# Training a Cat who doesn't like Treats



## Nicola76 (Nov 9, 2012)

Hi guys, wonder if you can offer some advice. 

I've got a 17 month old persian I've had for the last month or so, and unlike my last cat, she can't be bribed with treats. I've tried her with the meat sticks or the whiskas cheesy things, but nothing seems to work. This makes training her difficult, as I would normally offer my last cat a treat for doing well, which meant I could 'train'* her to do some things and reward good behaviour. 

But, Ruby Tuesday my persian, doesn't seem to eat treats at all. I don't know if it's because she has an ultra flat face as she seems to try and scoop the bits into her mouth using her paws which suggests she might find them too difficult to eat. I've tried breaking them right down but it doesn't really work. 

Any suggestions in how to reward her when she does well? (Other than the usual 'good girl.......GOOD GIRLLLLLLLLLLL' 



* - in the loosest sense of the word!!


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## TatiLie (Nov 2, 2010)

My cat is not very food orientated but she loves Cosma/Thrive treats. It's like drugs to her and she will do anything for them.


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## Citrineblue (Sep 28, 2012)

Yep Thrives do it for my cats..........


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## Joy84 (Nov 21, 2012)

Phoebe loves her Cosma 
But she'll not say "no" to Dreamies either


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## Cookieandme (Dec 29, 2011)

What are your trying to "train" her to do


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## ella (Jan 1, 2009)

Hiya

What does she normally eat (in her bowl)? 

Bibi (Persian in my pic) eats RC dry biscuits and will lick the gravy from wet food, and she also occasionally has whiskas milk. Bibi has quite a flat face and a very small mouth, we have tried a few treats, Thrive is very strong smelling (not in a good way either)!

Bibi only responds to Dreamies in Duck I have to put them on the floor, or bed, and she struggles from my hand. I put them down one by one, and point my index finger (just touching the Dreamie*) She then sort of sniffles down the finger towards the dreamie, and can lick it up by pushing against my finger. Once in her mouth she can eat it fine.

Hope this helps

*Is this the singular for Dreamies?


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## Joy84 (Nov 21, 2012)

Slightly off topic ...
Has anyone tried Tigeria Lucky Grass?
I just got it from zooplus, Phoebe seems to like the smell of it <it's rather gross to me >, takes it in her mouth, tries to bite it but ends up dropping it and chasing it on the floor ...
It's shaped like a round tablet which I think is the problem, it seemed to help when I cut it in half ...
It's not the size, because Dreamies <no idea what singular is for it > are bigger and she's got no problem with eating them or any other treats.
Has anyone else had that problem too?


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

My cats are un-trainable despite being little pigs when it comes to treats 

They have me well trained though!! :ihih:


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## Nicola76 (Nov 9, 2012)

Cookieandme said:


> What are your trying to "train" her to do


Perhaps 'train' her suggests I'm trying to get her to ride a unicycle or something, but what I really meant was reward her.

With my last cat, if she did something good, I gave her a treat so the behaviour was encouraged rather than scolding bad behaviour which can be counter-productive.

Apologies if my first post wasn't clear that it's not about getting her to give paws or sit or roll over, but more about very basic rewards for good behaviour such as when she uses her scratching post rather than shouting if she tried to scratch the sofa. Very basic behaviourial things like that.


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## Nicola76 (Nov 9, 2012)

ella said:


> Hiya
> 
> What does she normally eat (in her bowl)?
> 
> *Is this the singular for Dreamies?


Dremii in latin?!

Her normal food is Royal Canin Persian which she adores and occasionally some tinned Gourmet which she plasters all over her face  and amuses me with.

I had wondered if it was maybe just the size of the 'bits' but I've broken them down and she just doesn't seem interested. She's definitely a posh persian!

P.S. What an adorable cat Bibi is!


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## ella (Jan 1, 2009)

Nicola76 said:


> Her normal food is Royal Canin Persian which she adores and occasionally some tinned Gourmet which she plasters all over her face  and amuses me with.
> 
> I had wondered if it was maybe just the size of the 'bits' but I've broken them down and she just doesn't seem interested. She's definitely a posh persian!


Tricky, maybe pieces of cheese or even smoked salmon (was my last cat's favourite).

Cat milk is fun to give a milky beard!! (Bibi also tried Heinz tomato soup and got a bright orange face!)



Nicola76 said:


> P.S. What an adorable cat Bibi is!


Thank you, she gets cuter every day!


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## Jenny1966 (Feb 7, 2011)

Nicola76 said:


> Perhaps 'train' her suggests *I'm trying to get her to ride a unicycle* or something, but what I really meant was reward her.
> 
> With my last cat, if she did something good, I gave her a treat so the behaviour was encouraged rather than scolding bad behaviour which can be counter-productive.
> 
> Apologies if my first post wasn't clear that it's not about getting her to give paws or sit or roll over, but more about very basic rewards for good behaviour such as when she uses her scratching post rather than shouting if she tried to scratch the sofa. Very basic behaviourial things like that.


Now that would be something special 

I can't believe a cat as gorgeous as Ruby ever does anything wrong!


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## Nicola76 (Nov 9, 2012)

She has her moments  

We've had a peeing on the rug incident twice, which was quite out of character as she's generally really good. I've since bought another litter tray so that she has two in the case of emergencies and I'm really praising her use of these to show her 'peeing in the tray is great', elsewhere, not so good!! (I think she might be in season too which might explain her random behaviour at times)

I know that shouting at her wouldn't really help, and that rewarding her for all the good she does, is really the way to go. But, as she's a relatively new cat, there's a lot of things I really want to reassure and praise her for as she's great :001_wub: I'm going to buy up a pile of different cat treats and try them on her, and as suggested, maybe some tiny bits of cheese or meat to try and reward her too.

Her little flat face doesn't lend herself too well to the likes of dentabits or anything, so I guess it's just trial and error to see what works for us. 

(She's big enough that unicycling might me a go-er!)


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

I don't train my cats as such. If they do something I don't want them to do I say a firm no, and march towards them - works a treat. If it doesn't then I will pick them up and put them where they can play.

Either my boundaries are very wide or I have very well behaved cats


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