High-five
Everyone's favorite party trick.
Pure entertainment, but also a great proprioception exercise and bond builder. Impossible not to smile when a cat high-fives you.
What you get
- Social trick the family loves
- Improves coordination and proprioception
- Foundation for wave and hug
Tricks aren't silly: they build bond and vocabulary.
Before you start
- · Knows sit
Materials
- · Small treats
Step by step
- 1
Cat sitting, treat in closed fist
Sit the cat in front of you. Hide a treat in your fist and lower it to chest height.
- 2
Wait for paw touch
He'll try to open the fist with his nose, licking and mouthing. The exact moment he uses his PAW (even just to brace), mark "yes" and open the fist.
- 3
Raise the hand
Repeat with the fist progressively higher, until he must lift his paw to shoulder height.
- 4
Open hand (classic high-five)
Once he lifts without hesitation, open your hand palm-up. If he touches: treat and party.
- 5
Add the cue
After 10 clean reps, say "high-five" right before presenting your hand.
Common mistakes
- Grabbing his paw and forcing the move
- Rewarding when he uses his nose, not paw
- Sessions over 5 minutes
If something isn't working
Only uses his nose
→ Close the fist tighter so the nose doesn't work. The paw will appear out of need.
Pro tips
- Some breeds (Bengal, Siamese, Abyssinian) learn it in 1 session. Persians and British take longer.
- Variant: ask for it when guests arrive as an icebreaker.
Deep dive
The high-five is an excellent gateway to advanced cat training. It strengthens bond, improves proprioception and builds associative vocabulary. Intelligent breeds like Siamese, Bengal or Abyssinian master it in one session; more independent breeds like Persian or British need patience and premium treats.