Keeping kitten off the table/ away from human foods.

[selinakyle]

We recently adopted a new kitten, im not a new cat owner but its been a few years and i know times have changed and im wondering if my method is correct. Right now i am using a shaker (its a pastic bottle filled with macaroni that makes a loud noise and sartleds her off the table) it does seem to work to get her off the table and she knows when she sees it to back off but it hasnt stopped her from climbing up on the table when im not around. She eats and she loves her food i give her, and i also cook her salmon from time to time of her own in her bowl so shes not hungry she just really likes stealing our food too. I have been using the shaker method for a little over a week,i guess i want to make sure im not traumatizing her and see if this method has been effective for anyone else.

 

[macha 143]

I hope others could help you or share their ideas.

As for my girl Macha loves dining table even my kitchen counter, she lay down there all the time and relax. I tried to tell her "NO" sometimes it works and sometimes not. I never use spray bottle or anything, just firm "NO" when they grow up they will understand and they will listen more. Macha doesn't like loud voice approaching her with gentleness seems works.

 

[athegaylouise]

Actually that shaker method sounds like a good idea to me. My 3 month old Dallas is a little terror when it comes to human food or anything that seems to be edible. I never had to deal with this issue with my cat Blair...but Dallas is a different story. I've tried the whole being persistent thing, but it hasn't made a bit of difference. He will try to jump up on my while I'm eating and goes cray, and I set him on the ground...but he pops right back up OVER and OVER again.

I might have to try this shaker method! 

I have to feed the cats separately or my poor Blair would never get to eat

 

[plan]

This is just my opinion, but the problem with shakers, water bottles and other active methods is that it teaches your cat not to go on a particular surface while you're around, or while you're paying attention. All other times are fair game in their minds, and I'm sure that makes perfect sense to them.

IMO the best thing is to find out what keeps your cat off the table or counter all the time. Maybe strong citrus smells, maybe tin foil, and if the conventional methods don't work you can get one of those motion-activated things that emit a blast of air to scare the cat away.

If you're not convinced, check out videos of those air blasters on YouTube -- they really work well. Best of all, they get the job done in a way that doesn't make your cat associate something negative with you.

 

[selinakyle]

That was also my worry that It might make her associated something negative with me. Now oranges she actually likes to steal and play with lol but i will have to look in to the other ones because you're right it doesn't seem to KEEP her off just get her off.. i guess maybe its better of "incase of emergencies" type situations or for things that can't be kitty proofed..have you used the air blaster? Ive actually looked in to getting similar types of things before i adopted because there were a lot of cats (like 10) in my neighborhood that all poop in my yard :/ Ive read that cats after a while will walk around them or do different routes once they're use to it have you found it to be true or do they usually remember the scare and keep away?

 

[plan]

Well you can move them around, or position them in a way that your cat can't step around them when trying to get up on a surface. That's a bit harder to do with tables, but there are also devices that you can lay flat on a table and are triggered by the cat's feet stepping on top of them.

Also, if it's an inanimate object scaring them away, and they don't see a human around, they're a lot less likely to keep trying. Because in that instance, they don't have the window of opportunity when no one's around or paying attention, it will happen every time they try. In other words, once they get startled off a counter or table a few times, they may just leave well enough alone, which is the goal anyway.