how can I get my cat to stop stealing my food?

[titusthecat]

my cat is is 4 months old and we have had him for about a month and i cant get him to stop stealing my food. i started researching tips to correct this today but it seems like we already follow them all. we feed him at the same times we eat, he gets plenty of play time, the correct amount and type of food, we never feed him off the table or give him any human food. iv tried spraying him but he just keeps coming back and unlike most of what iv read we don't have any problem with him stealing unattended food as we make sure to stay with it, its always when we are eating it. iv also tried putting him in another room but he scratches at the door and i rent my apartment and don't wanna lose my security deposit for the paint being scratched off the door. he just jumps up and knocks food off our plate and bites us if we try to get it from him. he stole a steak knife from me the other day and when i tried to get it back i received a very bad bite. (the rest of the time he is very loving and social he's just violent when it comes to food). what can i do? thanks in advance

 

[ArtNJ]

Spraying water doesn't bother some cats. Have you tried slapping the table? The main "solution" most folks use is:

(1) pick up kitten;
(2) put on ground;
(3) repeat x300;
(4) either pat yourself on the back or pull out the rest of your hair. Works around 50% of the time, but I have almost no hair left so maybe best not to listen to me here.

You might try avoiding the really super sexy foods for a week until you have it mastered. You know, eat pasta with meatless sauce and dry cereal for a week. No herb roasted chickens!!! Just kidding. Mostly. I mean, it is a fact that if you have a cat that is super determined about this and not yet trained, and you start digging into your herb roasted chicken and day dreaming about how good it is . . . and boom, you have reinforced the behavior!

 

[ArchyCat]

What is your cat's history? Was he in a food limited environment? Was he previously fed human food?

Maybe feed him a half hour or so before you eat? Maybe free feed him kibble, then give him canned food once or twice a day?

 

[LTS3]

One solution: make sure to feed the kitten plenty of food so he's less inclined to seek out food from your plate, trash can, counters, etc. Ignore the feeding guideline on the cat food package. 4 month old kittens are rapidly growing and are eating machines. Provide several meals a day. Many people leave a bowl of dry food out all day and provide canned food meals when they can. Scheduled feedings don't work for hungry kitten tummies. Keep your counters clear of food, a secure lid on the trash can or place it in a secure area (in a cabinet, pantry that has a door, etc), and discourage any attempts to jump on your lap or table during your meals.

Spraying water doesn't work for cats and may make the behavior worse: 5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat [Or otherwise punish them] – TheCatSite Articles

 

[ArtNJ]

100% true that four month old kittens by definition can't overeat, so allowing unlimited grazing is a fine thing to do and might help. If the kitten has been scoring some quality vittles, I'm doubtful that will be enough by itself, but it might help support whatever training program you use. My prior post was a tad flip, but I really do recommend the approach of absolute vigilance combined with picking up the kitten and putting him down evey single time for a couple of weeks. Guarantied to work, unless it doesn't. In all seriousness, this is often a frustrating training exercise for cat owners, and if your kitten has already tasted nirvana, its unlikely to be especially easy. You will need persistence and vigilance over a period of likely a good bit more than week.

 

[Caspers Human]

Two words: "Tabasco Sauce!"

 

[susanm9006]

If you are free feeding him so you know he isn’t starving and consistently putting him down when he tries to get your food doesn’t work, then put him in his carrier until you are done.

 

[Caspers Human]

I think that adding some sort of repellent like Tabasco Sauce will work.

You don’t need to let your cat actually eat it. The smell should be enough to put him off of trying to snatch your food.

If he does eat some Tabasco it won’t hurt him unless he eats a lot of it. It will certainly give him a ”hot tongue” but I predict that the smell, alone, would be enough to keep him away.

Just put a spoonful of hot sauce on your plate but don’t eat it. Maybe put some on a piece of bread and leave it on the table, next to your plate. Cats always smell things before they eat. When he comes near and takes a sniff, hopefully he’ll think, “YUCK!”

Combine this the other things people mention and I think you’ll have a solution.

If you always put him down and tell him “No” when he come near, that’s good but he might also learn that he can get away with it when you aren’t present. Tabasco should help to reinforce your rules when you aren’t there to be the “food cop.”

Unless... your cat actually LIKES Tabasco Sauce!

I used to have a dog that liked it! He would lick it by the spoonful then go drink about a gallon of water but, a minute later, he’d be back wanting more.

Crazy dog!

Cats have a more sensitive sense of taste and smell. Just the scent of hot sauce should be enough to keep a cat away.