Who on earth trains cats? Trained lions and tigers used to be a staple of circuses, until public opinion turned against them. But why would anyone want to train their pet cat, except to show off to their friends? There is, in fact, a serious purpose: training can improve not just your relationship with your cat but also his sense of wellbeing.

There are many everyday situations that cats have to cope with as part of the deal of living with us. They don’t easily digest the fact that humans come in many shapes and sizes. Many find it difficult to adjust to living alongside dogs or other cats. They hate feeling trapped and don’t understand that sometimes we have to restrict their movements for their own good, such as when we need to give them medication. They don’t like being taken to places they don’t know or where they sense danger. While some take these situations in their stride, most don’t.

Training is the best way of helping your cat to cope with those demands. Every cat can benefit from being taught how to cope better with tricky situations, such as accepting a pill or going inside a cat carrier. And once we understand how cats think, training one is actually remarkably straightforward.