Instructions
Understand your cat's behavior. A tabby isn't trainable the way a terrier is. Cats are notorious for ignoring their owners until it suits their purposes to behave otherwise. Dogs, on the other hand, tend to be slobbering, drooling bundles of neediness. For this reason, it's useless to sit your cat down and attempt to teach it simple tricks with loud commands and arm gestures.
Observe what your cat likes to play with. There's nothing a cat likes better than a hardwood floor and a crumpled-up ball of tin foil (or piece of paper, or twisted-up pipe cleaner). The little scamp will bat that thing around for the better part of an afternoon, stalking and "capturing" it and then intentionally letting it go so he can stalk or capture it again. This is your opening.
Put your plan into action right before dinnertime. Just before you serve your cat his evening meal, crumple up the same kind of ball you've already seen him playing with and toss it over his head. As every pet owner knows, cats are most attentive before they're fed. They'll indulge their owners in a little play if that'll speed up the kibble.
Keep trying until your cat "gets it" and plops the ball back in front of you. This isn't entirely unnatural behavior for a cat. (As some unlucky owners know, tabbies will often bestow a dead mouse on their masters' pillows as tokens of respect). After the first few throws, your cat will know that he's supposed to pick up the ball with his teeth and bring it back to you. He may even do this in front of company, if you're lucky.
How to Teach a Cat to Fetch
Many people incorrectly believe that only dogs can be taught to retrieve sticks or balls, but cats are equally adept at this amusing behavior, if not quite as tireless as golden retrievers. Follow these steps to start training your cat to fetch.