Bad Manners

[ramscici]

Hi everyone! My two kitties are adolescents now (8 and 7 months old) and they are sweet as can be. However they are developing some pretty bad manners when it comes to the table/food.

I've never tried to control them jumping on the counters as we have a small apartment as is and I don't want to limit their worlds. I always wipe counters clean before preparing food of course. But now I'm thinking it was a mistake because every time I go to get their meals, they jump onto the counter and try snatching food before it's even ready. Sometimes they even succeed. They also get on the table and sniff at my food when I'm eating. I always get them down and firmly tell them no, and sometimes I need to lock them in the bathroom when I eat. I've never fed them on the counter and I never give them table scraps but they still think they can get away with it for some reason. Does this go away with age? Are they just being teenagers testing their limits, or should I try something else?

I'm honestly considering a spray bottle at this point because nothing seems to be working.

 

[rubysmama]

Hopefully once they get older, they'll get over their counter/table jumping obsession. Meanwhile, there may be some tips in this TCS article that might help: How To Keep Cats Off Counters And Tables

Plus here's a couple more on discipline:
How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat
Cats And Discipline Don't Mix
5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat

 

[tabbytom]

Hello ramscici , I let my boy everywhere in the house (except into the toilet bowl) since he's 3 weeks old and I started feeding him on the counter since he was 6 months old.

Yes, he did kind of rush for food before I scoop it out but I restrained him from doing that by talking nicely and softly to him and ask him to wait and I withhold the food till he sit down and wait. After several times of doing this at meal times, he got the idea and did not rush for the food but he will either lie down or sit and wait for his food. It takes time and patience and if you enforce it well, it'll pay off.

Here he is lying down while waiting for his food

Now at meal times, I'll ask him to get up the counter and tell him to lie down and wait and sometimes without me telling him, he does that.

Whenever we are eating, he'll come up to the table and check out our food. I'll let him smell the food but tell him it's not for him and say 'Just smell will do' and then say 'Enough, go away'. He'll go away and if he's persistent , I'll just remove my food away from him and say 'No more smelling, get down' and he'll get down. He never get to eat our food, just smell only.

Of course I started telling all these to him when he was young and I keep talking to him all the time. He understands many words. There's no punishment or shouting needed, just be persistent in your talking and training. All these done in love and patience will be learnt by your kitty.

rubysmama gave you some very good articles to read.

 

[Kflowers]

I've had counter surfers and helpers before. None out grew it, well, not as long as they could jump up on the counter.

Since they are helping, it might be safer if they are locked in the bathroom while you cook. It's easy to trip over a cat, and dangerous if you are carrying a pot of boiling whatever. Oil is worse than water. The pain is terrible for you and the cats.

They won't like it, but focus on the fact that you're protecting.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

( tabbytom , that's the best photo of January ever! The epitome of well-mannered!)