Kitty On Counters

kzee · Sep 13, 2018

Our 3 month old cat has started jumping up on our kitchen counter. Our older cat has never done this, and it really bugs my husband. We would like to discourage this behavior, but we don't want to spray him with a water bottle or sound a loud air horn when he jumps up as we're afraid that will make him anxious. Some friends have told us that we just "got lucky" with the first cat and we need to accept that our new cat is going to go on the counters because that's normal cat behavior. Anyone have any luck training their kitties to stay off the counters? If so, what methods did you use?

nese · Sep 14, 2018

It is advised to bring him down every time he jumps to the counter to discourage the behaviour. You can also say NO, put aluminium foil, double- sided tape on the counter, and reward him everytime he does not jump on the counter.
However, none of these worked for us. I just have to agree with your friends that you were lucky with the first cat. We were lucky with our first and second cats, too. But thanks to our third cat she teached all of them how to jump on the counter :doh:

Then on the refrigerator, then on the kitchen cabinets…

If you really do not want them to jump on the counter I guess not allowing them to kitchen is the only exact solution.

kzee · Sep 14, 2018

nese said:
It is advised to bring him down every time he jumps to the counter to discourage the behaviour. You can also say NO, put aluminium foil, double- sided tape on the counter, and reward him everytime he does not jump on the counter.
However, none of these worked for us. I just have to agree with your friends that you were lucky with the first cat. We were lucky with our first and second cats, too. But thanks to our third cat she teached all of them how to jump on the counter Then on the refrigerator, then on the kitchen cabinets…

If you really do not want them to jump on the counter I guess not allowing them to kitchen is the only exact solution.

Thank you, nese! Lol about your other cats learning this from the kitty. Sounds like they get their exercise what with the cabinet and refrigerator jumping as well! We'll try the foil and double-sided tape and rewarding good behavior. If that doesn't work and my husband can't get over it, I guess we will have to install a door. My coworker (dog person) suggested a baby-gate. She freaked out when I told her that cats can easily jump 6 feet or more.

di and bob · Sep 14, 2018

Cats do not respond to discipline like dogs, they are not a member of a 'pack' and live to please their alpha member. Physical discipline like smacking, spraying with water, and yelling only make them afraid of you and sneaky. Three months old is a baby. Unless you teach them otherwise, he is curious, exploring as all kittens do, and testing the limits of the household. EVERY time, hold him still by the loose skin on the back of the neck, say NO very loudly to show you are displeased, and set him on the floor. Consistency is the key as it is with any toddler. This is how a mama cat would discipline. You could get some double sided tape, cats HATE the feel on their feet, or my personal favorite is to get a length of clear carpet protector with those little nubs on the back, keep it designated for just the counter so it is clean. and put it nub side up. It hurts their feet to walk on it and keeps them away from areas you don't want them in. It really works. The thing I like is it is easily removed and replaced. It would just be until they learn to avoid the area. Cats are smart, he'll learn quickly.
Kittens are a handful, a bundle of energy that never stops. There are going to be MANY more battles, just as there is with raising any baby. Don't lose the war by being too rigid. There are things we can accept and change on with our family members and some we cannot. If your husband truly can't accept a cat on the counter than you will have to work on finding an acceptable solution. Try the carpet protector, with one cat I had it all over my house! But it worked to train him!

kzee · Sep 14, 2018

The carpet-protector nub side up is genius!!! Thanks so much...going to try to find some today. Also, I guess we have a lot to learn about disciplining cats. Our first one never gave us any reason to have to discipline her!

kzee · Sep 14, 2018

Lol about your other cats learning bad habits from the kitty! Sounds like they get a lot of exercise at your house! You're right, if my husband can't get over it, we'll just have to keep them out of the kitchen. My friend (a dog person) suggested a baby gate. She freaked out when I told her he easily jumps 6 or 7 feet!

Babypaws · Nov 29, 2018

di and bob said:
Cats do not respond to discipline like dogs, they are not a member of a 'pack' and live to please their alpha member. Physical discipline like smacking, spraying with water, and yelling only make them afraid of you and sneaky. Three months old is a baby. Unless you teach them otherwise, he is curious, exploring as all kittens do, and testing the limits of the household. EVERY time, hold him still by the loose skin on the back of the neck, say NO very loudly to show you are displeased, and set him on the floor. Consistency is the key as it is with any toddler. This is how a mama cat would discipline. You could get some double sided tape, cats HATE the feel on their feet, or my personal favorite is to get a length of clear carpet protector with those little nubs on the back, keep it designated for just the counter so it is clean. and put it nub side up. It hurts their feet to walk on it and keeps them away from areas you don't want them in. It really works. The thing I like is it is easily removed and replaced. It would just be until they learn to avoid the area. Cats are smart, he'll learn quickly.
Kittens are a handful, a bundle of energy that never stops. There are going to be MANY more battles, just as there is with raising any baby. Don't lose the war by being too rigid. There are things we can accept and change on with our family members and some we cannot. If your husband truly can't accept a cat on the counter than you will have to work on finding an acceptable solution. Try the carpet protector, with one cat I had it all over my house! But it worked to train him!

This is a great idea....I have 3 kittens (almost 4 months old) and 3 cats (7 months old) along with their mother. I have them blocked off in part of the house because they would literally destroy the rest of the house. I have a lot of plants, nicknacks and what have you. Plus I have 2 older cats who stay upstairs and I know the younger ones would go up and stress them out.
My problem is the 7 month old cats didn’t seem as bad as the younger kittens as far as getting into things. They jump on counter, refrigerator and try to get my plants. Every morning I have to check the rooms to see what they’ve gotten into. I’m certainly going to try the carpet protector idea. Thank you, I never would have thought of it. Besides, double-sided tape would be a nuisance on the counter for the adults in the house.

bear · Nov 30, 2018

You may be able to train a cat to not jump on the counters while you are home.
Height is important to cats. It gives them a lot more territory. It helps protect the smaller ones on the lower social hierarchy.

I train my cats to jump up on the counter. I use a visual command of a flat palm and fingers facing the counter top. I put a treat there and after a while, they no longer need the treat.

Since my cats live 15 to 20 years, it is very important that I be able to coax them up comfortable to a counter. This puts them in bright lighting and assists with needed medical problems, like pilling, eye ointments, transdermal meds etc.

They are trained with a diagonal top to bottom movement of the hand that includes a snap of the fingers to come down.

Make sure the gate at the kitchen is tall enough to keep him out (the husband) and that should resolve the problem.

Suru · Nov 30, 2018

line the edge of your counters with a piece of cardboard, so that the cardboard is slightly off the edge. I accidentally did this with a thin plastic cutting mat, and when my cat tried to jump on the counter, he slipped right back down. A couple of slips may help in deterring your kitty from further jumps.

Jem · Dec 1, 2018

If you're cat is simply wanting a high surface in the kitchen area, have you considered putting a cat tower in there for him? If he jumps on the counter, pick him up and put him on his tower, do this EVERY time. Hopefully he will learn that the tower is his and the counter is yours. And if you can, put it near a window, so he has even more incentive to use it instead of the counter.
Cats love high places and feel more secure in a high place. It could be that considering a kitchen is a busy area, but he still wants to be around, he just needs a "safe place" to hang out.

Babypaws · Dec 1, 2018

Unfortunately the counter Has a window which is attracting them to it. I do have a cat perch for them in another window away from the counters. I tried the aluminum foil on one end of the counter which has helped a little. I still want to try the rug protector on a section that di and bob suggested.

Kitty On Counters

kzee

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nese

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kzee

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di and bob

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kzee

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kzee

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Babypaws

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bear

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Suru

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Jem

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Babypaws

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