I need some help. My kitten likes to get on my kitchen counters when we are'nt looking and when everybody goes to bed. How can I get him to stop doing this. It is getting on my nerves so bad. Somebody please help me with this problem.
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Kitten keeps getting on kitchen counters
- Thread starter pebbles36
- Start Date
The Scat Mat is a flexible grey or green vinyl pad with an electronic Power Pack on one corner. The mat shapes range from long and skinny to large round circles. The regular (and original) model is 48"x20". A conductive wire grid is imbedded within the mat. Perforations on the upper surface allow contact to be made with the grid by an animal.
A switch on the side of the Power Pack allows the user to adjust the output (Low, Medium, High) as required. The unit is packaged with an AC adapter
which plugs into a standard 110 volt wall outlet.
Operation:
When properly connected, the Power Pack generates very short duration electrical pulses which are output to the conductive grid. An animal contacting
any two adjacent lines on the grid will complete an electrical circuit and experience a sensation similar to static electrical discharge. This sensation is both surprising and unpleasant, but not harmful. Small animals will flee on contacting the mat and become conditioned to avoid the location in the future.
Applications:
The Scat Mat is intended to train pets to avoid furniture, cars, window sills and so forth, which will prevent further scratching, clawing, shredding and spraying at a specific site. The product has a myriad of alternate applications. One can deter animals from approaching an infinite variety of objects and areas by creatively and strategically wrapping or draping the mat in the animals path. i.e.: by wrapping the mat around a tree, cats, squirrels, or raccoons can be prevented from reaching a bird nest or feeder.
Usage:
Place the mat at the location, or in the path leading to the location where the animal exhibits the undesirable behavior. i.e.: on the hood of the car, under a plant, on the sofa, table, counter, soiled floor area, etc... Once positioned and properly connected, the Scat Mat requires no further attention. Once the animal has begun to avoid the area the mat may be removed.
If the mat is to protect surface that is larger than the mat, it can be concealed beneath a sheet of newspaper, a thin cotton sheet, table cloth or similar thin fabric including light car covers.
Effectiveness:
The Scat Mat is effective for training cats and dogs of all sizes. Its' effectiveness is directly related to the magnitude of the surprise and unpleasantness felt.
Effectiveness varies from animal to animal, and ranges from days to many months before reinforcement is required. Best results occur when Scat Mat are used in conjunction with positive training techniques which reward good behavior away from the problem location(s).
In addition to the animals paw pad toughness, size and weight, there are several other variables that contribute to the product's ultimate performance.
They include the animals' intelligence, memory, temperament, and motivation to perform the unwanted activities.
For example, if the animal is strongly motivated to be in a given spot, such as might be the case if food is the attractant, the effectiveness is diminished. In this case the animal may return much sooner to the original behavior pattern.
The long term effectiveness also depends on the animal associating the unpleasant sensation with the location rather than the mat. This is critical. If the animal is very smart and figures out the Scat Mat is the problem, then the device will only be effective when in place. In this case the mat may not even have to be plugged in. The mere presence of the mat may be sufficient to deter the animal from future misbehavior. In this situation, Dummy Mats may be used to cover additional areas.
Once the cat has responded you can substitute the real thing for a dummy mat
A switch on the side of the Power Pack allows the user to adjust the output (Low, Medium, High) as required. The unit is packaged with an AC adapter
which plugs into a standard 110 volt wall outlet.
Operation:
When properly connected, the Power Pack generates very short duration electrical pulses which are output to the conductive grid. An animal contacting
any two adjacent lines on the grid will complete an electrical circuit and experience a sensation similar to static electrical discharge. This sensation is both surprising and unpleasant, but not harmful. Small animals will flee on contacting the mat and become conditioned to avoid the location in the future.
Applications:
The Scat Mat is intended to train pets to avoid furniture, cars, window sills and so forth, which will prevent further scratching, clawing, shredding and spraying at a specific site. The product has a myriad of alternate applications. One can deter animals from approaching an infinite variety of objects and areas by creatively and strategically wrapping or draping the mat in the animals path. i.e.: by wrapping the mat around a tree, cats, squirrels, or raccoons can be prevented from reaching a bird nest or feeder.
Usage:
Place the mat at the location, or in the path leading to the location where the animal exhibits the undesirable behavior. i.e.: on the hood of the car, under a plant, on the sofa, table, counter, soiled floor area, etc... Once positioned and properly connected, the Scat Mat requires no further attention. Once the animal has begun to avoid the area the mat may be removed.
If the mat is to protect surface that is larger than the mat, it can be concealed beneath a sheet of newspaper, a thin cotton sheet, table cloth or similar thin fabric including light car covers.
Effectiveness:
The Scat Mat is effective for training cats and dogs of all sizes. Its' effectiveness is directly related to the magnitude of the surprise and unpleasantness felt.
Effectiveness varies from animal to animal, and ranges from days to many months before reinforcement is required. Best results occur when Scat Mat are used in conjunction with positive training techniques which reward good behavior away from the problem location(s).
In addition to the animals paw pad toughness, size and weight, there are several other variables that contribute to the product's ultimate performance.
They include the animals' intelligence, memory, temperament, and motivation to perform the unwanted activities.
For example, if the animal is strongly motivated to be in a given spot, such as might be the case if food is the attractant, the effectiveness is diminished. In this case the animal may return much sooner to the original behavior pattern.
The long term effectiveness also depends on the animal associating the unpleasant sensation with the location rather than the mat. This is critical. If the animal is very smart and figures out the Scat Mat is the problem, then the device will only be effective when in place. In this case the mat may not even have to be plugged in. The mere presence of the mat may be sufficient to deter the animal from future misbehavior. In this situation, Dummy Mats may be used to cover additional areas.
Once the cat has responded you can substitute the real thing for a dummy mat
You can also cover a flat peice of cardboard with double sided tape and make sure you put the cardboard on the counter (tape side up) whenever you aren't in the kitchen. It should only take one or two landings on the sticky tape to keep the cats off the counter. Cats HATE getting sticky stuff on their paws so they will avoid anything that is covered with double sided tape!
What about a squirt gun?
Please find a method that does not include electocuting your cat
I would hate for that to happen. I have not ever even heard of this
scat mat. Remember cats like to jump. Dogs like to bark.
the sticky pads work wonderful, so does a loud No, or clap of the hands. A squirt bottle works and when you go to bed just set the water bottle on the counter. It's a nice friendly reminder.
I hope something works beside electrical shocks, I couldn't even imagine.
I would hate for that to happen. I have not ever even heard of this
scat mat. Remember cats like to jump. Dogs like to bark.
the sticky pads work wonderful, so does a loud No, or clap of the hands. A squirt bottle works and when you go to bed just set the water bottle on the counter. It's a nice friendly reminder.
I hope something works beside electrical shocks, I couldn't even imagine.
How about letting the cat jump on the counters, then disinfecting them before you prepare food on them? All the other stuff, scat mats and sticky tape boards, sounds like alot more work than a quick spritz and a wipe.
Alexnell,
The problem with letting them up on counters for me is that if I have company over for dinner and they see cats jumping up on the counter, they won't feel comfortable with whatever I fix even if I clean the counter up.
Counters can be dangerous for cats!!!
I learned that the hard way a couple weeks ago.
Zebra, my new 8 month old cat kept jumping up on the counter but if she saw me coming in, she'd jump down. Well one day, I had a friend over for dinner and I was boiling some water on the stove. I left the counter for a minute and when I saw Zebra on the counter, I called out to her and told her no. Instead of jumping DOWN from the counter as usual, she decided to turn and run down the counter TOWARD the stove!
I FREAKED OUT
and tried to move fast enough to catch her before she reached the stove. She was ON the stove behind the boiling pot and was getting ready to jump over the boiling pot when I reached over and grabbed her by the tail and pulled her away. In return, I burnt my arm, got scratched up and down my arm and neck and scared POOR Zebra.
It took over an hour to calm Zebra down.
:disturbed I still have some wounds from that!!!
I rather have that than have Zebra jump into the boiling pot OR OVER the pot and getting burnt or worst!
:disturbed
Since then, she haven't been on the counter! That's why I STRONGLY encourage you to discipline your cats so they won't jump up on the counters so it'll be more sanitary AND SAFER for the cats!
I don't want anyone to go through what I almost went through!
Pamela
The problem with letting them up on counters for me is that if I have company over for dinner and they see cats jumping up on the counter, they won't feel comfortable with whatever I fix even if I clean the counter up.
Counters can be dangerous for cats!!!
Zebra, my new 8 month old cat kept jumping up on the counter but if she saw me coming in, she'd jump down. Well one day, I had a friend over for dinner and I was boiling some water on the stove. I left the counter for a minute and when I saw Zebra on the counter, I called out to her and told her no. Instead of jumping DOWN from the counter as usual, she decided to turn and run down the counter TOWARD the stove!
I FREAKED OUT
I rather have that than have Zebra jump into the boiling pot OR OVER the pot and getting burnt or worst!
Since then, she haven't been on the counter! That's why I STRONGLY encourage you to discipline your cats so they won't jump up on the counters so it'll be more sanitary AND SAFER for the cats!
Pamela
Wow, what a close call!
I never thought about that--cats walking from the counter to the stove. My stove doesn't have any counters around it. I used to complain about not having them there, but now I'm glad I don't.
I'm glad Zebra's ok and you're on the mend.
I never thought about that--cats walking from the counter to the stove. My stove doesn't have any counters around it. I used to complain about not having them there, but now I'm glad I don't.
I'm glad Zebra's ok and you're on the mend.
