101 things to do with a box: a shaping game for cats
Put a box on the floor and mark every new thing your cat offers: step in, paw, push, sit, tip.
- Difficulty
- Takes time
- Session
- 3 min
- To learn
- 4-10 sessions
You'll need
- clicker or a word like “yes”
- tiny treats
- box with sides cut to about 8 cm
Why it matters
Karen Pryor's shaping game teaches a learner to try, vary and think. Cats love boxes, so it often produces trick ideas you would not have thought of.
Before you start
Train in a quiet room before a meal, after a few minutes of play. Have 30 to 50 tiny treats ready and warm up with one easy trick.
Step by step
Box down, mark interest
Place the box on the floor. Click any look at it, any step towards it, even by accident. Toss the treat near or into the box.
Move on when: Cat goes to the box 5 times
Tip: Do not call your cat, tap the box, or talk.
Mark any action with it
Click stepping in, sniffing, pawing, pushing, sitting in it, chin on the edge.
Move on when: 3 different actions marked
Tip: Mark while it is happening.
Ask for something new
If your cat repeats one action 3 times, stop clicking that one and wait for something different.
Move on when: 5 different actions in one session
Tip: Pause, do not walk away. A small new thing counts.
Jackpot and stop
When your cat offers a brand-new idea, give a jackpot and end the session.
Move on when: Session ends on a new idea
Tip: End after 5 minutes or 5 or 6 good rewards.
Pick one to keep
Choose a favourite (sit in the box, tip it over, push it) and shape it into a trick with a cue.
Move on when: One box trick on cue 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Tipping the box over is fun, as long as you only reward it when invited.
The cue
- Say
- “Your choice for the kept trick”
- Hand signal
- None
If it isn't working
- Only does one thing
- Mark it a few more times, then mark a small variation: the other paw, the other side of the box.
- Walks off
- Too few rewards. Mark easier things and try a smaller session.
- Climbs in and falls asleep
- That is a box doing its job. Mark and play again after a nap.
Safety
Safety- Watch for frustration: tail flicking, skin rippling, walking away, sudden grooming or swatting.
- If you see frustration, make the next step easier or end with an easy win.
- No staples, tape or string on the box.
Mastered when
Offers at least 5 different box behaviours in one session, and has one box trick on cue
Video check: Film a 2-minute box session; count the different behaviours out loud
Variations
- Same game with a stool, a towel or a paper bag
- Sit in the box on cue (good for carrier training)
Teach this first
Learn next
Sources
- 101 things to do with a box (Karen Pryor, clickertraining.com)
- The ten laws of shaping (Karen Pryor, clickertraining.com)
- Click and laugh: fun cat tricks (Karen Pryor, clickertraining.com)
Written from these sources and checked against vet and trainer guidance. General guidance, not veterinary advice.
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