Not all cats learn the same way… because not all cats are the same.

Some are bold explorers, charging head-first into anything new. Others prefer to sit back, watch, and plot their next move (probably involving your houseplants). Some will play until they collapse, while others prefer to reign over their kingdom from the top of the bookshelf.

Here’s the secret: your cat’s personality is the “cheat code” to training them. Once you figure it out, everything changes.

Cora – The Investigator

Cora is a detective in fur. She’s fueled by curiosity — solving puzzles, pressing buttons, opening cupboards, exploring anything that looks like a challenge. She learns new tricks in seconds because, to her, training isn’t training… it’s a mystery to crack.

She’ll investigate a new object for minutes on end — pawing, tilting her head, testing every angle — almost like she’s running her own experiments. If I introduce a trick as “something to discover,” she’s hooked.

Oscar – The Foodie

Oscar? Let’s just say… if there’s no snack involved, there’s no deal.

Food is his love language. He’s not here to solve puzzles; he’s here for snacks and snuggles. He learns best with slow, steady repetition — and a generous sprinkle of treats.

When I tried teaching him the same way I taught Cora, it was a disaster. He lost interest in 10 seconds. But when I paired the trick with a tasty reward and broke it into smaller steps, he suddenly became the star pupil.

Cats aren’t stubborn — they’re strategic.

They’ll only invest energy in something that feels rewarding to them. If your training method doesn’t match their motivation, they’ll just walk away (sometimes mid-lesson).

In my experience, most cats fall into one of these learning styles:

• The Investigator – Curious, problem-solving, loves novelty. Thrives on challenges and exploration.
• The Foodie – Highly treat-motivated, will work for snacks. Needs clear, repeated cues.
• The Play Hunter – Energized by toys and movement. Prefers short, active sessions.
• The Lounger – Learns best in calm, cozy environments with gentle encouragement.

Some cats are a mix, and that’s where the fun begins — you can combine motivators to keep training exciting.

Once I stopped trying to make them fit my method and started shaping the method to their personalities, training went from frustrating to effortless.

Instead of asking, “Why won’t my cat learn this?”, I started asking, “How can I teach this in a way that excites them?”

That one question turned our training sessions into something we both looked forward to.

So here’s your challenge:

What drives your cat — curiosity, food, toys… or pure chaos?

 Drop it in the comments and share how you’ve adapted your training to match their personality. You might inspire another cat parent to finally crack the code with their furry friend.

And if you found this helpful, share it with someone who’s convinced their cat “just can’t be trained.” You never know — it might change everything for them, too.