How to teach your cat to roll over
From a down, your cat follows a treat lure onto its side, over its back and onto the other side.
- Difficulty
- Some practice
- Session
- 3 min
- To learn
- 10-20 sessions
You'll need
- clicker or a word like “yes”
- small soft treats
- soft rug or carpet
Why it matters
Roll over is a classic trick and a step toward play dead. The lure also teaches your cat to move its body in new ways.
Before you start
Play with a wand toy, then train in a quiet room before a meal. Warm up with known tricks. Only try when your cat is relaxed and lying down.
Step by step
Start in a down
Ask for a down on a soft rug. Sit or kneel in front of your cat.
Move on when: Lies down on cue 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Pick the side your cat already likes to flop on.
Look over the shoulder
Hold a treat 1 to 2 cm from the nose and move it in an arc toward one ear, then back toward the middle of the back. Click when your cat turns its head to look over its shoulder.
Move on when: Head turn 8 out of 10 tries
Tip: Move very slowly. Your cat should stay lying down.
Onto the hip and side
Keep the arc going so the weight shifts onto the hip and then the side. Click each new bit of movement.
Move on when: Rolls onto its side 6 out of 10 tries
Tip: If your cat gets up, make the movement smaller and closer to the head.
Over the back
Carry the treat further round so your cat rolls onto its back and over to the other side. Click and give a few treats the first time.
Move on when: Full roll 5 out of 10 tries
Tip: A full roll is a big step; it is fine to mark the back position.
Fade the treat
Do the same hand movement with no treat in it, then click and treat from the other hand.
Move on when: Rolls for an empty hand 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Pretend to take a treat from the bag first if it helps, then stop pretending.
Add the cue
Say "Roll" a second before your hand moves. Shrink the hand movement to a small circle.
Move on when: Rolls on the word or small circle 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Keep sessions to about 3 minutes; a few a day beat one long one.
The cue
- Say
- “Roll”
- Hand signal
- Small circle of your finger, palm down, near the floor in the direction of the roll
If it isn't working
- Cat gets up instead of rolling
- Your hand moved too far from the nose or too fast. Keep the treat close and mark smaller pieces of the roll.
- Cat rolls halfway and stops on its back
- That may mean it feels exposed. Mark the side position, treat, and build the last part over several sessions.
- Cat grabs your hand with its paws
- Mark earlier and hand over the treat before the paws reach. Some cats roll better following a target stick.
Safety
Safety- Never roll your cat over by hand; some cats never feel safe on their back.
- Skip if your cat has back, hip or tummy problems or is recovering from surgery.
- Stop if the tail flicks, ears flatten or your cat leaves; go easier next time.
Mastered when
Rolls over on cue, both from a down and after a hand signal, in 2 rooms, 4 out of 5 times
Video check: Film 3 cued roll overs with no food in the signal hand
Variations
- Roll in the other direction
- Roll on a mat in agility
- Roll then sit up
Teach this first
Learn next
Sources
- How to teach your cat to roll over (Cats Protection)
- 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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