Can I teach my cat to play-jump?

[blondie1483]

Hi all! Been a while, hope everyone's well!

Wondering if I can teach my Russian Blue mix, Lumen, to jump off the ground to catch toys. She loves chasing toys (Da Bird, cat-tail types, yarn, etc) across the floor, but she will not leap up all four-legs off the ground to catch them in the air.

Think there's any way to teach her? The best she will do is go up on her back legs, but I'd love to see her leap through the air!

Thanks all!
Christine

[snowy]

Sorry, but why would you want her to jump off the ground? Chasing toys on the ground is good enough exercise isn't it? I suppose its their natural instinct to jump and if they choose not to, then IMPO, I'll just let them be.

ET does the mid air somersault sideways and backwards which I didn't teach, but it does scare me to death, I rather he just chase and do ground somersault or just rolling on the ground, as his limps are pretty skinny and a couple occasions he nearly missed his footing. To me, playing safe is utmost important, but no offence, that's just my personal opinion.

[GSRit01]

My Kitten, Chino, is full of life! He Jumps for toys, does weird flick flacks and all sorts! Has an absolute ball (no pun intended) chasing his toys.

Not too sure if you'd be able to teach her to jump, but perhaps if you hold it just out of reach, eventually she'll jump. Probably depends on how intersted she is. Iwould think a younger kitten would be more prone to jumping than say an older cat. But you never know...

[blondie1483]

Hmm.. well I know that safety is first, so that's not an issue I just know that many cats like to jump to catch toys .. like, only a foot or two off the ground, I'm saying. You might be right about age having something to do with it .. and by nature, RBs are more stocky, so while Lumen can jump up on tables and chairs, she doesn't necessarily leap in the air like a more slender cat would.

Thanks for your concern and input!

[cinderflower]

two of my cats jump really high, the almost 3 does it a lot more than the 6 year-old. when the older one was a kitten he jumped REALLY high.

just a thought, since you can train a cat to do practically everything with food: tie a piece of something she really wants on a string, then keep it high enough to make her jump. but don't give it to her after awhile because then she'll know she's getting it anyway so throw it away or flush it. if you do this for about a week and she still won't jump, maybe she just won't. i don't mean don't give her treats ever, just not in a close time frame while trying to get her to jump.

[GhostTown]

Originally Posted by snowy

Sorry, but why would you want her to jump off the ground? Chasing toys on the ground is good enough exercise isn't it?

For fun, I would imagine?

My boys leap like lemurs. Well, the brothers do anyway.

[Bonnie037]

Food is always the best motivator. I taught Oliver some simple tricks (sit, beg, give kisses) using treats. I never tried to teach him anything athletic, but he's not an athletic kind of kitty.

[rayrhonda]

I think some kitties like to jump more than others. My male, Ray, will leap way up in the air to go after a toy we're playing with and my female just looks at him like he's nuts! She climbs on higher surfaces to try to grab the object. I guess she has more "problem solving skills"

[GSRit01]

I think I must try teach my kitten a few things. What treats do you give them? My little one has discovered the curtains in the lounge...last night he climbed and by the time i'd gotten off of the couch, he'd climed 3/4's of the way up! Strong little lad! When I pulled him off, his poor little heart was pounding so! haha