I've created a monster ... help!

Pepsi's kittens are socialized, very much so, to people and other cats. The little girls especially are total sweethearts. That's my problem. I have always picked them up and loved on them, and now one of the girls has a tendency to jump into my lap while I'm working. If I put her down she gets right back up again.

Is there a way to train her to stay down when I put her down? So far I've just been cuddling her for a few, and then repeatedly putting her down when she jumps up. She eventually does give up but is very persistent before then. Am I doing the right thing?

Don't cuddle her, just put her down. She will jump up again, put her down, up, down, up down. You will get tired before she does, but she will get the hint that now is not a good time.

Originally Posted by evnshawn

Pepsi's kittens are socialized, very much so, to people and other cats. The little girls especially are total sweethearts. That's my problem.

I have always picked them up and loved on them, and now one of the girls has a tendency to jump into my lap while I'm working. If I put her down she gets right back up again.

Is there a way to train her to stay down when I put her down? So far I've just been cuddling her for a few, and then repeatedly putting her down when she jumps up. She eventually does give up but is very persistent before then. Am I doing the right thing?

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I had one just like that, only it would jump on my face and want to be petted at 4 am. I tried everything short of giving it valium to make it stop, as I'd only get a maximum of 10 minutes' sleep when it was in the main part of the house at night. It had playmates, and I'd play with it for HOURS and HOURS before bedtime. It never worked. I would inevitably end up spending the whole morning constantly putting it on the floor, only to have it see this as a game and come right back and start kneading on my face and body almost immediately. Then, when I finally sat up, unable to go to sleep, it would curl up and go to sleep. You can not imagine the thoughts that ran through my tired (but now unable to sleep) sleep-deprived mind.

Finally,after weeks of sleep deprivation, I gave up and simply put it in another room at night so that I could sleep. I hope that the advice Hissy gave works for you. I believe it depends on the cat more than anything.

Originally Posted by hissy

Don't cuddle her, just put her down. She will jump up again, put her down, up, down, up down. You will get tired before she does, but she will get the hint that now is not a good time.

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So, battle of wills then, basically. Just like with a toddler. I can do that.