Cat training?

Old 10-25-2009, 04:12 PM
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So... I haven't had a cat in 10 years and I now have one about 6 months old. I am having an issue with her jumping onto the dining room table and the kitchen countertops. This bothers me A LOT and I don't know how to get her to stop. She will not get off with me telling her, yelling at her, nothing until I go over there and make her get off. Several times when I have sat down to eat she has jumped onto the table in a flash, almost into my plate.

My daughter and her children just moved out and the kitchen and counter are totally clear of any dishes or food for probably the first time in 6 months. That's my only idea about why she is so intent on jumping up there.

How do I get her to stop?

Edited: I just realized that might be why she seems to be so fat. I have double checked that I am not feeding her too much but she is chunky. She may be used to eating off the counters when no one is around (or maybe when others were around and I was at work all day).
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Old 10-25-2009, 04:34 PM
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Some suggestions:

1. Maybe she needs some exercise. That would get rid of the fat and make her need to jump around less. Can you allow her out in the yard? Or take her for walks?

2. That probably isn't why she liks being up on table and counters, though. To discipline her, when she's up there go pick her up, say NO loudly and put her in a cat carrier for a time. 20 minutes? Whatever you tihkn works. Do this consistently and she'll learn that you don't want her up there. Whether she'll abide by that when you're not there is another thing.

3. Post this question on a pets forum for much better answers - though this one has so many cat owners you ought to get some great ideas here.
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Old 10-25-2009, 04:39 PM
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that's a good idea, the cat carrier time out.

Maybe she will also learn that there is nothing on the counter or table for her. I don't leave ANYTHING on the counters. I clean and put away or rinse off and put in the dishwasher everything I use immediately and wipe up any spills or crumbs.
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Old 10-25-2009, 04:49 PM
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Take a clean spray bottle like from the dollar store or something and give her a squirt of water. You can reach her from across the room with that, they do NOT like the water. My cats know to quit what they're doing when I so much as reach for the bottle, or just have it next to me.
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Old 10-25-2009, 05:02 PM
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I've heard of the water bottle, I'll have to get one. When she jumps on the counter when I'm at the sink I flick water from my fingers at her and she jumps down real quick.
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Old 10-25-2009, 05:53 PM
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I was going to suggest the spray bottle of water too! lol!!!
Our's know they're not suppose to be on the counters table, etc, and will usually jump down quick if we just hiss at them. lol!!!
My tubby cat Blu also knows she's not suppose to be on a quilt when it's on the frame, and will turn her head away if I see her. Apparently thinking if she can't see me, I can't see her! lol!!! I've been trying to remember to get a spray bottle for her, for this.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:00 PM
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Definitely try the water bottle; some people also have luck with shaking pennies in a can. What you need, though, is a consistent signal to train the cat. Anytime she jumps on the table, clap your hands loudly and say "Down!" in a sharp tone -- if you have to move towards her and get her down, that's fine (or clap hands, say "Down!", and then spray her with water). Over time, though, she'll understand that if you clap your hands and say "Down!", that she's going to get pushed down or squirted, and she'll start to do it on her own. But it takes time -- cats are a lot slower to train than dogs.

About the weight gain -- are you free feeding her? If so, I would stop doing that, and just feed her a specific allotted amount at certain times. You do NOT want to have a severely overweight cat (trust me, I speak from experience), as once they put on the weight, it takes years to get it off. Also, are you feeding wet or dry? Wet food is generally better, and helps to keep the weight down, because it's almost all protein, whereas dry food is almost always mostly carbs (corn filler, etc). Wet food is generally healthier, too, as it's closer to what a cat would actually eat in the wild -- back in the day, vets used to say to feed dry food because it helps keep the tartar off the cat's teeth, but that's been discarded lately as not being true (there is a very slight difference in tartar, but the pros of feeding wet over dry far outweigh that marginal pro). If a vet is telling you to feed dry for that reason, I would question their knowledge of the latest research.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:01 PM
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Yep, it works really well, they learn fast!

Most of the time, if I see them preparing to jump up or someting, I just go 'hey!' and they know I mean business :)
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:37 PM
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if she's fat, the kids may have been sneaking her food. you'll never know that. does she have toys that keep her active? like a fuzzy thing on a spring hanging from the door frame, that she can do while you're gone?
or one of those balls in a circular open ring that they bat at but can't get the ball out of. anything that keeps her moving will do. try rolling a wadded-up piece of aluminum foil. the other solution (ALWAYS worked for me) is another kitten. they keep each other occupied all day, every day. nobody gets fat. and nobody gets lonely while you're gone to work.

i always had good luck with a spray bottle. i only misted, but that was enough. i also said 'no' in a very firm voice. keep the nails short so it's hard to get a grip on tabletops and be prepared for wetness, especially on kitchen floors. very slippery. but they do learn. another thing they hate is when you blow gently in their face.

edited to say this: she may really only want to be near you. she may need to spend more time with you now that the house is emptier. and some cats are "needier" than others and need more attention, so this may not be a food thing at all.
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Old 10-25-2009, 06:54 PM
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I have used the squirt bottle for years. It works like a charm and after a few times the cats learn not to misbehave.
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