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-   -   I am at my wits end with this cat!!! (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/i-am-my-wits-end-cat-t35054.html)

pittsburgpam 01-24-2010 10:59 PM

For months I have been after her to not jump on the kitchen table. She wasn't doing it as much but the last few weeks she WILL NOT STOP!!! I yell at her, clap my hands, spray her with water, and nothing will keep her from doing it!!

I can sit here in the family room about 8 feet away from the table and she will jump up on the table. I spray her and she will get onto a chair where I can't reach her with the water. I yell, tell her to get down, clap my hands, everythiing and she will sit there looking at me until I get up and walk over there. Then she will jump down. Not a minute later she is jumping up there again! I have had it!! There is absolutely nothing on the table, I never leave food on the table, she has food and water.

I have started putting her in the garage for hours after she has done it. Nothing is working.

adriansmom 01-24-2010 11:05 PM

Try putting tin foil on the table. Cats don't like it. Hopefully that works.

memathomas 01-24-2010 11:57 PM

move the chairs away see if that helps

Prism99 01-25-2010 12:32 AM

She is playing a game that gets her attention. Putting her in the garage won't help because she will not make the connection between getting on the table and being in the garage. She'll just become more starved for attention, which will reinforce her game playing to get attention.

There must be cat forums with people knowledgeable about cat psychology who could make some suggestions.

Okay, I Googled and came up with the following forum about cat behavior. Couldn't find your particular problem in a search there, so you may want to post and see if someone can help.
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5

k3n 01-25-2010 12:55 AM

I agree with the tinfoil idea - I had a cat used to dig in my houseplants - not poop luckily, just dig! And tin foil scrunched around them stopped him. After a while I took the foil away and he didn't resume - the habit was broken.

I also agree that shutting her in the garage won't work. She won't understand the 'punishment' - though I can understand your frustration. I've had a lot of cats over the years and some have jumped on tables and some haven't. My current one doesn't luckily but I know it's a p in the a. Try the foil, spread over the table, slightly scrunched up. If that doesn't work, try something slightly spiky, like holly branches. Not anything that will cause serious injury, just discomfort. You could also try ignoring her, see if that works - if it's just attention seeking, that might stop her. :D

Prism99 01-25-2010 01:07 AM

I read also that cats do not like citrus smells. Maybe a centerpiece of lemons, or some strategically placed lemon-scented sachets, would convince her the table is not a good place to be.

marsye 01-25-2010 03:24 AM

Thats a cat for ya! :lol:

Elisabrat 01-25-2010 03:54 AM

Citrus does work you do need however to cut the lemon in half and quarters gently squeeze it a bit so the juice is really on top and recut it at least once more a day (take a thin slice off) .. the foil is an excellent thought too. That or something that would be sticky to her feet.. like the back of tape feeling? (cant think of what that would be but its out there) she would jump up. and first step would HATE having her foot not move withher at ease. Also they do sell those pads that give them a tiny shock(real tiny) that you can use for counters/couches etc to keep them from going on them think they are called scat mats? Lets see you could put magazines on the table if she jumped on them they would slip off the table with her? they hate that. Put some lemon in that water too. The garage she will NEVER associate with jumping on the table. It has to be the table. Oh how about one of those barking frog things motion detector that would yell at her it might startle her ? GOOD LUCK.

Blockhead 01-25-2010 04:01 AM

There is a double sided tape designed especially for this. You can get it in pet shops or online (sorry I forget the brand name). Cats hate sticky on their feet. You can also use it on furniture etc. to stop scratching

Better still, play with her. Use a cat toy, scrunched up paper bag, a ball, anything. Spend 15 mins per day playing with her and see what a difference a happy cat makes.

azdesertrat 01-25-2010 04:57 AM

they don't like moth balls either,put some moth balls on the table in a dish and hopefully she will stop


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