Crazy Moe-Kitty!

Greetings all -

Just wondering if anybody has any suggestions for my crazy, loveable 8 month old kitten who seems almost compelled/obsessed with jumping up on top of the kitchen counter/stove and on top of doors - yes that's right - leaps/climbs to the top of doors. I acknowledge that it's a natural habit for cats to be up high, hearkening back to their jungle tendencies to survey all around them, but I have very obvious concerns about his safety and well-being. This is what I've tried (and all in vain) - tin foil (smooth and wrinkled), water sprayer (plain and with diluted vinegar), "sssscat", lemon juice/grapefruit juice sprinkled on the tin foil to make it sticky, double-sided tape and I'm sure there's more but I just can't keep track of it. My biggest fear is that he'll jump up on the stove (which he's done) while it's on and burn his little feet. Any suggestions?

Thanks for anybody's input!

Stefaroo

First off do you have a cat condo or cat ramp in your house that allows your cat to climb? If not, can you perhaps clear off the top of your refrigerator or a sturdy shelf and let that be a good place just for this little one? Even making a window ramp or buying one will help at this point.

I would urge you also to not spray your kitty with water mixed with anything. If you are going to use the spray bottle, use it as a distraction instead of a punishment. Spray it away from your kitten in a corner, or on a potted plant, something that will make kitty think there is prey there and go and investigate it.

Thanks for the input. I do not have a cat-condo which he could climb up on for several reasons, one (and certainly not the least of which) is a lack of space in a one-bedroom apartment. As for the fridge, I'm very leery of allowing Moe access up there as that would entail him jumping up from the kitchen table (which I am also trying to dissuade him from doing). I have used the spray bottle, plain and enhanced, not as a punishment, but as a deterrent to the area around him as he starts wiggling his bum to make the tell-tale leap from the floor to the kitchen counter, etc. On the occasions where the water-sprayer has actually hit his thigh (and never anywhere near his face), I've noticed that his coat is very soft and shiny - by-product of the diluted vinegar, I guess! Thanks for the advice and I guess I'll try and remain as persistent as he is!

In the advertising section of different cat/kitty magazines I've noticed a company that sells cat condos for people with limited space. They show a picture of one that goes up the side of and then over the door. Maybe you can find something like that. (But they'll probably be pricey. -any carpenter/woodworking friends?)

Or you could try filling an aluminum can with several loose items and rattling it. Supposedly cats hate the noise. I've never actually tried that, but have heard it offered as advice in many different books.