Jumping on counter/stove/in sink

so my handsome kittens are finally big enough to jump onto the counters and BOY are we in trouble. We have been INCREDIBLY frustrated about this and I am ashamed to say have resorted to saying NO and nose tapping. 2/3 of the kittens do this about every 2 minutes!!!

When the kitties used to scratch on the sofa we made a ch ch noise said no and then put them on their scratcher and said good boy, it worked AMAZINGLY!!!

But, I couldn't find a good alternative for jumping on the counter and exploring for food.

Well in complete frustration (it is not safe for them to walk on the stove! or the sink) I EXPANDED my mind.

This is the plan of action, I'll let you know how it works:
1) teach them DOWN w/ treats in formal sessions and w/ spont. treats in everyday life - always using clicker when jump down and praise.
2) Make the counter/stove as clean and uninteresting as possible. Clean dirty dishes ASAP, etc.
3) Prohibit their access to the kitchen when DH or I am not there to enforce getting down off counter for a short period of time (until they get it!)


***Maybe if 1&2 don't work, cleaning with a citrusy smelling cleaner (i've heard cats don't like that.)

Wish me luck!!! Either way, it is better for me to be nice to them instead of saying NO. and if it doesn't work they'll still be jumping up anyhow.

Any feedback or additional ideas would be appreciated!!

My cats are counter-jumpers too. Only they like to do it at night, like they know it's naughty. They seem to have stopped for awhile though...
BTW, your little troublemakers are adorable!

Use a squirt bottle with water in it. When you catch them, squirt them and say firmly "no". Ours have learned well and they know they're in trouble when we just point the spray bottle at them.

Give it a try, cats hate water in my experirence and this works well...also once they learn what the bottle is, you can leave it on the counter where they most are known to jump on. They learn

With adorable faces like that, I should think they could get away with whatever they want to.

I give up on trying to keep Bijou off counters (Mika never gets up on the counters - she's smaller and I think it looks too high for her. I just make sure there is nothing dangerous in the sink (he doesn't get on the counter beside the stove or on the stove). I also make sure I wipe the counters down well before preparing any food.

i agree with yosemite, both on the adorable little kitties you have and on the giving up when the cats jump up.

my mum used to make lots of disapproving noises when she'd see a cat on the counter or table. but i have to say that none of my family ever get tummy upsets.

hmm, it's a hard one that's for sure!

Please do not use squirt bottle method. Any water that gets into their ears can cause a really bad infection. Not to mention distrust between you and your cat if they realize you are the water squirter.

I am with Yosemite on this, I just clean the countertops before I do any food prep, that way I am not stressing over them being on the countertop, when we all know they will do whatever they want when we are not looking anyway.

When I cook, I put a new pot with water over the eye I just used until it cools off. Cats can sense heat and will not likely go over the eye if its hot, but I just do it as a precaution.

What adorable little babies.

Originally Posted by skewch

Use a squirt bottle with water in it. When you catch them, squirt them and say firmly "no". Ours have learned well and they know they're in trouble when we just point the spray bottle at them.

Give it a try, cats hate water in my experirence and this works well...also once they learn what the bottle is, you can leave it on the counter where they most are known to jump on. They learn

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just want to clarify, I don't squirt my cats in the face or anywhere near. They get it in the hind flank, and it's hardly ever that we do it now because they've learned.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

thanks guys.

I had a whole bunch of lofty ideas about my kittens being well behaved and I am learning sooo much already that it is not always possible. I don't know if I will ever be able to keep them off the counter entirely. But, I will try really hard to help them know to get down when I am making stuff, etc. and we are going to be following the guidelines above to the best of our ability.

***On another note, we took them over to a friend's house the other day and while we were eating lunch at the dining room table, E.T. jumped onto my friends lap and almost pounced onto her plate. I grabbed him just in time, but aaah!! it was pretty mortifying.

What works extremely well for me is double sided sticky paper from a hardware store. If you can't find that just use shelf paper with the sticky side up. I go through this every time we move even though my cats are well trained. It is very inconvenient for a few weeks until they learn the counters are unpleasant. There are also special mats and sensor alarms that can be used. One of the mats I've seen doesn't shock them but has many raised bumps that are uncomfortable. It's called the Xmat http://www.amazon.com/X-Mat-Pet-Trai.../dp/B00074W39U

I do disagree about not using a squirt bottle. It has been one of my most successful training aids. I keep it handy and when my cats act inappropriately, all I have to do is just touch it and they correct themselves. When I got my kitten a while back and when getting a new cat it is very important to build trust first. I don't usually use a squirt bottle until after they have bonded with me, are secure in their new home and I have taught them to listen to me. After that the squirt bottle is used to correct when they do not listen.

We used plastic carpet runner with the pointy side up. None of them liked it. It however drove me nuts! Calm consistant is what seems to work best. Kittens also have an attention span of a potato. We have had ours for almost 6 months and she is just really getting it now. Now she does it to annoy me or to show off.

I also agree that you should not use a spray bottle. If you happen to get any in their ears, you'll end up with a bad infection and expensive vet bills. Besides there are nicer ways to work with the cats than spraying them.

Originally Posted by luv2laugh

I had a whole bunch of lofty ideas about my kittens being well behaved and I am learning sooo much already.

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Hey, I had those too at one time!

My Sweetie loves the table. Especially when I'm trying to read the paper. I really have no counter tops but she does jump on the stove to get on the sink. I've given up and just make sure I clean well before preparing food. Life is too short and Sweetie is too stubborn.