How To Discipline Shelf/counter Climbing?

NoxfordComma

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Hi all!

I am having a lot of trouble teaching my two kittens to stop climbing where they're not allowed to climb. There are four off-limits spots in my house: The shelves in my room, my dresser, the kitchen table, and the kitchen counter. My 4 month old boys have made it their goal in life to keep jumping up/climbing on these things. The latter 2 no-nos are for sanitary reasons and the former 2 are because I have a TON of knick knacks on my shelves and dresser that they keep knocking off.

How can I deter this behavior? My housemates keep telling me to just spray them with a squirt bottle but I don't want to traumatize/annoy them. They are happy, healthy cats, but this behavior started popping up recently and I'd love to try to curb it before it's too late. I know they like being on high objects, but I can't fit anything like that in my room (where they sleep). Could it be from a lack of stimulation? Curiosity? Spite? Any tips would help!
 

tabbytom

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I allow my boy to get up on counters and everything else and if I want him down, I speak to him nicely but firmly and ask him to come down or get off the table.

The thing is that I let him smell and inspect whatever is in his way and also tell him in a firm NO and say 'It's HOT' if I don't want him going near hot pots or kettle.

Here are some interesting articles for you to read :-

how-to-keep-cats-off-counters-and-tables.22407
5-reasons-to-never-spray-water-on-your-cat.33819
clicker-training-for-cats.30493
cats-and-discipline-dont-mix.29678

Can you fix shelves for them on the wall to extend their super highway and so that they can go up high?

Ikea Hacks :- cats
 

JamesCalifornia

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~ :dunno: Sorry I can't help you. Same thing happens at my house - which is actually now my cats' house ! They have destroyed a few souvenirs and such. I now keep things put away in desks and cabinets for safe keeping .
You can try figurine clay to keep smaller items on the shelves. A tall cat tree may keep kitty cats occupied and away from other things .
Good luck to you ...:hellocomputer:
 

danteshuman

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Part of it is their age. They will outgrow about half of their rambunctious behavior.

I would try a multiple prong attack:

First get them cat trees and shelves so they can climb. Give them a high up spot to be to safely watch you cook. Give them a cat tree by your kitchen table.
Second buy air canisters to keep them off the counters and table.
Third play play and more play. Play and puzzle feeders where they have to work for their food should help tire them out. Bored kitties scream "I'm bored!!!!!" By knocking knickknacks off shelves and counters.
Fourth do not feed them people food! If you must give them people food, feed them in their cat dining spot, preferably after you finish eating. If you reward the behavior they will do it over and over again for the rest of their life.
 

maggie101

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If you can't put a tall cat condo next best option is shelves along the walls. Cats like to jump and get up high so they're jumping on what's available. My couch has a cover over it you can buy online. It comes in different colors. They use my 72in cat tree and love my big scratch bed and tall square scratching post.. Also sleep on top of my couch that's covered. Nice navy blue color. Extra bonus-let them up high and they will catch flies!
 
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maggie101

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Part of it is their age. They will outgrow about half of their rambunctious behavior.

I would try a multiple prong attack:

First get them cat trees and shelves so they can climb. Give them a high up spot to be to safely watch you cook. Give them a cat tree by your kitchen table.
Second buy air canisters to keep them off the counters and table.
Third play play and more play. Play and puzzle feeders where they have to work for their food should help tire them out. Bored kitties scream "I'm bored!!!!!" By knocking knickknacks off shelves and counters.
Fourth do not feed them people food! If you must give them people food, feed them in their cat dining spot, preferably after you finish eating. If you reward the behavior they will do it over and over again for the rest of their life.
Trixie puzzles! Perfect time because ants are hibernating
 

daftcat75

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Discipline doesn't work with cats. Unless you want to give them behavioral issues. You can't train a cat not to be a cat. Instead, look at it from their point of view. What makes it so interesting? Can you provide them a more appealing alternative? Can you make the forbidden surfaces less appealing? No? Then you probably will want to rehome your knick knacks and keep non-ammonia-based cleaners handy.
 

ArtNJ

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We have discussed this before here, and I think that most or at least some cat people that have had many cats over the decades eventually stop trying to formally train their cats on countertops other than just picking them up and putting them on the ground. Then wipe down the table before you eat, or just don't eat anything that falls on the table. There are some things you HAVE to try and train a cat on; for everything else, its best to be low key about it. Its the healthiest approach, sanity wise. And it works about as well as anything else, which is to say that some cats get it eventually and some will keep doing what they want.

For your knick knacks, it is going to be very hard to train them because (sleeping aside) your in a bedroom a much smaller % of the time than a kitchen or living room. If you leave the door open, they will go in there and do what they like, and you won't see whether they are sleeping on your bed or playing on the shelves. Either close the door when you aren't in there, or move the knick knacks back a bit.

For stuff that I'm really insistent on, I use a loud No or clap my hands. In the past, I used a squirt bottle and I don't think its such a big deal as some people believe. However, the truth is, that nothing really works that much better than just being persistent in removing them from areas they aren't supposed to be.
 
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Pjg8r

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If you live somewhere that sells those annoying noisy, motion-activated Halloween decorations you could place them strategically on the counter and shelf. The beauty of those is they go off whether you are there or not.
 
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