Cat Ambassador Certification
Cats can excel at being friendly and fit members of the community; it’s time to define what modern, responsible cat guardianship looks like! Our Cat Ambassador Certification is a test that demonstrates that your cat is a friendly, safe member of the community. The certification has 10 test items including handling, accepting a friendly person, and basic obedience.
As you train your cat for the certification, you will become an expert at reading cat body language to better understand what your cat is telling you. You will strengthen the trust that your cat has in you as you train with reward-based methods.
Your cat will have confidence at the vet, groomer, and with caregivers while you are traveling, which will make these situations less stressful for the cat and the staff interacting with them. You and your cat will become an ambassador for their species by showing that cats can be well-behaved, social, and confident both in and outside of the home.
The Cat Ambassador program is open to all purebred and mixed-breed cats 6 months and older. The test items are reviewed by our team through video submissions through our application form. Once accepted, you will receive a certificate and a patch to show that you and your cat are a well-behaved, friendly feline resident and responsible cat guardian team that sets a good example in public!
The Pledge
The Cat Ambassador Certification also requires the cat guardian to sign a pledge promising to be a responsible guardian. By signing this guardians will promise to take good care of their cats, provide them an optimal quality of life, and set a good example for the way people everywhere should treat their companions.
The Test
Friendly Visitor
Accepting a friendly visitor
Greeting a friendly visitor
Body Handling & Grooming
Pick the cat up and hold for 15 seconds
Pick up a paw
Gently pulling up on the tail
Brushing
Petting
Basic Obedience
Sit
Nose target
Send to a target
Recall (coming when called)
On the Go Skills
Accepting the carrier
Wearing a harness
Video of the Test
Here is an example of what the test looks like. You may submit one long video like this one, or individual videos of each test item.
Training Resources
Kitten Kindergarten Course
Kittens are a lot of work, but they're also a lot of fun. Luckily, you won't need to reinvent the wheel with Space Cat Academy's Kitten Kindergarten. You can get a jump start on preventing problem behaviors before it's too late. In the course, you’ll boost their confidence, teach some manners, and even a trick or two!
Head-to-Tail Communication Guide
Reading your cat's body language is made easy with Head to Tail Communication. Flip through the guide to find visuals and descriptions of different ear positions, tail positions, and vocalizations. In the guide, it's all in one place and it's FREE! Best part? Refer to it whenever you'd like. When you enroll, you have unlimited access!
Rapid & Reliable Recall Course
This course is great for cats of all ages and experience levels! The course will discuss working on recalls indoors and outdoors for those who adventure! Whether you would just like a cat who listens or a recall is a must have for your cat adventurer, it’s covered in the Rapid & Reliable Recall Course!
Carrier Confidence Course
Whether you're introducing a new kitten to a carrier, or fed up with trying to get your adult cat in, Space Cat Academy can help. Even if your cat associates the carrier with negative experiences, they'll show you how to help your cat overcome the carrier, and learn to love it. Space Cat Academy only uses force-free, positive methods to build your cat's confidence in the carrier. This will make your life easier, and help your cat to remain calm when it's time for them to go in.
Harness Training Course
In this course, you will learn how to teach your cat to walk on leash and even tips on what to do when they want to go the opposite way!
They'll show you some great ways to build trust with your cat to facilitate harness wearing and leash walking. Start with getting your cat used to the harness itself, and by the end, they'll teach you and your cat what you need to know to harness your cat's desires to explore outside.
Purrfect Pedicure Guide
No longer must clipping nails be a traumatic experience (for you and your cat). Your cat can actually learn to enjoy getting their nails clipped by going through the Space Cat Academy program. With their easy to follow guide, you will become a pro at nail maintenance. The Space Cat Academy philosophy draws from cooperative care methods and positive reinforcement to create a stress-free and calm experience.