They have a new "thing"

.. and it's getting very irritating.

This has been going on now for the last few days (maybe longer but they were probably just more sneaky about it). The boys have now started jumping up on the kitchen counters, refrigerator and entertainment center. They were pretty good about knowing what they were and were not allowed on. Evidently, they don't care anymore and have decided to throw caution to the wind and run amok!

On Monday, I started seeing my wedding picture along with other various items askew or knocked over on our entertainment center. But, what could I do? I never caught them in the act. Then, last night hubby hears something odd and goes to investigate. He comes back to tell me that he found Elwood sitting on top of the entertainment center. Sitting and looking at Bruce like HE had 5 heads. Squirt, squirt with the spray bottle and Elwood is off.

This morning at 6 am one of them (we think it was Elwood) was on TOP of the refrigerator and had knocked every last thing onto the floor (quite a mess). Bruce was none too pleased. About an hour later, we hear "CRASH!" and run to find my favorite coffee mug (that I foolishly left on the counter) on the floor, smashed into a gazillion pieces (man... I really liked that mug too.) Hubby then starts yelling and chasing them while I'm standing there, sweeping up going "You're wasting your time. That's not gonna work..." Not 20 minutes passes and I now find Jake up on the d@mn counter!

What the heck is going on?!?!?!?!??! They were fine about jumping up on stuff and now they are really wrecking the joint! It's not like we don't pay any attention to them. Granted, we both work all day. But when we come home we both are always sure to give them lots of lovin and attention. And every morning I always spend like a 1/2 hr on them before the mad dash to get ready for work.

This is nuts and it must stop! Any ideas?

I think you better change your sig to "my two little devils"

Seriously though.. most people here will tell you to put the squirt bottle away, that it doesnt help and even could make matters worse. And you are right about telling hubby yelling at them wont work. You cant discipline cats like you can dogs by yelling or spanking etc.

I wish I knew what to tell you, but I'm sure others will have some advice for you. I wonder if separating them for 10 minutes when they act like that might help?

There is a thread out there that talks about all the tricks for keeping them off things you don't want them to be on. Let me try to find it for you......and yes, put away the squirt bottle - it's negative discipline rather than positive reinforcement - they only look at it as a threat rather than corrective aid.

There are a lot of threads with suggestions about keeping cats off countertops. Your best bet is to go to the Behavior forum, and do a search on "counter tops". A lot of threads will pop up with a lot of useful information in them. Ideas from balloons, to 2-sided tape, to cat trees, etc.....you need to keep trying ideas until you find one that works with your little devils...er...angels!!

So, Jake and Elwood are living up to their namesakes, eh???

p.s. mine loved to jump on the hanging plants....took a while to get them off of them but patience and persistence paid off!!

I haven't checked out those particular threads but in my fight against them clawing the crap out my furniture I learned that some stuff is just futile with these two. The boys have a cat tree they do use, although it's not that big (about up to my hip). I'd love to get another one but our apartment is too small to fit anything else (we're kinda jammed in there - hence the search for a house.) and double sided tape is a joke as they just rip it off and discard it as soon as I put it down. Bubble wrap worked VERY VERY well but I really don't want to cover my entire house in it. I know it's an insane asylum but I don't want it to look like one too! This morning I tried FIRMLY pulling Elwood off the end table and dropping him to the floor (it wasn't as violent as it sounds - I would never harm them. I just want them to know I mean business).

I'll try to see if I can find the other threads on this problem. Yes, these guys really are living up to their names and I'm starting to think that maybe there really is something in a name. Maybe I should change their names to "Peace" and "Quiet"!!!

Please don't chase your cats. There is no reason for your husband to chase your cats while he is yelling at them. You are getting upset with them for doing what comes naturally for cats, they love to climb. Get them tall, sturdy cat trees. Install these trees near a window to give them an outlet and something to watch. Temporarily clear off all the shelves and go get a cheap roll of sticky shelf paper. Put the shelf paper on the cabinets and shelves sticky side up. They will only jump off there one time, but do this when you are home and can immediately release them from their sticky bondage.

I know the yelling won't work and I'm trying to educate my husband of the benefits of positive rather than negative reinforcement with them. But, I do share in his frustration.

As far as cat trees, they have one (can only fit one) and they have three "perches" for the windows. So, they do have stuff to amuse them.

I think I'll try the aluminum foil and then contact paper next if the foil doesn't work. I tried double sided tape, which they just laughed at. But contact paper might work better.

you can also use bubble wrap with the bubbles facing up. Cats jump using their claws- their claws come in contact with the bubble wrap and pop they jump right down

Originally posted by hissy
you can also use bubble wrap with the bubbles facing up. Cats jump using their claws- their claws come in contact with the bubble wrap and pop they jump right down

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Originally posted by tonim68
Bubble wrap worked VERY VERY well on my couch but I really don't want to cover my entire house in it. I know it's an insane asylum but I don't want it to look like one too!

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It's so difficult with more than one kitty as you never know who the culprit is!

Ok. So I just put tin foil all over the top of my entertainment center and kitchen counters.... Looks very silly, by the way. And a bit white trash to boot . But I digress... is the tin foil supposed to be a little crumpled (wrinkly) or does it work flat? Or does it not matter? Just wondering ....

I'm so sorry, but I had to when I read your first post. Such a familiar story! My little holy terrors became teenagers, got comfy in their surroundings, discovered jumping/flying and they want to explore! They're like kids: they have no attention span, toys/trees get old in 5 mins, and they want to know how far they can push you. Hate to tell you they won - there isn't anything here that's not covered/bolted/molded/strapped/taped down. OTOH, there's no clutter now!

As you've found out, some things that work great for some cats are laughed at by others. FYI, just so you don't get too discouraged if it doesn't work, Mozart loves aluminum foil, crumpled, flat, whatever.

Mine do not like clapping, so jump off when I give 2 loud claps, and ONE loud 'no'! Enough reinforcement, and they'll be less willing to jump up. But don't expect them to ever stop completely. Sometimes it's irresistable, and the latest casualty was a beautiful crystal vase. My fault. I was more panicked examining them to make sure they weren't hurt!

Just a bit of to encourage you along in your search for solutions!

Pk - so I discovered that the tin foil needs to be crinkly for it to actually work. Originally I had just laif it out on the counters and they could have cared less. It's crinkly now and "might" be working. We'll wait and see what this week holds.

Well, I don't know if it might be of use, but it worked for me with my dad's cats, the ones I took care of before Kenya...

Luke (3 year old), Leia and Xander (twins, 2 1/2 years old)loved to jump on top of every single thing at the house, and dad never reprimanded them for it, he was a very laid down guy. A friend of mine suggested me to burn some soft scented incence on top of the places where I didn't want them to jump, and it worked. Now, I do that with Kenya too, and she has never jumped on top of the kitchen counter, or my bookcases. It's still too soon to know about Indiana, as she has been at my house for roughly seven hours, but I'm pretty sure it will work too. It's what I use to keep Kenya away from my hamster's cage too.

-Adalisa

Wow! What a great idea! I used to burn incense all the time and just haven't lately. Maybe a little Lavender incense will help calm them when they're being particularly nutso and might help my insomnia too!