Kid training his cute black cat.

When learning how to train your cat, you'll start with very basic first steps that both reward good behavior and discourage the bad. But can you train a cat the same way you might train a dog? Yes and no. Because they're highly independent animals, cats might appear aloof or uninterested in following your commands. That doesn't mean you can't influence their behavior, though. If you're patient and consistent, your new kitten or older cat can be trained in no time.
Before you start training your cat, however, consider what commands you'll use and what types of behavioral actions you want her to learn.

how to keep her calm on trips to the veterinarian's office, and the like. How can you teach her stop scratching your rugs or furniture? These are all options you can work on during training.

Some common objectives include:

House training or litter training.
Coming to you when you call or gesture.
Staying calm and still for grooming.
Interacting with you, other people, or other animals.
Playing with toys, with you, or with another cat.
Calm traveling (getting into carrier and riding in the car).