How to get adult cat to stop going on table and counters?

princess sophia

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My sophie has no manners! But she's my baby and I let it slide for too long! She's recently had a litter of kittens and I plan on keeping at least one. I feel like I need to teach Sophie the rules of the house (finally) before the kittens learn from her.

My main issue is going on counters and the table. She goes on the table even we eat and tried to steal food from the kids plates. I gently push her off the table and say NO sternly but she just comes right back on...She does not learn! It's at the point where I need to close her in a seperate room when I am preparing food, eating, and clearing. I have to use plastic bags from the grocery store as garbage bags and take them out before I let her out so she doesn't go through the garbage.

She gets enough to eat...especially now that she is nuring/ weaning. Free feed premium dry kitten food and 6 wet meals a day. There is no way she is hungry!!!

These are just my biggest behavioral issues with her but the list of her naughtiness is long. She was anandonded at 6 weeks and didn't have a kitty mom to teach her manners :(

Any help would be appreciated!!!
 

mariya

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Hi! I agree it isn't easy to NOT spoil your kitty. A friend of mine had a similar problem and found that putting double sided tape discourages her cat from jumping on counters since they don't like the feel of it. I honestly think she's just curious about what youre doing. What does she usually do once she is on the table?  
 
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princess sophia

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Hi! I agree it isn't easy to NOT spoil your kitty. A friend of mine had a similar problem and found that putting double sided tape discourages her cat from jumping on counters since they don't like the feel of it. I honestly think she's just curious about what youre doing. What does she usually do once she is on the table?  
Once she's on the table, she tries to steal food from the kids plates. I can't leave garbage out since she'll get into it. And like I said, I feed her enough!
 

mariya

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I would suggest maybe putting something heavy on the garbage can so that she can't access it.
I know it isn't pleasant but maybe sprinkling water on her face after she gets on the table. I don't mean with a spray bottle. You can wet your finger and sprinkle some on her face.again, maybe double sided tape on the area she likes to jump? Hope that's helpful :)
 

catsmeow500

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My Sparky is the same way,  He will not give it up.  I got a faucet that turns on if you are in front of it  and he has turned it on several times.  And he moved the faucet so it got water on the counter and floor. It freaked me out.  But it does not phase him.  

We got him at about 8 days old. And we bottle fed him. So he is the king of the house.
 

catsmeow500

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Thank goodness he does not get in the trash that would just freak me out.  He is actually a clean freak cat.
 
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princess sophia

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We got him at about 8 days old. And we bottle fed him. So he is the king of the house.
It 100% has to do with being separated from mom too early! Sophie was abandoned at 6 weeks and has zero manners!
 
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princess sophia

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I can't put double sided tape on the table. It will ruin the wood. I have sprayed her with water when she comes on the counter. A little on my fingers from the sink... She always jumps off from it..but jumps back on a minute later. I don't want to use a spray bottle but I might have to :( I really don't want the kittens learning her bad behaviors.
She also loves to be in the fridge. Every time I open it, she climbs in. She lays down on the bottom shelf but doesn't eat anything. I have to fight to get her out when I'm ready to close it. And when the kids open the fridge I ALWAYS do a sophie check to make sure shes not in there. I really want her to stop that too!
 
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princess sophia

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Thank you for the article!

It really explained how to do the double sided tape without damaging me wood.

I have a project on my hands... Do you think I could do table and counter seperate or it better to do our all in one clean sweep?
 

losna

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Thank you for the article!

It really explained how to do the double sided tape without damaging me wood.

I have a project on my hands... Do you think I could do table and counter seperate or it better to do our all in one clean sweep?
I would suggest before going through the effort of doing that, to make sure your cat doesn't like the tape. My darling Sinbad loves  sticky tape. He actively seeks out sticky things, and loves to push his paw against it, pull it back, over and over. We have to hide tape rolls, and the sticky paper lined lint removers because he will hunt them down and get himself all covered in tape/sticky papers as he plays. 
 

kitty chew

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My 7 month old kitten is exactly the same. Very frustrating. Got her at a shelter. Always on the bench, in the sink, the fridge, and on the stove. I also have to lock both my kittens out when i cook, or they try to get my food. They get in the bin as well. Some people suggest tin foil on bench tops because they don't like the noise. This did not work for me. She also licks the sink if i don't cover it because it smells like food. Hope you find a solution.
 
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