How to teach your cat to spin left and right
Your cat spins clockwise on one cue and anticlockwise on another, and knows which is which.
- 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 (optional)
Why it matters
Most cats have a favourite direction. Teaching both sides keeps the body balanced and is a neat cue-discrimination exercise in disguise.
Before you start
Play first, train in a quiet room before a meal. Have 30 to 50 tiny treats ready and a clear marker plan. Warm up with one easy trick.
Step by step
Find the weak side
Ask for a spin and notice which way your cat goes. That is its strong side, which keeps the old cue.
Move on when: Strong side noted
Tip: Most cats favour one side, just as people do.
Lure the weak side
Lure the other way with a treat or target in a wide circle. Click as it completes the turn.
Move on when: Full turn on the weak side 8 out of 10 tries
Tip: Go slowly; a quarter turn is fine at first.
Fade the lure
Use the same circle with an empty hand, then smaller.
Move on when: Weak-side spin to a gesture 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Keep the circle the same shape as the lure, just smaller.
New word
Say the new cue ("Twirl") before the signal.
Move on when: Twirl on the word 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Pick a word that sounds nothing like "Spin".
Mix them
Ask Spin and Twirl in blocks of 3, then pairs, then random.
Move on when: Correct direction 8 out of 10 times
Tip: Keep signals clearly different: right hand for one, left for the other.
The cue
- Say
- “Spin / Twirl”
- Hand signal
- Right hand circles clockwise / left hand circles anticlockwise
If it isn't working
- Cat always goes its favourite way
- Lure the weak side in a wider, slower circle. Train it alone for a few sessions.
- Cat mixes the cues
- Use blocks again. Make the words sound more different.
- Cat gets dizzy or wobbly
- Ask for no more than 3 spins in a row.
Safety
Safety- Spin on carpet, not slippery floors.
- Limit spins for cats with ear problems or balance issues; ask your vet.
Mastered when
Spins the correct way on each word, random order, 8 out of 10 times
Video check: Film 6 random Spin and Twirl cues
Variations
- Double spin
- Spin around a cone each direction
Teach this first
Learn next
Sources
- Click and laugh: fun cat tricks (Karen Pryor, clickertraining.com)
- Discriminative stimuli (clickertraining.com)
Written from these sources and checked against vet and trainer guidance. General guidance, not veterinary advice.
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