How do I keep my cat off the dinner table?

foxfire

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Whenever I'm not around or he thinks I'm not looking, he'll jump up on the table. I've tried a kind of mat from KV Vet Supply with prickly points on it; he walks around it. Yesterday I bought some poster board and put double-sided tape on it (a kind of Sticky Paws). This morning I could see where he left pawprints. I thought cats were supposed to not like sticky surfaces.

I'd rather not go with the "squirt-them-with-the-water-bottle;" he'd probably continue to jump up there when I'm gone.

He's welcome to jump up on my chest of drawers, but I just don't want him on my table.

Any ideas, anyone?

He's a love most of the time, but I do have trouble with this behavior.
 

jenny82

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Hmmm I would have thought that the sticky tape would have worked.

Could you possibly buy enough of those prickly mats to cover the whole table? Once he learns that he doesn't like walking on those, you should be able to take them off (since I doubt you want to keep them on the table permanently).
 

pekoe & nigel

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Maybe try covering it with foil paper? I've heard that cats don't like the feel of it on their paws. Although from personal experience (trying to keep my kittens off one small footstool) they walk on it anyway. But it's cheap and easy, so it may be worth a try for you?
 

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If you can afford them, you can purchase a "Scat Mat." There are quite a few different types and manufacturers. But for keeping a kitty off a surface when we're not around, other than packing the surface with stuff so they can't get up there (which is how we trained them not to jump on the counters), this is an effective (but expensive) alternative.

I do think the idea of trying prickly mats to cover the whole thing might work if he doesn't like walking on them.

Laurie
 
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foxfire

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KDG, I think the name of the mat I do have is called Scat Mat. It doesn't cover much of the table, though. I may consider getting another one or maybe two.

I started this thread the day after I put out the Sticky Tape. Lo and behold, I don't think he's been back up!!!!!
Maybe those first tracks I saw was him being curious, he indeed didn't like the stickiness, and hasn't been back up.

Any way you look at it, I hope he stays off.
 

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I tried the sticky tape...

As soon as I took it down, the cat was back up there again. heh.

If you go to the front page of thecatsite.com, there's an article on this posted there. Haven't looked at it myself, yet.
 

ldg

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Originally Posted by foxfire

KDG, I think the name of the mat I do have is called Scat Mat. It doesn't cover much of the table, though. I may consider getting another one or maybe two.

I started this thread the day after I put out the Sticky Tape. Lo and behold, I don't think he's been back up!!!!!
Maybe those first tracks I saw was him being curious, he indeed didn't like the stickiness, and hasn't been back up.

Any way you look at it, I hope he stays off.
Yeah - we considered scat mats for the counters, but decided it would be too expensive to have all the edges covered (we have a lot of counterspace!) But a dining room table wouldn't be as bad.

I hope the sticky tape works! (And continues to after you remove it). That would be the easiest solution!

Laurie
 
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foxfire

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Well, I may have spoken a bit too soon regarding my cat being deterred by the sticky tape. I've seen a tiny bottle of White-Out overturned onto the poster board, so I think he's been back up.

I saw the article on the front page of thecatsite.com. About the only thing I haven't tried is the mouse trap one. Can anyone tell me where I might find those small mouse traps as inexpensively as possible?
 

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I would be too afraid to use mousetraps. Even covered I would worry about them getting their little paw caught in it!

Good luck and I hope you find something that works.
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by foxfire

Whenever I'm not around or he thinks I'm not looking, he'll jump up on the table. I've tried a kind of mat from KV Vet Supply with prickly points on it; he walks around it. Yesterday I bought some poster board and put double-sided tape on it (a kind of Sticky Paws). This morning I could see where he left pawprints. I thought cats were supposed to not like sticky surfaces.

I'd rather not go with the "squirt-them-with-the-water-bottle;" he'd probably continue to jump up there when I'm gone.

He's welcome to jump up on my chest of drawers, but I just don't want him on my table.

Any ideas, anyone?
He's a love most of the time, but I do have trouble with this behavior.
Yes! All you have to do is to have a discussion with your cat about this. Here is a photo I posted that shows how you go about doing this. You will note that after hearing this discussion, he even makes sure that he keeps all of his tail off of the table!
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=115129
 

gingersmom

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I have just one surefire, absolutely guaranteed to work solution for you: Get rid of the table.

 

ldg

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

I have just one surefire, absolutely guaranteed to work solution for you: Get rid of the table.
I'm sorry I'm laughing so hard - for those of us who don't want to get rid of the tables, it IS a pain in the you-know-what! But - that's still too funny!

Laurie
 

kiva13

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Hi,

I actually criss crossed packing tape all over the table, sticky side up and kind of twisted it at the bottom so it would stick on the ends. I don't think my cat has been on the table since he first attempted it with the tape on. He looked a little freaked out, and we had to lift him off. I just have to figure out when to take it off so I can eat on the table without getting myself and my food stuck on it as well!
 
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foxfire

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Gingersmom, you probably have the most sure-fire way to get rid of the problem!!! But I have to put my microwave somewhere!!!
 

gingersmom

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Originally Posted by foxfire

Gingersmom, you probably have the most sure-fire way to get rid of the problem!!! But I have to put my microwave somewhere!!!
Sorry, I just couldn't resist, seeing as how cats run OUR lives, not the other way around.


My kitchen table now holds a few plants, an old TV that I am giving to my daughter and the Chia Cat Grass i have growing for my babes to munch on.

UNDER my kitchen table lives the litter box.

My roomie and I eat in the living room now.
 

krazy kat2

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I gave up on keeping them off my table. I just clean it really well if I need to use it. (I really don't use it that much) I also have a tablecloth that I use when I have company. The only people that ever eat at my house have cats, and really like mine, so they understand about a little cat hair. I had another table cloth that I used when they were up there, but it got old and raggedy.
 
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foxfire

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I suppose if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I give up.
 

heddafish

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I heard that cats hate citrus smells, maybe buy some potpurrri in a pretty bowl that has citrus smell like limes and oranges, with dried peels. And put it on the table, that might work.
 
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foxfire

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On noticing his behaviors as he jumps on the table, I think it's not so much to explore or nose around. I think usually it's out of excitement. When he sees a neighbor cat walk by outside, he gets verrrrry excited and agitated. He'll run in a little circle at the back door, which is like a French door that only opens on one side. He'll run back at the door, presumably to get another look.

Then he'll run at the kitchen table and look like he wants to jump up. If he realizes I'm around, he'll get this "oh, shucks, I would hop up there and look out the kitchen window, but I know Mom's going to pitch a fit" look on his face. Usually, he'll return to the back door.

When I'm gone I cant' tell the nature of the jump on the table thing.
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by foxfire

On noticing his behaviors as he jumps on the table, I think it's not so much to explore or nose around. I think usually it's out of excitement. When he sees a neighbor cat walk by outside, he gets verrrrry excited and agitated. He'll run in a little circle at the back door, which is like a French door that only opens on one side. He'll run back at the door, presumably to get another look.

Then he'll run at the kitchen table and look like he wants to jump up. If he realizes I'm around, he'll get this "oh, shucks, I would hop up there and look out the kitchen window, but I know Mom's going to pitch a fit" look on his face. Usually, he'll return to the back door.

When I'm gone I cant' tell the nature of the jump on the table thing.
Perhaps get a cat tree a little taller than your table and put it by the window so he jumps on that rather than the table? Cats like to be in high places. If the tree is taller than the table, it will give him an alternative to the table.
 
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