Kitten training/discipline

ParkRunner

I have 2 cats, both female, which are about 2 and a half months old now. They are litter trained and usually use that fine, but one thing I can't seem to stop them doing is jumping up on the table and kitchen worktop.

I take them off the table/worktop any time I see them up there and give them a firm "No" and they know by now that they shouldn't be doing it, because any time I come into the room, there's a scurry to get down onto the ground :rolleyes:

Is it just a case of persisting with saying No and putting them on the ground or is there any other way to train them?

Heroditas

EF wrote: »

Is it just a case of persisting with saying No and putting them on the ground or is there any other way to train them?

Just keep persisting.
At least then they might not get onto the table when you're in the room.

You just gotta ignore the fact that they will jump on the table and worktop when you are not around.

Zapperzy

Tell me if you find a way to train them not to jump up. My 5 year old cat who Iv had for 4 and a half years still does it, won't jump up in front of anybody but you'l find the tell tale pawprints left on the hob when you walk in.
There are motion sensor sprays that you can get that spray water at a cat when they jump up, but cats are smart and im sure will figure out not to jump up in front of it. :rolleyes:

muppet_man

EF wrote: »

Is it just a case of persisting with saying No and putting them on the ground

I think it's just a case of just persisting in saying no.
Also as you say NO, emphasize it by giving a firm clap of your hands. The sudden sharp bang gives them a small fright which they don't like. They soon associate it with doing wrong.
I just clap my hands once in any situation and my lad knows he's doing wrong.

Good luck with your training.

ParkRunner

seems like they know they can get away with it when all is quiet, and as I work long days there isn't much I can do about it!

I don't especially mind them doing it as cats will be cats, but they have smashed a few glasses which could injure them and obviously it is not good to have a cat walking around where food is normally prepared.

A waterpistol may be the last resort. That seemed to strike terror into the last guy I had

Jinxi

EF wrote: »

seems like they know they can get away with it when all is quiet, and as I work long days there isn't much I can do about it!

I don't especially mind them doing it as cats will be cats, but they have smashed a few glasses which could injure them and obviously it is not good to have a cat walking around where food is normally prepared.

A waterpistol may be the last resort. That seemed to strike terror into the last guy I had

It's never going to happen!
You are never going to win this battle. This is why I love cats. They will do exactly as you desire of them when you are in sight, but as soon as your are now where to be seen all rules are off.
All you can do is after cooking put everything away, and before cooking, wipe oll surfaces down with antbacterial spray.:D

tallus

Jinxi wrote: »

It's never going to happen!
You are never going to win this battle. This is why I love cats. They will do exactly as you desire of them when you are in sight, but as soon as your are now where to be seen all rules are off.
All you can do is after cooking put everything away, and before cooking, wipe oll surfaces down with antbacterial spray.:D

I'm in total agreement here. My two always jump up onto the kitchen counter when I'm not around. I find the telltale hairs on the counter all the time.
I usually spray the counter with MrMuscle cleaner or a similar cleaner.

Graces7

Jinxi wrote: »

It's never going to happen!
You are never going to win this battle. This is why I love cats. They will do exactly as you desire of them when you are in sight, but as soon as your are now where to be seen all rules are off.
All you can do is after cooking put everything away, and before cooking, wipe oll surfaces down with antbacterial spray.:D

And if there are ferals around, close all the windows at night..... Cats are opportunists. Lost a bag of chicken wings left out to defrost to a feral.. Well, some were still only half chewed..

morganafay

Good luck with it when I had a cat in an apartment he would always go on the counters but I didn't mind. Just make sure to clean the counter first if you're preparing food on it. But then I moved in with my sister and she wanted me to train him to not go on the counters, which was impossible. It meant I had to shut him in my room when I wasn't home poor kitty, but at least she worked evenings so she let him out most days while I was out.

My cat used to do it for attention though because he liked being given out to, he was bored living in an apartment with no other cats.

Saying no, being persistant, clapping or banging something loud, and spraying water are all good ways to stop them when you're in the room.

There's also a spray thing to stop dogs chewing furniture and stuff, and we sprayed it all over the front of the kitchen cupboards, and it deterred the cat pretty well, but after like a day you have to spray it again and it smells bad and can't be too healthy to be breathing in. I gave up on that after a few days.

Graces7

When I first had one of my Siamese queens, a redoubtable lady all her life long, she introduced herself by leaping on the counter to devour tuna I had offered her, then doing the largest "whoopsie" you ever saw.

Staring defiantly at me the whole while. "I do what I like where I like..OK? OK!"

I cannot remember my response; just those indignant, scared blue eyes.

ParkRunner

They are clever little things alright. I went into the kitchen again this morning and one of them jumped down off the kitchen worktop but the other one I couldnt find for a while.

A bounce of a plastic ball (which she can't resist) quickly revealed that she had jumped into the cupboard where the gas boiler is onto a shelf there and kept very quiet!