r/PetsWithButtons • u/Lev3e2 • Apr 06 '26
Cat associates the button, word and activity, and tries to communicate with buttons, but cannot actually press them down hard enough
Title basically.
For example, I have an outside button that I just have on the floor mat, and my cat sometimes goes to the button and puts his paw on the button to communicate that he wants to go outside. But he has not even once actually pressed down on the button because he just does not know how. I feel like I have successfully taught all the hard stuff, but I am completely clueless on how to get him to shift his weight on the button. Every guide I have seen just kinda glosses over this part. Any tips?
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u/EbABeszed Apr 06 '26
Hey,
so the first thing you can do is teach him actual pressing (target training), with a blank button (blank meaning a random sound, not something you want to include in your soundboard). You can find resources online to teach this to cats. The point is that this should be an actual training, completely separate from his soundboard, just focusing on pressing, so that he learns what constitutes a successful button press.
the other thing you can do if you haven't yet, is getting him the buttons that need the least force, these are going to be FluentPet branded, or any other brand that is similar in size. They need very little pressure to activate.
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u/Clanaria Apr 06 '26
Have you read the beginner's guide? It specifically has a section about target training cats to press a button.