# Climbing my legs. WITH CLAWS !



## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

Recently Chloe and missy have been climbing my legs when i've been preparing dinner. they often do it when i am cutting up meat. they have food in there food bowl but wont eat it because they know i would be eating my meal later on, sumtimes they even jump on the dinning room table while im eating, how can i stop this behaviour from happening??


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I close them into a room until dinner preparations are made/eaten.
For keeping them off the table, same thing...though that is what I usually reserve the squirt water bottle for...deterring table-surfing during meals. Our cats stay off the table when we eat, unless it is chicken/turkey. Then I *must* close them into the bedroom. They are chicken/turkey-mongers and will do any/every-thing to get some of that meat. It is just easier and less stressful all around if I keep them away until the end of the meal.


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

should of put in as well that every time i open the fridge they come running for my legs :yikes


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Time for a diet? :mrgreen: 



:lol: I'm sorry! I couldn't resist that! _I was thinking to myself that kittens climbing legs could be a wonderful deterrent to excessive snacking...thinking of my husband who needs to lose about 60# and can't seem to control his fridge-surfing._
I 've never had a problem with kitties climbing me at the fridge. When we first rescued our kittens they *would* climb my legs. Wearing jeans it wasn't much of a problem and the kittens were pretty small. However, as the warmer weather came on I began to wear shorts and the kittens were growing by then and their claws HURT on my bare legs! 

I think you need to de-sensitize them *away* from your legs when preparing food. _My kittens (1995) only climbed my legs when I was getting their canned food meal ready. Now, when I foster litters of kittens they stay in my bathroom and I prepare their food in the kitchen and then carry it to them ready-to-serve so I've never given them a reason to climb my legs._ I think what you may need to do, is utilize a water bottle set to "mist" instead of a jet-steam and mist it into their faces when they try to climb your legs. Also, *yell* to let them know they are hurting you! Yell "Ow!" or "Ouch!" or "Hey! That hurts!" and jump a little bit. I think if they had visual (spray bottle), auditory (yelling ow) and physical (you jumping/flinching in pain) they would get the idea fairly quickly...you'll just have to be consistent with them.

Oh, one other thought...are they getting enough food, specifically nutrition from the food? They aren't climbing you in desperation are they? Just climbing because you *might* have something yummy?
heidi


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## cmw0829 (Nov 23, 2008)

Our cats will jump on the counter while we prepare dinner. We have an extended window sill at the window over the sink. Sometimes, the older one - knowing she's about to be scolded - will head to the window and sit in it. Otherwise, the older one will respond to a stern "down", the younger one is clueless and needs to be physically removed.

The older one will try to surf the table - again most of the time a stern "down" gets her off the table; other times, she'll lay on the pile of papers over in the corner to keep an eye on our plates. The younger cat doesn't generally try to get on the table.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Urgh, yes! *slaps hand to forehead* I'm still working on the newest (youngest) cat in our household, trying to get him to learn that "Down!" means he needs to JUMP DOWN before I have to go and PUSH him over the edge of the counter, where he will be 'down' anyways at MY choice and not his.

We've had Floofy for 4mo + a year. He is about 2.5yrs old. So I've been working on that "down!" command with him for 16mo. I think he is extraordinarily dense. I've *never* had such a stubborn cat! He just watches me with his great, big googley-eyes and waits for me to push him off the counter. The big lug. Can someone, _anyone_, give him a clue?


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## Josh 91 (Jan 25, 2009)

Heidi n Q said:


> Time for a diet? :mrgreen:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


water gun will be purchased tommorowm and yeah they get there food, there just greedy and want more the little buggers


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