Animal Welfare Professionals

Hello! 

I'm the volunteer coordinator at a shelter. We have a ton of volunteers, and great enrichment programs for our dogs - but I feel we could use volunteers focused on enrichment for our cats. I've begun studying clicker training, for cats specifically, and it seems like this might be a good form of enrichment for some of our cats.

Do any of you use clicker training in a shelter environment? I'd love to hear what you do! 

#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment

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Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
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The shelter that I worked at did clicker training with cat volunteers using the Jackson Galaxy Cat Pawsitive method/program. 

https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/pages/clicker-train-your-cats-the-cat-pawsitive-way?srsltid=AfmBOooESMrH3BiInpBn0krM6U5tODhFAZRpVEeYTPBb7PscDuA308fu

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Sarah Fuqua
Director
The Bobo Fund
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Thank you! Did it work well? How did the volunteers take to it, and did you use a pool of existing volunteers or get new ones specifically for clicker training?

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Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2026 10:57 AM
From: Sarah Fuqua
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

The shelter that I worked at did clicker training with cat volunteers using the Jackson Galaxy Cat Pawsitive method/program. 

https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/pages/clicker-train-your-cats-the-cat-pawsitive-way?srsltid=AfmBOooESMrH3BiInpBn0krM6U5tODhFAZRpVEeYTPBb7PscDuA308fu

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Sarah Fuqua
Director
The Bobo Fund
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Hey there, 

I remember this program! Another shelter I worked for also participated, but that was before 2020 and they used staff that were interested in learning and a small group of dedicated feline volunteers. I actually tried looking into starting it at my own shelter a few years ago and I don't think they are actually doing it anymore. I'm sure you can still follow their methods, but the actual program (where you get the support/toys/clickers) may not exist.  

Unless someone else has had success finding it recently?? If so, I would love to know how!

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Caitlin Brown, CSB-C
Behavior Enrichment Coordinator
Sacramento SPCA
Sacramento, CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2026 11:42 AM
From: Valeri Natole
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

Thank you! Did it work well? How did the volunteers take to it, and did you use a pool of existing volunteers or get new ones specifically for clicker training?

------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
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------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2026 10:57 AM
From: Sarah Fuqua
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

The shelter that I worked at did clicker training with cat volunteers using the Jackson Galaxy Cat Pawsitive method/program. 

https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/pages/clicker-train-your-cats-the-cat-pawsitive-way?srsltid=AfmBOooESMrH3BiInpBn0krM6U5tODhFAZRpVEeYTPBb7PscDuA308fu

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Sarah Fuqua
Director
The Bobo Fund
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I have found some other resources on behavioral training/clicker training, and they sell clickers on Chewy (although not ones with attached target sticks). There are ones with the target sticks attached on Amazon, but I'd rather not support Amazon if anyone knows where else they'd be available! 

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Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-11-2026 09:55 AM
From: Caitlin Brown
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

Hey there, 

I remember this program! Another shelter I worked for also participated, but that was before 2020 and they used staff that were interested in learning and a small group of dedicated feline volunteers. I actually tried looking into starting it at my own shelter a few years ago and I don't think they are actually doing it anymore. I'm sure you can still follow their methods, but the actual program (where you get the support/toys/clickers) may not exist.  

Unless someone else has had success finding it recently?? If so, I would love to know how!

------------------------------
Caitlin Brown, CSB-C
Behavior Enrichment Coordinator
Sacramento SPCA
Sacramento, CA
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2026 11:42 AM
From: Valeri Natole
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

Thank you! Did it work well? How did the volunteers take to it, and did you use a pool of existing volunteers or get new ones specifically for clicker training?

------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
----------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 07-10-2026 10:57 AM
From: Sarah Fuqua
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

The shelter that I worked at did clicker training with cat volunteers using the Jackson Galaxy Cat Pawsitive method/program. 

https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/pages/clicker-train-your-cats-the-cat-pawsitive-way?srsltid=AfmBOooESMrH3BiInpBn0krM6U5tODhFAZRpVEeYTPBb7PscDuA308fu

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Sarah Fuqua
Director
The Bobo Fund
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A few shelters I've worked with have done clicker training with cats at part of the enrichment program!  At my last shelter we set up a schedule with different "training focuses" each day to incorporate our other daily enrichments. Because we had so many volunteers passing through, we didn't worry about teaching anything specific. The training was almost always target training and focused on building cats' association with approaching a scratcher or toothbrush or pipe cleaner and establishing a baseline positive association with the clicker.
Most volunteers would just do a few repetitions with each cat and move on but some people would get really into it with long-time cats and we were able to set up more advanced goals like teaching to walk into carriers. 

 It worked really nicely with our program too because it also allowed volunteers a way to provide enrichment to staff-only cats because it can be done through the kennel bars. 

One other lesson I learned is to use a pen as the clickers if you're working in a small area or with fearful cats and small animals. The clicker sound can be really loud and startling in a small room of metal kennels! 

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Madeline Habel
Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
Oregon Humane Society
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Hi Valeri,

Our behavior team started this clicker training program after transitioning from Jackson Galaxy's to Feline Right at Home, and I have LOVED it. I highly recommend Molly DeVoss. She's worked with high volume shelters, like Dallas Animal Services. So she's used to having programs that span against small cat populations and large. Her program focuses a lot of the pets behavior and meeting them where they are.

https://www.felinerightathome.com/

Our cat volunteers have not only picked it up, but seeing the progress means that they are coming in consistently to work with the cats. Seriously, mobilize your cat volunteers because they love this type of work. We didn't push for new volunteers, our volunteers went into the program. I do recommend promoting the program to your volunteers as you release it. It never hurts to get even more. They've really made it a well oiled machine for our behavior team and takes a lot off of their plate. The signage letting adopters know they are in the program also starts fun conversations with adopters and helps getting those cats out!

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Shonyae Johnson - CPDT-KA
Learning + Development Sr. Manager
Operation Kindness Humane Society | Texas Unites
www.operationkindness.org
texasunites@operationkindness.org
Carrollton, TX,
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Wait, this is so cool! Is it really free? How on earth does she make a living? 

Okay, but more importantly - what would be the very first step if I wanted to use this program in my shelter?

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Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2026 08:02 AM
From: Shonyae Johnson
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

Hi Valeri,

Our behavior team started this clicker training program after transitioning from Jackson Galaxy's to Feline Right at Home, and I have LOVED it. I highly recommend Molly DeVoss. She's worked with high volume shelters, like Dallas Animal Services. So she's used to having programs that span against small cat populations and large. Her program focuses a lot of the pets behavior and meeting them where they are.

https://www.felinerightathome.com/

Our cat volunteers have not only picked it up, but seeing the progress means that they are coming in consistently to work with the cats. Seriously, mobilize your cat volunteers because they love this type of work. We didn't push for new volunteers, our volunteers went into the program. I do recommend promoting the program to your volunteers as you release it. It never hurts to get even more. They've really made it a well oiled machine for our behavior team and takes a lot off of their plate. The signage letting adopters know they are in the program also starts fun conversations with adopters and helps getting those cats out!

 

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Shonyae Johnson - CPDT-KA
Learning + Development Sr. Manager
Operation Kindness Humane Society | Texas Unites
www.operationkindness.org
texasunites@operationkindness.org
Carrollton, TX,
------------------------------

Also, how did you track the success of the program? That's something we struggle with generally in my shelter because of the size of our staff and the size of our volunteer program, plus staff and volunteer turnover, changes in software over the years, etc. 

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Valeri Natole
Volunteer Coordinator
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh
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------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-14-2026 08:02 AM
From: Shonyae Johnson
Subject: Clicker Training for Cats - Starting a program for volunteers

Hi Valeri,

Our behavior team started this clicker training program after transitioning from Jackson Galaxy's to Feline Right at Home, and I have LOVED it. I highly recommend Molly DeVoss. She's worked with high volume shelters, like Dallas Animal Services. So she's used to having programs that span against small cat populations and large. Her program focuses a lot of the pets behavior and meeting them where they are.

https://www.felinerightathome.com/

Our cat volunteers have not only picked it up, but seeing the progress means that they are coming in consistently to work with the cats. Seriously, mobilize your cat volunteers because they love this type of work. We didn't push for new volunteers, our volunteers went into the program. I do recommend promoting the program to your volunteers as you release it. It never hurts to get even more. They've really made it a well oiled machine for our behavior team and takes a lot off of their plate. The signage letting adopters know they are in the program also starts fun conversations with adopters and helps getting those cats out!

 

------------------------------
Shonyae Johnson - CPDT-KA
Learning + Development Sr. Manager
Operation Kindness Humane Society | Texas Unites
www.operationkindness.org
texasunites@operationkindness.org
Carrollton, TX,
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I started clicker training at my shelter on kittens with very high FAS. I'm the only one doing it but so far it has been working incredibly well. My goal is that with time, I can get some of our cat volunteers on board and train them as well.

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ADRIANA DELGADO
Animal Care Coordinator
Palm Beach County Animal care and Control
FL
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