Is it possible..

sphynx

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to stop a cat from jumping onto kitchen surfaces and kitchen table?? Does a kitten go through a 'teenage' phase. My kitten is almost 5 months old and is going through a not-so-nice period
. Last night when I left the kitchen, I had left a batch of shortbread that I had baked on the kitchen counter and came back to find him devouring it. Each time he jumps onto the counter or table I put him on the floor and tell him 'no', but do you think it is possible that he would eventually get it?? Also, he uses me as a climbing tree and it can get quite sore. BTW he does have his own cat tree in the house.

Any tips or advice?
 

redyave

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Well, I'm a newbie here, so I don't know if it's appropriate for me to answer... but I'm not shy, so here goes my two cents!

I have four cats, and each and every one of my cats has/does do the same things.

I don't allow my cats on the counters, tables, etc... technically that is. You just have to be consistent, and serious about it. I admit, my cats pretty much have free run of the house. They do go on the coffee table, or end tables, and although I sometimes tell them to get down, I'm not 'that' serious about it, so they pish posh me when I do it... they give me this look like "Yeah, right, who you kiddin'"? HOWEVER, I do NOT allow them on the counters ever, and this is something I have always been consistent with, and they don't even attempt it.

My Pi went through a teenage stage, he was HORRIBLE!!! We let him go through it, and the only thing that really helped was consistency, but more I just was extra careful to keep everything I didn't want him to get out of the way. He's about 2 now, and is still full of vim and vinegar, but isn't as stubborn as he was, which is 99% of it!

Climbing tree...Climbing me?! My cats STILL do it. They do it to me when I haven't been giving them enough attention... or shall I say, THEY think I haven't given them enough attention.

The key to anything with cats is consistency. They will learn, but at their own pace. As a matter of fact, just today a friend that was over asked why none of our cats scratch up the furniture. That's one thing we were VERY firm with, and even with four cats, I don't have so much as one loose thread on any piece of furniture, I'm happy to say!

Hope that helped some... maybe??


Declawing = Cruelty
 

jen

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Hey redyave that was really some great advice! It doesn't matter if you are new or not, good advice is always welcome!

All I want to add is a simple little thing you can do try. When the cat does something you don't want him to do, hiss at the cat. It is cat speak for stop or quit or back off or I don't like it. They understand it. However not all cats care. Half of mine will immediately back off and cower back and half will look at me like "ya? what are you gonna do about it?" So it's about a 50/50 chance of working.
 

redyave

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Hello Jen! I've only got one that responds to hissing... the others do exactly what you said yours do... I swear I can actually SEE them laughing at me!


I'm at the point with them though that all I have to do is say "NO Mooney... Mommy said NO!!!" and she usually stops what she's doing, STARES at me (Love the kitty stare! It's deadly!) and then stops.

Cats are cats though! They mind because they 'choose' to, in order to make their lives easier, it has nothing to do with the owners wants or needs!
 

meow meow

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My kitten jumped right into the ham sandwich I was making for husband's lunch this morning. I screamed and he jumped right off the other end of the counter.

Of course 20 minutes later he was back up there!

I think the the key if to put stuff they don't like on the counter. That way when they jump they get scared and might not try it again (for a while).

I don't think saying "no" to a cat really does anything to change their minds.
 

gardenandcats

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Mine all jumped up on the counters as kittens. I just quickly would put them back down on the floor.They are curious as kittens and mine did out grow it as they got older.Know that they are a year old they rarely do jump on the counters.
 

urbantigers

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I've taken the opposite approach with Mosi. If he jumps on the counters when I'm preparing food, I put him on the floor, but the rest of the time I just ignore him. I'm going with the theory that they always want what they can't have and stop hankering after what is freely available
Mosi's extremely curious and I felt that he'd always be trying to get up there if it was forbidden. It seems to be working as he doesn't go on them much these days - he seems to have realised that there's nothing particularly interesting up there. I don't see any problem allowing him up there as I don't usually put food directly on the counters anyway - I use a chopping board which is stored on it's side elsewhere. I think it's very hard to prevent them from going on counter tops - you may be able to stop them going up when you're around, but quite often they'll go on them as soon as your back's turned
 

andelawhi

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Originally Posted by urbantigers

I've taken the opposite approach with Mosi. If he jumps on the counters when I'm preparing food, I put him on the floor, but the rest of the time I just ignore him. I'm going with the theory that they always want what they can't have and stop hankering after what is freely available
Mosi's extremely curious and I felt that he'd always be trying to get up there if it was forbidden. It seems to be working as he doesn't go on them much these days - he seems to have realised that there's nothing particularly interesting up there. I don't see any problem allowing him up there as I don't usually put food directly on the counters anyway - I use a chopping board which is stored on it's side elsewhere. I think it's very hard to prevent them from going on counter tops - you may be able to stop them going up when you're around, but quite often they'll go on them as soon as your back's turned
I really don't care if mine get on the counters either, but I know other people who come to my house to eat do! Also, I don't want my cats near my stove. It's electric and the burners say hot for a long time after I use it and it scares me to think that my cats would jump onto the stove and seriously burn their little paws. It's important for me to at least try to get the idea in their head that they shouldn't be up there.


This might not be too popular, but what works for me is if I see them up there, I start yelling something like "NOVA! NO! GET OFF THE TABLE!" and run to them like a mad man like I'm seriously mad and going to get them. I would never do anything to hurt them, but it just looks scary! I also think it's important for you to use as firm a voice as possible, so they know you mean business! If they haven't already jumped off the table by the time I get to them, The I simply pick them up and put them on the floor. Mine are going through the 'teenage' phase right now too, so I feel your pain. Also, if I see one of them contemplating jumping on the table or counter I go ahead and say their name so they know I'm watching them, and that usually deters them.
 
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sphynx

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Originally Posted by LunaLou

Mine are going through the 'teenage' phase right now too, so I feel your pain.
I'm glad it isn't only me
. I love my kitten to pieces, but he is testing my patience so much right now! When he curls up with me to have a nap he looks so angelic, that I could almost forget about all the 'episodes' with him
.

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I tried the hissing and he got quite a shock. I suppose that consistency is the name of the game, and I will continue to fight the counter climbing, and if all else fails... WMD will have to suffice
 

mrspotts66

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roxy is one stubborn cat.

for the first month or so after she was de-quarantined, we had to line the kitchen table and the kitchen counters with tin foil. #1) it makes an awful sound that she just doesn't like. and #2) it was just laid across the counters, so when her front paws landed, she actually slid off. hehehe it took a while, but she got it. the only time she's gotten up (that i know of
) was when she discovered the fishtank. she quickly lost interest in the betta.

not exactly the stainless steel kitchen look i was going for, but it was only for a month.


and to this day (5 mos later), she runs when i tear a sheet of tin foil off the roll.
 

waddle

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You're pretty much fighting a losing battle, though I know some people here have cats that will actually stay off counters and tables...I only try to keep mine off the kitchen counter, and I know by the pawprints I find that they get up there plenty when I'm not home. They do know they arent' supposed to be there--I have a little ledge by my counter that is their spot, and usually if I just snap my fingers they hop back up there or jump down to the floor (sometimes I do have to just pick them up and put them down.) As someone else said, consistency will train them to know what you want them to do, it's just a matter of whether or not they choose to do it. :-)
 

foofy cat lady

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I'll tell you what doesn't work: Salsa.

One of our cats still thinks she's an alley cat, and will take the cheese off your sandwich if you walk away to get the mayo. Dad got the brilliant idea that since cats don't like peppers, he'll smear extra-hot chunky salsa on the countertops.

End result: The house smelled like a Taco Bell, and the floor was coated in salsa footprints.
 

laureen227

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mine pretty much stay off, but i occasionally find one up there - usually 'cause there's something interesting there [at least, interesting to a cat
]. i squirt mine with a water bottle. actually, i usually just shake the bottle & they jump down. if not, i just put them down. they don't go up there much, at least not when i'm home. i either clean the counters before working on them, or lay something down on top of them first.
 

goldenkitty45

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NO doesn't mean a lot in cat language!


Best thing to do is to be consistant; use a squirt bottle of water; keep ALL food off the table/counters when not right there.

We find the last one about keeping food off the counters works best. If there is nothing up there, they lose interest.

Ling thinks she's a dog and so it better at listening cause she copies our lab. She lays on the floor by the table and waits till after dinner. Once in awhile she is in your lap or empty chair, but we tell her to get down and ignore her. Its funny how she stretches out on the floor like the dog waiting for a treat after we eat.
 
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