How to get my cat to let me eat in peace

Purrito98

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We got a cat a couple of months ago and he has been well behaved aside from clawing me(but not my fiancé), clawing our bed even after we bought him a scratching post and harassing me whenever I try to eat or drink anything. Whenever I set down my soda he quickly climbs onto my table and drinks my soda out of the can and when I try to eat he always jumps on me no matter how many times I set him down and say no. Eventually he resorts to clawing and biting me and jumping up and knocking my food on the floor however when he finally has ruined my food by knocking it down he never eats it. Please help I am very frustrated, I’ve had several cats in the past that would stop after we would set them down a few times.
 

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Purrito98

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He is about 4/5 months old and we have a food/water dish that we have sitting out for him at all times. Like I said he’s pretty well behaved other than trying to eat our foods.
 

Lulu&Finn

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Finn was exactly like this the first couple of months we had him. He was 2 lbs 2 oz when we got him and had been found on the street. He seemed to be always hungry and ate his food fast and furious. He stopped doing it eventually. It was frustrating because no one could eat in peace. As you know, kittens will just climb up your leg if there's no other way up. lol

He's very polite now if that helps any. :)
 

hurricanemix100

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I had this problem with my 1 year old cat when I got her. What worked for me was to take a treat and literally toss it to the other side of them room so she goes over there and eats it. Not only does it distract them for a bit but they get a little food and yours gets slightly less appealing. Then designate an approved spot where she should sit and start putting the treat there. Make it really appealing. Even a heated cat bed or human heating pad in a cat bed with nice thick covering over so it doesn't get to hot. Then when she gets her treat there stand over her and reward her with more treats if she stays in there. If she gets up, pick her up, and put her back, and give her a treat. Over time she'll just start going over there when you sit to eat and reward her for doing so and reward her for sitting in there for a bit. Then eventually you dwindle the treats down from like 4 to 3 to 2 to 1. Eventually they'll just sit in there the entire time you eat waiting for there 1 treat. The key is to reward them for not messing with you and doing something else, but you have to give them something else to do hence chasing treats around or sitting in a nice warm cozy bed.
 

Meowmee

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First clip his claws. Second he is a kitten and they need to eat a lot. Feed him some tasty wet food every time you eat and some tidbits of your food too, maybe that will stop him. I am not sure about the soda, just don’t let him drink it. Quinn used to climb me like tree when he was teeny.

My guys are my audience when I eat, if I turn my back Quinn will steal my food😹 and now he has trained Merlin to do it. But Merlin is the worst, he literally screams all day long to eat, non stop. He is well fed and still a bit overweight again.
 

danteshuman

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I agree with feeding him a meal of 1/2 of a fancy feast sized (3oz) can of wet food 2-3 times a day. Plus you should clip his claws. I also think you should feed him kitten dry food until he is 2 years old.

The treat idea might work. I just used the tried & true method of locking them in a room with their wet food meals while you eat. A misbehaving cat I would not let within 5-10 feet of me & I would hiss at them if necessary.

That said I have a gentle spoiled kitty who was my bottle baby. Whenever I eat wheat thins (his favorite) he crawls all over me and will sniff/lick/bat at my food if given a chance. This is more normal kitten begging behavior. Maybe because he was hungry he is over eager or maybe it isn’t about the food but attention or play? Either way if every time he starts it lands him being calmly picked up and licked in a room until you finish eating, he will learn to knock it off. Some cats it takes a couple of weeks some cats take a couple of months. Hang in there; your kitten will eventually learn his table manners.
 

Kflowers

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Absolutely, up his food, I'd double it for at least a couple of months. Then...

I know some won't approve, but is there a reason you can't lock him in the bedroom or den or other nice room while you're eating? That would give you the peace you need for a nice meal - it does no good if you eat too fast and choke - and would give him a private play time, which is a good thing. Kittens do need to learn how to amuse themselves for when you have to leave the house.

If you don't lock your cat out of the kitchen when cooking, be ready to deal with burns/scalding for him and you when he trips you or grabs for stuff. Yes, I had a cat grab a shrimp out of briskly boiling water, they will do it. They will also walk on the hot units on the stove and step into hot pans. Others will say it never happened with their cats, and it never does, until it does.

People have also, occasionally dropped knives point down on the floor. It happens.
 

LTS3

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He is about 4/5 months old and we have a food/water dish that we have sitting out for him at all times. Like I said he’s pretty well behaved other than trying to eat our foods.

Include canned food in the diet. Dry food tends to be empty calories and doesn't really fill up tummies, especially not kitten tummies. A few canned food meals daily plus a bowl of dry food works for most kittens. Canned food is a cooked product so it can be left out all day. A programmable timed feeder works great to give small meals throughout the day.

Discourage the kitten's behavior as much as you can. A firm NO and gently pushing the kitten away works but may take time for the kitten to get it.


Putting the cat in another room is an option. You may need ear plugs to muffle the sound of the meowing.

Keep in mind that many people foods are harmful to cats. Here's one list: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets Cooked bones are a big no-no as they easily splinter and cause internal injury. I think some sodas contain xlitol which is a sweetener. Xylitol is harmful to pets. Be sure to have a trash can with secure lid or place the trash can inside of a cabinet or closet or somewhere inacessible to the cat. Digging through trash cans to find yummy smelling leftover table scraps is common. Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink. Wash them right away or put them in the dishwasher if you have one.
 

Cat McCannon

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First, stop free feeding your kitten and put it on a feeding schedule. Next, feed your cat when you sit down to eat. Eating their own dinner will keep them from bothering you while you eat yours. I think it also helps the cat feel like it belongs.

This is how I got Belle to stop getting into my food without drama.
 
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