away. Third, the environment is not calm. Learning stalls amid noise or visitors. Fourth, there is a physical problem — a cat with sore joints will resist sitting. Check those four before doubting your cat's ability. ## Punishment interferes with learning A spray bottle or a raised voice may stop an unwanted behavior in the moment. But the cat does not learn that the behavior is wrong; it learns that frightening things happen when that person is present. The behavior continues out of sight, and wariness of people grows. The relationship between cats and people rests on predictability, not fear. On reading human cues, see [how much cats understand about people](https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/blog/cat-communication-humans); on breed myths, see [are smartest-cat-breed rankings real](https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/blog/smartest-cat-breeds). ## Learning is only one part of intelligence How fast an animal learns a trained behavior is one facet of cognition, separate from memory or spatial ability (see [how good a cat's memory is](https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/blog/cat-memory)). In humans too, a fast memorizer and a fast rule-spotter have different profiles. The full picture of feline cognition research is organized by topic in [can a cat's IQ be measured?](https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/cat-iq). To see the shape of your own cognition, the [free NekoIQ IQ test](https://iqcat.vercel.app/en/start) covers four domains in 20 questions and about 10 minutes. Results are estimates for self-understanding and are not a substitute for an official intelligence test. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can cats be trained? Yes. A study that clicker-trained 100 shelter cats found significant improvement on all four behaviors: touching a target, sitting, spinning, and giving a high-five. ### How long should a training session be? The study used five-minute sessions. At home, stopping after a few minutes while your cat is still engaged works best. ### Does scolding a cat work? It is not recommended. Punishment increases fear and stress and damages the relationship. Rewarding the desired behavior the moment it happens is far more reliable. ## Disclaimer NekoIQ provides estimates for entertainment and self-understanding. It is not a medical, clinical, or official psychological assessment. Percentages are derived from a normal distribution with mean 100 and SD 15.