Kitty VS Humans: Battle of the Dining Room Table!

[kookoo4kitties]

We've had Trix for almost three weeks now and it started on day two - jumping on the dining room table. We have been diligent about removing her and saying "No Table" when put her back on the floor. But not only is she determined, but she is almost sarcastic about it. She will jump up and sit dead center with her head held high. And while we walk toward her, she looks right into our eyes as if to say "Go ahead, you'll NEVER defeat me!."

Am I just expecting too much too soon? It has only been three weeks, but I kind of thought by now she would at least be jumping off the table when she saw us coming, and now she is starting to head for the kitchen counters too. She has free run of everywhere else in the apt, but I have a delicate table cloth I like to keep on the table and I prepare food on the counters - so I want to keep them kitty free.

Any advice is welcome.

 

[andrya]

 l'm sorry to make light, but l had to laugh at your sentence. "...but I have a delicate table cloth I like to keep on the table..." 

l've had cats my entire life, and l would never type "delicate tablecloth" and "cats" in the same sentence, let alone try to manage it in my house 

To try to answer your question seriously, l would say yes, too much too soon. Most cats have a hard time learning the new ways of their new homes as they are very much creatures of habit and routine. Personally, l would remove the tablecloth until she has learned not to go on the table - and she will learn eventually, as long as you don't make it into a big deal. Just remove her, you don't need to speak, just put her down when she's there, eventually she won't waste her energy getting up.

l allow mine free reign to go everywhere, including the counters. They know this, but they also know that if l'm cooking that they WILL be put down, so they don't bother getting up.

 

[andrya]

Also, l should ask, does she have plenty of elevated places she is allowed to use? A cat tree, or a high shelf, a high window ledge, etc.?

 

[jcat]

to TCS!

This article might help: Get Off! How to Discourage Your Cat from Jumping on Counters

Like Andrya's cats, Mogli can pretty much go wherever he wants, except for the kitchen sink and stove. He's been here since March, and we're still working on that! Some cats are more stubborn than others, but three weeks is probably too short a time.

You really might want to put that delicate tablecloth away for a while till she learns. I've just given up on tablecloths (Mogli chews them) and ordered a sheet of safety glass for our oak table.

Good luck!

 

[kookoo4kitties]

Oh, trust me - I expected this battle so the table cloth was put away before Trix moved in.  lol I'm just hoping I might be able to pull it back out around the holidays.  

To answer your question, the building we live in used to be a college dorm and half of our apt was the common room, so we have these really wonderful huge windows for her to sit in, all but one of them she has free run of, and she totally respects the one she doesn't (It has a lamp and pictures in it) in fact, she has never even tried to jump into it,.  But our dining room/my 'office' has two of them and in one we put a tension rod and we tied some of her toys to it. She was scared of the windows at first because we have vertical blinds and when she would bat at them they would swing back and hit her on the nose. lol  Once she learned not to mess with the blinds, she loved the windows and she spends a good part of her day in them now.  I arranged my office things so she has a three level perch of shelves to get to the window as well and around my desk is mostly free reign except for the keyboard.  

We adopted her from a Humane Society shelter through a Petco where she was kept in a really small cage during the day- not sure where she was kept at night, but I imagine in the same place. So I really don't blame her for spreading herself out as much as possible now!  

Already planning on buying plastic ornaments BTW. lol

 

[betsygee]

 
 l would never type "delicate tablecloth" and "cats" in the same sentence, let alone try to manage it in my house 

Ditto!  That's funny.  Our cats get to go everywhere in the house except the kitchen counters.  They get to be on the dining room table because we rarely use it for eating, it's basically there to hold stuff we're too lazy to put away.  

   But I agree with others, it takes time.  When our cats did get on the kitchen counters,  we just put them down again and said NO.  They got the message after awhile.  We have a work table in the kitchen with high chairs next to it and the cats are allowed on the chairs.  Occasionally one of them will jump up on the counter to see what yummy thing we're cooking and now we can just say "Ozzy, CHAIR!" and point at the chair and he'll get off the counter and jump on the chair.  

 

[my-boy-jasper]

I gave up trying to get Jasper to get off kitchen benches. But I admire anyone who persists. My kitchen comes off the living room with no door. I got sick of getting up every three minutes to get him off. He would jump down when he heard me coming but nothing seemed to stop him from jumping up. I put him out when I'm cooking because he still jumps up and I'm mainly worried he'll burn himself or something. I just wash the benches before using. Honestly, when I think about it, Jasper goes everywhere and sleeps practically on my head half the time so I really wonder what difference it makes. I'm going to get his germs one way or another, lol.

Betsygee - my table is also used for things I'm too lazy to put away. So much so Jasper can't even find room to sit :lol3:

 

[betsygee]

I gave up trying to get Jasper to get off kitchen benches. But I admire anyone who persists. My kitchen comes off the living room with no door. I got sick of getting up every three minutes to get him off. He would jump down when he heard me coming but nothing seemed to stop him from jumping up. I put him out when I'm cooking because he still jumps up and I'm mainly worried he'll burn himself or something. I just wash the benches before using. Honestly, when I think about it, Jasper goes everywhere and sleeps practically on my head half the time so I really wonder what difference it makes. I'm going to get his germs one way or another, lol.

Betsygee - my table is also used for things I'm too lazy to put away. So much so Jasper can't even find room to sit

That is FUNNY--I agree about getting their germs one way or another.  And the table...

I love you guys--finally found a group of peeps I can relate to.  LOLOL  

 

 

 

[cat dad]

I tried everything, double tape, air can, soda cans, tin foil...etc...

The thing that ended up working best is training with positive reinforcement. If one is on the counter or the dining table, I go over and pat the chair or stool and say softly "get down". At first it took awhile and required some gentle herding and a few picking up and setting down on the chair/stool, but eventually they got it. When they do as they are told they get cuddles and praise. Its all the same concept as clicker training, which you might try because he's so young.

I went from constantly trying to keep them off and stressing everyone out, to maybe a couple times a week.

Of course you do all realize they are up there having counter parties when we aren't home or are sleeping.  

 

[betsygee]

 
Of course you do all realize they are up there having counter parties when we aren't home or are sleeping.  

Yep!! You are so right.   

 

[kookoo4kitties]

Our table used to be the one stop junk drop, but we lived in a modified motel for 2 1/2 years  up until 9/1 where our bedroom was also the dining room, so now we are really loving having a table again.  At first she was jumping all over us while we ate, but we started giving her her daily ration of wet food at dinner time, so now she leaves us alone.  I just dont see what the attraction is to the table. It is completely bare, not even a speck of lint to bat around.  I'm honestly starting to think she is just getting a kick out of sitting in the middle of the table all cocky and rubbing it in my face that she is on the table again. LOL  Already dreading the Christmas tree. 

Awhile back when we had two cats, my daughter and I used to joke about them breaking into the Fancy Feast and doing the Kitty Conga on the counters when we were gone. lollol