How to teach your cat to jump through a hoop
Your cat goes through a hoop on the floor, then raised a little until it hops through.
- Difficulty
- Some practice
- Session
- 3 min
- To learn
- 8-15 sessions
You'll need
- clicker or a word like “yes”
- small soft treats
- target stick
- light hoop 40 to 50 cm across
Why it matters
Hoops are a core agility obstacle and a trick that shows off your cat's natural leaping.
Before you start
Play with a wand toy. Train in a quiet room before a meal when your cat is slightly hungry. Warm up with 2 or 3 known tricks. Use non-slip mat.
Step by step
Hoop on the floor
Hold the hoop upright with its bottom edge on the floor. Click and treat looks and sniffs.
Move on when: Calm near the hoop 5 times
Tip: Let your cat sniff it first and keep it still.
Walk through
Hold the target stick on the far side. Click as your cat steps through. Treat on the far side.
Move on when: Walks through 8 out of 10 tries
Tip: Stand beside the hoop, not behind it, so your body does not block the way.
Both directions
Send your cat back through the other way.
Move on when: Through both ways 8 out of 10 tries
Tip: Toss the treat beyond the hoop to set up the next go.
Raise it a little
Lift the hoop 5 cm off the floor. Lead through with the target. Click the hop.
Move on when: Hops through at 5 cm 8 out of 10 tries
Tip: Raise by only 5 cm at a time.
Add the cue
Say "Hoop" as you present it. Fade the target to a point.
Move on when: Goes through on cue and a point 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Use the target again if the cat hesitates.
Higher for fit adults
Raise to about the height of your cat's elbow, then a little more if it is easy and fit.
Move on when: Jumps through at elbow height 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Most of the fun is the flow, not the height.
The cue
- Say
- “Hoop”
- Hand signal
- Hold the hoop out and point through it
If it isn't working
- Goes round the hoop
- Hold the hoop against a wall or between two chairs so the only way is through. Lower it to the floor.
- Ducks under the hoop
- Lower the hoop until it touches the floor again, then raise in smaller steps.
- Scared of the hoop
- Leave it on the floor for a few days with treats near it. Use a hoop without beads or rattles.
Safety
Safety- Kittens: keep jumps below elbow height, with soft landings, until about a year old.
- Jumping less or lower can mean arthritis or pain: skip this and see your vet.
- Use non-slip spots, never slippery floors; hold the hoop loosely so it gives way.
Mastered when
Jumps through a hoop at elbow height on cue in both directions, 4 out of 5 times
Video check: Film 3 cued hoop jumps, back and forth
Variations
- Through two hoops in a row
- Through your arms in a circle
- Hoop on an agility course
Teach this first
Learn next
Sources
- Click and laugh: fun cat tricks (Karen Pryor, clickertraining.com)
- What is feline agility? (Cat Fanciers' Association)
Written from these sources and checked against vet and trainer guidance. General guidance, not veterinary advice.
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