Published Mar 15, 2025
Can you imagine if you went on vacation for one week and came back to your cat riding on a skateboard? Bruce’s dad doesn’t have to imagine, because that’s exactly what happened to him!
Bruce the cat was taught to skateboard by his mom, and they later surprised his dad with his talents.
An unused skateboard
Bruce’s mom initially meant to learn skateboarding herself. Her husband bought her one, but she never ended up using it. Instead, it sat by the door unused–for the most part.
She got the idea to teach Bruce how to skateboard because he was always climbing on top of it when he wanted to go somewhere. One day while her husband was away, she decided to clicker train Bruce.
Clicker training is a type of positive reinforcement training where a clicker is used to tell the cat they’re doing something right. It’s often paired with treats, praise, or other rewards. Training a cat can be a slow process, but they tend to learn faster the more you work with them.
Bruce was a fast learner and took to the skateboard quickly. When they surprised his dad with his new skill, he absolutely loved it!
Becoming the spare human
Bruce’s mom says that she fell in love with the Sphynx cat the moment she saw him poking his head out of a cat carrier. She and her husband had decided not to have children, but she really wanted cats!
She was surprised at how fast she fell in love with Bruce. It’s always been important to her to be an active part of his life, so she brings him almost everywhere with her, whether she’s running errands or taking him to the park.
Bruce was immediately affectionate and sweet toward his parents–but despite all of his mom’s efforts, it was his dad who became his favorite person. He has his dad wrapped around his little paw, and loves sitting on his shoulder and spending time with him.
She says that the two have a special bond, and that she’s Bruce’s “spare human.” If she feeds Bruce, he kisses her husband in thanks! She’s the butler doing his bidding while he gets the rewards.
Of course, Bruce and his mom also have a great relationship. She says that he keeps her calm and grounded. When she doesn’t want to leave the house, she’ll do it for Bruce, which keeps her active.
Even when she’s tired, seeing Bruce happy makes her happy, and she loves bonding with him.
Want to clicker train your cat?
Whether you want to teach advanced skills like skateboarding or simple cues like “sit” or “lay down,” clicker training is a great option! See our clicker training guide to learn more. If you want to teach your cat to skateboard outdoors, we also teach you how to harness train your cat.
On the other hand, if you just want to follow Bruce’s adventures, you can find him on Instagram.
