Sylvia B. wrote in with the following story:
I trained all four of my dogs do a pretty "sit-stay" for me, all lined up in our kitchen, while I cut up some treats instead of having them out of control trying to see what I was doing.
I remember the first time this happened. As I turned around to reward them for such a good stay, there in the middle of all the dogs, sat my little cat, CoCo. I laughed and went on about our business.
Then next time I started to cut up the treats, I was giving the cue for everyone to sit and in ran CoCo, as fast as her little legs would bring her and "Plop!" she sat right along with them!
I gave them all the stay cue and started to cut up the treats. When I turned back around to reward them, CoCo was still there, looking at me with her big green eyes. "Meow," she said!
She did a "sit-stay" along with the dogs and patiently awaited her turn for the treat! This became part of her daily routine from then on.
I have never worked with her with any kind of training and thought to myself--what a waste! She is now 13 years old. My other kitty, now 14, never paid any attention to what we were doing, never showed up for a treat.
Way to go, Coco!
Cats and dogs
Amen Miranda. My cat Widget loves clicker training and as long as I can keep her engaged, she is quick study. She learned to sit, and to sit up (paws down, no clawing of my treat hand) very quickly. But she is also learning from my dogs--she has learned to accept their (sometimes rather um, energetic) "kisses" (nose touches), and it seems to me, by observation, has learned to offer those nose touches on cue. She has also learned to sit-stay and wait for her name to be presented for a treat, rather than mug the dogs when it's their turn. (They have learned this already...)
Widget is also toilet trained. Literally. Now if only my Rat Terriers would learn that from her by observation!
Sue