How to teach your cat to put its toys away
Your cat picks up a toy and drops it into a low box on cue.
- Difficulty
- Takes time
- Session
- 3 min
- To learn
- 15-30 sessions
You'll need
- clicker or a word like “yes”
- small soft treats
- low box or basket
- small light toys your cat carries
Why it matters
This trick links fetch with a new 'drop it here' end, a good first behaviour chain.
Before you start
Play with a wand toy for a few minutes, then train in a quiet room before a meal. Warm up with 2 or 3 known tricks.
Step by step
Drop over the box
Hold your hand over the low box. Ask for the toy-into-hand from fetch, but pull your hand away so the toy drops into the box. Click as it lands.
Move on when: Drops into the box 6 out of 10 tries
Tip: Your hand starts as a helper and slowly disappears.
Hand lower and away
Hold your hand lower in the box, then beside it. Click toys landing in the box.
Move on when: Drops in with hand beside box, 6 of 10 tries
Tip: A very low box (5 cm sides) makes success easy.
Toy next to the box
Put the toy right next to the box. Click pick-up and drop in.
Move on when: Picks up and drops in 5 out of 10 tries
Tip: If your cat brings it to you, put your hand over the box again.
Further away
Place the toy 30 cm, then 1 m from the box.
Move on when: Brings a toy from 1 m in, 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Treat into the box, so the box is the place that pays.
Add the cue and toys
Say "Tidy" and point at the toy. Then try 2 toys, clicking after the second.
Move on when: Tidies 2 toys on cue 4 out of 5 times
Tip: Add one toy at a time.
The cue
- Say
- “Tidy”
- Hand signal
- Point to the toy, then to the box
If it isn't working
- Drops the toy next to the box
- Move closer and use your hand over the box again. Use a bigger, lower box.
- Brings the toy to you, not the box
- Stand right behind the box, so coming to you means passing over it.
- Plays with the toy in the box
- That is fine. Mark the drop and treat quickly.
Safety
Safety- Use toys too big to swallow, with no strings or loose bits.
- Count treats in the daily food so your cat stays at a healthy weight.
Mastered when
Puts 2 toys in the box on cue from 1 m, 4 out of 5 times
Video check: Film your cat tidying 2 toys into the box
Variations
- Tidy into a basket on a shelf
- Tidy 3 toys
- Put a ball in a cup (basketball)
Teach this first
Learn next
Sources
- Making the connection: behavior chains (Karen Pryor, clickertraining.com)
- 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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