Animals Shelters Are Teaching Cats to High-Five to Help Them Get Adopted

Cats Are Learning to High-Five

High fives are making a comeback, and it's being led by the most influential group on the Internet: cats.

Yes, cats in animals shelters all over the United States are learning how to celebrate with humans. The reason? People like it!

It's all part of the Cat Pawsitive program, developed by My Cat From Hell star and feline behaviorist Jackson Galaxy, in an effort to help adult shelter cats become more adoptable. But there's more to it than just making cats more appealing to potential owners. Galaxy says the positive reinforcement training that goes into teaching cats cute tricks like high fiving or jumping through a hoop helps boost their kitty confidence and decrease their stress levels. 

“By utilizing the training concepts that were, to that point, only used for the dogs in our care, not only were the cats stimulated, motivated and energized, but so was I," Galaxy said in a statement about the program. "That, along with the most important result, lives being saved, was the win-win.”

When you think about it: that's kind of what high fiving is for people right?

The project was even highlighted by Conan O'Brien earlier this month. 

If you want to teach your cat how to high five, there are several tutorials available. It may take several days but here are the basic steps:

1. Begin with your cat sitting on its haunches (maybe teach your cat to "sit" while you're at it).

2. Either take your cat's paw in your hand and say "give me a high five" then repeat with the other paw.

3. You can also entice your cat to reach a paw towards your outstretched hand by putting a treat in your closed hand. 

4. Affirm your cat reaching out his/her paws by saying "good" and/or giving a treat.

5. Keep using a cue like "give me a high five" so your cat doesn't confuse other actions that involve reaching for something as high five time. 

6. Gradually raise the level of your hand over the training period, like from handshake position to high five position.

7. Always congratulate your cat for a well done high five!


Photo: Getty Images


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