Clicker training your cat for fun
Next stop: Fun Town!
Yes, fun! Check out this video by a kid named Daniel King who has clicker trained his cats to run agility courses (mostly jumping). Look how much fun he is having, and his kitties are having, and they are all having together!
And such great exercise, too. It puts my play sessions with the Cat Dancer to shame, it really does.
As you can tell from the video, Daniel has evidently used clicker training with his cats. Presuming he followed the standard clicker training procedures, this really proves the power of clicker training and positive reinforcement.
Yes, you can clicker train a cat! And while you can train a cat to do a lot of things, both you and your cat will find it easiest and most enjoyable if you train your cat to do something it already kinda wants to do - like jump over an obstacle.
The first thing you will need is a clicker. You can buy them at most pet stores. If you can, find a relatively quiet clicker. Some clickers I have seen have been SUPER LOUD CLICK because they are meant to be used outdoors training dogs. Your cat doesn't need to be startled every time you click it.
(In fact, you don't even really need an official clicker. Anything you have that makes a small sound will do, like a ball point pen. The important thing is that you always make the same noise. A clicker is convenient, though.)
Next, you need to find the reward that really turns your cat's crank. Every cat is different. This high-value treat might be a lick from a spoonful of meat baby food (no veggies, please), a tiny dab of canned cat food, some of the cool new cat treats on the market (like freeze-dried shrimp), or a quick swipe with the brush (for those cats who really dig being groomed).
Begin by cementing the association between the click and the treat. Give your cat the treat, and click just as she eats it. Dab of baby food - click. It won't take long before your cat associates the click with the treat.
Now you can start shaping your cat's behavior with the clicker. You can start by teaching him to touch an object with his nose. If you hold out (say) a clean chop stick, your cat will probably naturally want to sniff it. The instant his nose touches the target, click - and then treat.
Soon you and your kitty could be flying over those jumps together!