Tips For Keeping Kittens Off Of Counters And Other Things?

[ldy71]

So my kittens are four months old now and are starting to figure out they can get onto more than just the chairs in the living room and their cat tree, which is a problem I would like to nip in the bud. Unfortunately, they seem to be adept at dodging aluminum cans and also don't seem to be bothered by aluminum foil. The boy tries to bite it and drag it away, and the girl doesn't have any issues with stepping all over it. Are there any other ways I can gradually teach them to not jump on top of certain things in my apartment?

 

[susanm9006]

First, don’t keep any food on counters or in the sink and clean up immediately after eating. Then you have to pick them up and set them down every single time they climb up. And you may need to keep on doing that for months.

One thing you could try and it is a great time of year to do it is some kind of motion activated toy that sings, talks or since it is nearly Halloween, shrieks. It may be enough to scare them so they don’t want to try it again.

 

[LTS3]

Here's an article with tips: How To Keep Cats Off Counters And Tables

General behavior modification tips:

How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat
The Dos And Don'ts Of Cat Behavior Modification
5 Reasons To Never Spray Water On Your Cat
Solving Cat Behavior Problems: The Key Ingredient
Cats And Discipline Don't Mix

 

[Neko-chan's mama]

I got my kitty to stop this by covering cheap plastic place mats with double sided tape. Put them on the counters and when she jumped up she felt the sticky. She stopped trying after only a few days.

 

[kittenmittens84]

I’ve successfully used double sided tape to end my kitten’s nightstand reign of terror. The tape is good because cats don’t like the sticky feeling of tape on their paws, but it’s not scary or startling like putting something noisy in their way would be. After a few days of tape on the counter you should be able to take it off with no issue.

 

[ArtNJ]

susanm9006 mentions what should be your first try. Pick them up off counter, do not pet, immediately put on floor. Repeat x500 over several weeks, being consistent (when you see it anyway). May work, or not. Or may work partially -- may train the cat to not go on the counter *only* when you aren't around b/c cats are smart.

I've never done the sticky tape, but that does seem to be the gold standard.

For something like curtains, I've used the loud "no!" or clapping loudly method. Has to be loud enough to be somewhat startling.

There is another method, not yet mentioned. Not trying to be flip, but this method is known as getting over it. Many, many of us eventually turn to this method. It is one of the best methods for staying sane, especially with some kitties. Of course, this method is not suited for somethings. All of us, for example, will make a serious try at defending the curtains and such.

P.S. As far as the negative comments on squirt guns in the article linked, my personal opinion is that it is an OK method if it is limited to one particular area and the squirter is always left there. If you have to run for it, doesn't work. So its a bad method for defending multiple areas around the house, but if you want to keep a squirter by the stove or something, I personally think that is ok, if not the first thing to try.

 

[sargon]

IMO, in most cases you can't. At best you will stop your cat from going up there when you are around. There's lots of video footage of cats who "never go on counters doing just that when humans aren't around.