How to teach your cat to stay

You'll need

• small soft treats
• marker
• a mat or towel

Why it matters

'Stay' keeps your cat still for brushing, a photo, a vet listening to its heart, or opening the carrier. Returning to reward teaches staying put is best.

Before you start

Your cat should know 'wait' and release word 'free'. Play first so your cat is ready to rest. Train on the mat.

Step by step

1. 1

   Reward in position

   Cue a sit on the mat. Say 'stay' once. Count one second, then mark and place a treat at your cat's mouth while it is still sitting. Then say 'free' and toss a treat off the mat.

   Move on when: Stays seated for the treat, 8 out of 10 times

   Tip: Reward staying where the cat is; only the release treat is tossed away.

2. 2

   Build seconds

   Work up to 3, then 5, then 10 seconds before marking. Mix easy short stays in between longer ones.

   Move on when: Holds a 10-second stay, 4 out of 5 times

   Tip: Vary the time: 3, 8, 2, 10, 5; getting harder every time makes cats quit.

3. 3

   Lean and step

   Lean back, then take one step back and return straight away. Mark and treat at the mat, then release.

   Move on when: Holds while you step away and back, 8 out of 10 times

   Tip: Return before your cat moves; you want success, not a test.

4. 4

   Add distance

   Build to 3 steps away, then across the room. Always walk back to reward in place.

   Move on when: Holds for 2-metre walk away and back, 4 out of 5 times

   Tip: When adding distance, shorten the time; when adding time, stay close.

5. 5

   Add small distractions

   While your cat stays, turn around, crouch, drop a sock or open a cupboard. Return, mark and treat.

   Move on when: Holds through 3 different distractions in one session

   Tip: Start tiny; save a rolling toy for last, as it is very hard.

6. 6

   Use it for real

   Use 'stay' while you brush one side, take a photo, or clip the carrier lid on. Return and reward, then release.

   Move on when: Holds a stay in 2 everyday situations

   Tip: If your cat breaks the stay in real life, practise shorter versions again.

The cue

Say

“Stay (release: Free)”

Hand signal

Flat palm toward the cat, held for a moment, then lowered

If it isn't working

Gets up as soon as I move

Make it easier: move only your upper body or one foot, and return straight away. Reward several tiny stays before you step.

Follows me when I walk back

You may be rewarding from too far away. Always walk back and treat at the mat, then release. Shorten your distance for a few sessions.

Lies down or wanders off during long stay

Lying down from a sit is fine; let it choose a comfortable position. If it wanders off, stop after 5 or 6 stays.

Breaks stay reaching for treat pouch

Practise reaching for the pouch as a distraction on its own, with very short stays. Keep a treat already in your hand.

Mastered when

Holds a stay for 30 seconds while you walk 3 metres away and back, in 2 rooms, 4 out of 5 times

Video check: Film one 30-second stay: cue, walk away, turn around, walk back, reward at the mat, then release with 'free'.

Variations

• Teach 'stay' in a down on a mat for longer, relaxed holds.
• Practise a stay on the bathroom scale or the vet's towel.

Teach this first

• How to teach your cat to wait →
• How to teach your cat to sit →

Learn next

• How to teach your cat to settle and relax on cue →
• Step on the scale: a step-by-step lesson for cats →
• Vet exam prep: a step-by-step lesson for cats →
• How to teach your cat to play dead →