# How Do I Keep Cat Off Things



## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

My new kitty is getting into and onto everything, including some places where I do not want him - like the kitchen counter top and the half-wall separating the counter and the dining room. This half-wall is where I keep some papers, coins, keys, mail, etc. This morning I awoke to find my pen caddy on the floor. Yesterday I had to pick up business cards from the floor. He climbs on the area where I prepare food.

The water bottle is not effective - partly because I might not have the right type (not a powerful spray) but also I don't always see him there like at night or when I'm at work. And a few times, he was up there and he saw me coming with the bottle so he jumped down. I spray him, but he just licks it off!

I've also seen him claw at some furniture and sprayed him. He just licks it off and comes over to me for a head rub! Its like he doesn't get it!

What else can I do?


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

He is just being a cat! When dealing with my own cats, I just find it easier to keep anything valuable out of reach, like a drawer or cupboard. As far as the clawing the furniture, you have some choices. Trim his claws (don't cut to short, the claws have a a quick that goes almost to the middle of the claw), Kitty nailcaps, a deterrent spray, a calming pheromone diffuser to reduce anxiety, a motion sensor air can, like Psssscat. These things you can find at any pet shop, but I have found them much cheaper on Amazon. With the counters, i just make sure to wipe my work areas with dressing extant wipes before using, but some of the options above will work here too. Make sure your boy has plenty of scratching posts of different textures. He is new to your home and still getting used to his new home. I hope this helps!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I have cardboard scratchers on the floor next to most of my furniture, but I'm lucky, my girls aren't furniture scratchers. 

With the counters and tables, cats like being up high, simple as that. I put breakable stuff away and make my counters are boring as possible. I wipe them down before I use them. I actually like it when they sit on the counter in the kitchen and keep me company while I'm in there. They do sit on the other side of the sink, they know their boundaries while I'm cooking. :grin:

Cali's feeding spot is on my antique coffee table, so I guess I'm not fussy about my stuff, it's their house, too.


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Amelia is into and onto everything. If I don't want her to have it, it is under lock and key.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Good luck with this. I'd use double sided tape on the underside of that pen caddy. I have trained the cats to not go on the counters with Sssscat motion detector air can spray but I know they do it at night because I see paw prints on the stainless steel stove top. I had to put duct tape under a flower vase of fake flowers to keep them from tipping it over!


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## maggie23 (Mar 10, 2012)

ah, the joys of "disciplining" a kitten! I wish you luck! I've also heard tin foil can be a deterrent to some cats cuz they don't like to walk on it. but every cat's different, so you will have to experiment. 

but I agree you are also going to have to rearrange your own things as well (put away or just get rid of the breakables, put all the pens and stuff that can spill everywhere in a locked drawer, etc...). give him other fun things to explore and play with - i.e. cat trees, cardboard boxes, scratching pads, paper bags, little rugs, toys, etc... perhaps he will eventually learn what he can and can NOT play with in time.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

This was an adjustment for me when I adopted the cats. I did as other has suggested because unless you can be there every second, I am afraid it is hard to win the battle. I also have different types of scratchers and I rub them down with cat nip sometimes.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My first two cats, Cinderella and Cleo, didn't jump on *anything*. Ever.

Then the bratz arrived and corrupted Cleo.


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## Adalaide (May 3, 2016)

My plan is to put in cat shelving on my dining room wall in a place where Taco will be able to see the kitchen and living room also. It'll also give him the highest possible points in all three rooms. If I put a couple pens, empty pill bottles or chip clips on a shelf here and there it should be sufficient to entice him since those are his favorite things to attack on the desks. Anything in the house that can either hurt him, or that he can hurt, I just plain old keep away from him. I just had to chase him out of the fridge, the dishwasher, and a cupboard in the space of about 60 seconds. He loves being where he shouldn't be.


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## maybecharlie (Mar 27, 2016)

my kitten loves to be wherever I am, and it scares me to death when I'm cooking near the stove top. We have had to resort to, in his room door closed.....I hate that, but better to be safe.


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## G-PEG123 (Feb 20, 2014)

One of my cats delights in batting things until they fall off the kitchen counter. Cute and annoying!


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## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

maybecharlie said:


> it scares me to death when I'm cooking near the stove top.


That's the reason I decided to close the bedroom door at night & make it off limits to him. He'd be all over me and all the furniture as well as under it and I wouldn't be able to sleep. He has the rest of the apartment overnight though I do get a bit nervous if I hear the sound of something falling.

So it sounds like everyone pretty much lets the cat get up on most of your surfaces & furniture. Mine will also get up on the bathroom vanity and lay down in the sink.


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## maybecharlie (Mar 27, 2016)

Oh yes FatCat, the bathroom vanity sink is the latest here as well.


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## Adalaide (May 3, 2016)

I doubt Taco will ever be enamored with the sink. It is what we currently use as his bathtub. He won't even get on the bathroom counter on his own. Not counting on this sticking though, the bathroom he's allowed in is his overnight room and is 100% safe for him but the TP is on the counter. Eventually I'm sure I'll find it shredded one morning.


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## TabbCatt (Mar 26, 2014)

My cats are fully grown and they STILL want to be where they aren't allowed, like my bedroom closet (plastic bags in there--they will eat them otherwise), TV cabinet (where the cables and wires are bundled up--they will chew on those, too), and now wants to inspect inside my file drawer, mainly because I keep their cat dancer and Go Cat mouse toy inside one of the inner drawers. They also delighted to go under my sofa and scratch at the fabric stapled at the bottom, to yet again chew at the loose threads. Had to dismantle the legs of the sofa so they can no longer go underneath! :roll:

I don't know if this will ever end for you, it's always something new with me and "the chewers". Good luck!


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## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

Hmmmm. I bought one of those cat repellent sprays and sprayed the entrance to the kitchen. It seemed to work at first, he walked up and stopped then just laid down on the carpet outside the kitchen. It didn't last long though. By the end of the day he was up on the sink trying to explore the inside of the garbage disposal.

Is there anything natural that cats really don't like that will make them stay away? I was thinking of the thing I saw on Amazon that is a battery powered motion sensor & it sprays something but I'd hate to spend another 20 bucks seeing as how the other can I bought didn't work. I wish there was a more natural solution.

He'll also get up on the vanity in the bathroom and he looked like he was interested in the toothbrush sitting in the holder..... :O

I tried the old water bottle trick. Its funny though, he doesn't learn. He'll run away when I spray him then lick the water off and he'll try again.


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## RomanLilith (Jun 15, 2016)

Hi! So I know you posted this awhile ago but I thought I should still comment with my experience. If your cat keeps jumping up on counters one thing you might like to try putting wax paper on your counters then putting some water in it(not too much but enough so that if the cat jumps on it he will get his paws wet). Cats generally dont like to get their feet wet so over time he should start to associate the counter with wet feet. 
I don't usually discipline my kitties as they dont really understand it so therefore it is ineffective. However one method I have found that works somewhat(on younger cats who are not already set in their ways) is treating them like their mother would. If you find him on the counters firmly but calmly grab is scuff. DO NOT hold him or dangle him by it. Just grab it, carry him while supporting his weight fully by holding his bottom. Go sit down and begin to pet him, groom him, etc and then let him go. In cat world thats like gently popping a kids wrists when they reach for the stove and then hugging them to tell them you still love them


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## GovtLawyer (Feb 17, 2016)

You can only do so much. You can plan ahead and kitty proof your home, but you will absolutely find that there are places you never thought of. Don't get too crazy about it and don't torture your kitty with sprays and other stuff. Cats are not good learners in that regard and they do not understand punishment. When your cat gets into something you should address that place by fortifying it or removing important stuff. Try to give it as much stuff to play with or otherwise occupy it so it will not need to go where you do not want it to. Have fun. Kittens are awesome.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

RomanLilith said:


> In cat world thats like gently popping a kids wrists when they reach for the stove and then hugging them to tell them you still love them


 No, in cat world you're just interrupting their fun.

I don't understand the obsession some people have with keeping their cats off counters. Just keep breakable things put away (Hello! You have cats!), keep the counter boring and simply wipe it down before you use it again.


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## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

I think I found the trick to keep him out of the garbage disposal. Cover the opening with the sink stopper. He has not yet tried to lift the stopper!

I haven't had much luck with the water bottle. It seems that he doesn't get it - be somewhere you're not supposed to and you get sprayed in the face. I haven't used it a lot lately though.

Do you worry about germs being tracked around when the cat roams on your kitchen table and counter tops? Those paws have been in the litter box. I bought some disinfecting wipes to try. They're lemon scented so maybe he won't like that smell - but maybe they'll make cleaning quicker anyway.

My cat does like to go everywhere I do, including inside the refrigerator when I open it. So far though, he hasn't broken or ingested anything. He did try and chew some papers so I had to hide them.


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

Do keep in mind that if a kitty walks onto an area that has had a chemical applied to it - such as the disinfectant on the wipes - they might get the chemical on their paws and then lick it off later when they groom themselves. It might be tempting to hope that the strong smell deters your cat - but I'd personally wipe down the surfaces with a clean wet sponge or wet paper towel after using the disinfectant, to remove the chemical residue.

And - although I think many users here will disagree with my methods - I have found the "scare tactic" to work wonders with my cat. For example, when my cat comes inside the house (she usually stays in the garage), she is not allowed in the kitchen. When I first started bringing her inside the house more often, I would bring her into the living room. If she started to walk into the kitchen, I would smack my hands down on the carpet VERY hard and shout "NO!", basically making as much noise as I could. This would, as one might expect, scare the daylights out of my cat for one second.

It only took a few times before my cat learned that the kitchen was off-limits. She hasn't set paw in the kitchen in four years, even when I'm in there with some kind of delicious-smelling food. (She will, however, stand RIGHT at the edge of the carpeting/tile border that marks the end of the living room and start of the kitchen and will yowl and demand some of whatever I'm eating!) She has also frequently been left in the house unsupervised (as a test) and she has never gone into the kitchen.

And, she has not suffered any psychological damage as a result - no inappropriate urination, no behavior changes, no aggression. 

It's my opinion that animals don't always respond well to what we humans imagine as discipline or attempts to change their negative, unwanted behaviors. Animals are not humans, and are not capable of human logic or deduction, so we must instead observe how (for example) a mother cat "disciplines" her kittens when they do something undesirable - such as biting her. She will probably yowl or hiss, and will also probably swat the kitten with a paw. These are the signals that a cat understands. I do not condone smacking a cat or disciplining them physically, but I think the "loud noise"/scare equivalent of another cat's yowl or hiss is something they WILL understand. 

Of course, some cats may not be teachable this way, and some cats will probably just ignore the "scare tactic", but it worked for me, and it doesn't involve any physical correction measures that often seem to result in a cat associating pain/punishment with the person instead of with the unwanted behavior.

Also, as for worrying about germs - I think this comic I saw pretty much says it all:

The hardest part of owning a cat - GIF on Imgur

Catt-butt is inevitable. We must simply soldier on.


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## RomanLilith (Jun 15, 2016)

marie73 said:


> I don't understand the obsession some people have with keeping their cats off counters.



This has worked with my three kittens. After being scruffed(but held firmly on their behind so they are not hurt) and removed from the counter a couple times they have avoided it. 
I don't want the cats on the counter because 1) Their feet are dirty and I don't want feces tracked where I prepare food. 2) They could get hurt if they get near a hot stove. 3) They could get into poisonous food. 4) They can knock things over and break them(I keep stuff on my counter because I don't have a lot of storage space. I have no other choice) and 5) They are animals. They do not belong on counters. I wouldn't let my dog get up there so why should I allow my cats?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Wow. You DO know that your cats walk on *everything* in your house. Your sofa, your chairs, your blankets, your pillows (gasp!), every inch of your place. They put their little sweet feet on your lips while you're sleeping. And they walk on your counters when you're not home. They probably have counter parties, invite friends over. I hope you don't blame your cats when things get broken, because it's not their fault, it's yours, because it wasn't secured. They're *just* cats. They like to be up high, they're not being brats. 

And there shouldn't be poisonous food where *any* animal can get to it.


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## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

LOL! My cat's butt has been on every surface in my apartment  That hit home last week when my cat pooped in the litter box and it was kind of a soft/gooey one, and he did it up against the side of the box so that it didn't drop down - it got on the box side and also his butt as he was up against it. Afterward, he walked out of the bathroom and straight for me on the sofa and hopped up on my lap. How cute I thought...until he got up & I noticed the cat poop on my pants. Some of it had gotten stuck on his fur from being up against the side of the litter box!

I just thought of something. When my cat was in an off limit area I'd pick him up and set him on the floor. But maybe I need to scruff him. If the momma cat does that for discipline then maybe he'd understand that better. I always picked him up in a relatively comfortable way so maybe he doesn't associate that with bad behavior.

I just got a new computer desk last week. He likes to go behind it. I've heard wires rustling and he's grabbed the pressed-wood surface. It makes me nervous with him being behind there. I don't know what else I can do. I've got a big cat tree for him to play on and it has a scratch post but he never uses it.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

LMAo @ "feces tracked where i prepare food" ....... as compared to all the other places is in your home that has your cat's naked pucker pressed against it. Like the sweet laundered pillow that you nestle your face against at night. Or the couch cushion where you rest you head.... or the blankets you cuddle into at night. 

What makes you think that your cat isn't doing the hokie pokie on the counters while rifling through poisonous foods the SECOND you walk out the door?

Also, comparing cat to dog is just dumb. Dogs aren't generally climbers and other than looking for food rarely have a desire to be high up. By your logic you should be walking your cat to poop or your dog should be pooping in the litterbox........


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

MowMow said:


> Also, comparing cat to dog is just dumb. Dogs aren't generally climbers and other than looking for food rarely have a desire to be high up. By your logic you should be walking your cat to poop or your dog should be pooping in the litterbox........


LOL...my dog, Jake, got up on a table once when no one was around because the Trader Joe's Spinach Dip was really tempting. He got yelled at, not even by me, by a friend. 4 years later and he has never done anything remotely like it ever again. On the other hand, Holly has been yelled at, pushed off the counter, squirted, attempts at training etc. etc. multiple times a day for 10 years and still pays no attention. 

There is a reason for this quote:

_Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea._


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## RomanLilith (Jun 15, 2016)

My cats are not allowed to roam the entire house when I am not home. They stay in their own room with most of their toys and climbing posts. Everything in there is secured and completely cat proof. However when I am home I still do not want them on the kitchen counters for the many reasons I listed. That is my own personal choice. 
I don't feel it is necessary to try to shame me or make fun of me when I was simply answering the original question of the thread. The question asked was how to keep cats off of things. I provided my solution. Thats much better than saying "oh well. get over it"


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

It's just funny to see someone in such denial about the secret lives of cats. :grin:

I tried the spray thing on Cali when she was young, and she just squinted her eyes shut, waited for the spray, then continued on with her business.

Are your cats allowed to sit on your lap? Snuggle on the sofa or bed next to you while you're reading or watching t.v.?


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## Spea (Apr 24, 2016)

I get the idea behind the fact that cats are on everything in the house, so it shouldn't matter that they get on the counters. 

However... I really would just prefer that my cats didn't get on my kitchen counters or the table. I guess it's because I don't want them where we eat (or sleep - we also don't allow them in our bedroom). And like the other poster, I also keep my cats in their own room when we are am not home. 

They haven't tried the counter yet, but I don't doubt that they'll get up there eventually. They are on the kitchen table all the time though and while I don't particularly like it, I really don't know what to do about it either. I don't like the idea of scaring them (water bottles, shouting, etc.) so I just deal with it. Comes with the territory of having a cat I suppose. Luckily my table is glass and I have just kept the table cloths off of it and wipe it down before we use it.


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## RomanLilith (Jun 15, 2016)

I am not in denial. As I stated they do not roam free in the house without me there. And again its not only about the germs. Its also dangerous for them. Plus it bothers the other three people I live with. 
Getting on furniture and snuggling with me are so different from kitchen counters and tables. Its easy to wash your hands/shower etc. Plus a sofa is different than a kitchen counter. I don't make my pb&j sandwiches on the couch.


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## vlapinta (Apr 29, 2015)

When you figure out what works please let me know lol


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

If you search this topic on the forum, you will find a gazillion threads in this same topic. We occasionally get someone who claims their cat is totally trained to stay off the counters, knowing cats pretty well, I'm betting the cat had very little interest in the counters to begin with. Kobi hardly ever got up on the counter, only did it when he was hungry and wanted to rub on the dry food container to get his message across. 

In general I don't believe a cat can be trained to stay off the counter if it's determined to be up there. You can minimize their interest by removing as much stuff as possible. But, imo, without resorting to extreme measures (I consider locking them in a room when not home or sleeping kind of extreme) keeping them off counters 100% of the time is impossible. 

Everyone wants the magic bullet for controlling cats, it just doesn't exist, they're not dogs.


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## Adalaide (May 3, 2016)

On this topic, our little girl just discovered how to get up. Not the worst thing in the world. I just need to be careful what I store in my produce basket for safety. And I moved my chocolate cake to the microwave. And now all dishes go straight into the dishwasher instead of into the sink so I can load it right. (because I don't believe anyone else is capable of doing it right) But none of that is that big a deal. We can handle that. 

My concern is that she does it when someone is in the kitchen because I get them their food in the kitchen. But I'm so scared she'll get hurt! We have a glass top stove. For me a light stays on to let me know that it's still hot for as long as it stays hot, but she doesn't understand that. How can I keep her safe from serious burns? One day she'll get up without a person there, and it'll be right after I make supper. It takes the stove a good 30 minutes to cool off, so I can't just stand there the whole time letting supper get cold.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Adalaide said:


> But none of that is that big a deal. We can handle that.


A positive in them being on the counter, is forces me to keep the kitchen spotless. 




Adalaide said:


> How can I keep her safe from serious burns?


A teakettle. I have a regular old school stainless steel teapot. When the burner is still hot I open the lid of a teapot that's about 1/4 full on the burner before I walk away. I leave the lid open so it doesn't whistle, it just gets hot/boils then cools off again. This keeps the boys from walking across the hot burner (it's NEVER happened, but safety first) and it eases my mind.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

LakotaWolf said:


> *snip* This would, as one might expect, scare the daylights out of my cat for one second.*snip* She has also frequently been left in the house unsupervised (as a test) and she has never gone into the kitchen.
> 
> And, she has not suffered any psychological damage as a result - no inappropriate urination, no behavior changes, no aggression.


How do you know she didn't go in? Did you use a camera? Without some way of actually checking you have no idea what happened when you were gone.

As a pet sitter I've had MANY clients swear to me their dogs don't go on the furniture and their cats wouldn't dare be on the counters...guess where they are when I open the door and come in? Right where their not supposed to be. Since they know I'm not their people (different car sound, steps, etc - pets are GREAT at patterns) they don't bother to 'follow the rules' until they think I know them too.



LakotaWolf said:


> It's my opinion that animals don't always respond well to what we humans imagine as discipline or attempts to change their negative, unwanted behaviors. Animals are not humans, and are not capable of human logic or deduction,


All this, I agree with.



LakotaWolf said:


> ...so we must instead observe how (for example) a mother cat "disciplines" her kittens when they do something undesirable - such as biting her. She will probably yowl or hiss, and will also probably swat the kitten with a paw. These are the signals that a cat understands. I do not condone smacking a cat or disciplining them physically, but I think the "loud noise"/scare equivalent of another cat's yowl or hiss is something they WILL understand.


This, not so much.

Cats might not be humans, but they do have us fully beat in other areas. We don't smell like cats, move like cats, act like cats, or sound like cats. You will never convince your cat that you are a cat - they KNOW you're not. So why would you try to act like one? If a dog suddenly started pretending it was a cat the cat would still know it wasn't another cat - they smell very different, and since smell is a cat's primary sense (aka, the one it trusts first) it's a complete waste of time to 'act like a cat'.

On top of that, human beings aren't fluent in 'cat'. We're just simply not capable. Our first reactions will always be HUMAN reactions, which means if you try to discipline you're cat as a 'mother cat would' you'll ALWAYS be doing it wrong. And on top of THAT - young cats leave their mothers when they're 6 months, or even younger. Even if a female stays with her mother, the mother stops 'mothering' when the kitten hits 4-5 months. So if your cat is older than that and you're trying to disciplining it 'like a mother cat would' you're still doing it wrong because a mother cat would be chasing it off entirely.

And then there's this:



LakotaWolf said:


> Of course, some cats may not be teachable this way, and some cats will probably just ignore the "scare tactic", but it worked for me, and it doesn't involve any physical correction measures that often seem to result in a cat associating pain/punishment with the person instead of with the unwanted behavior.


Which is VERY true. I meet a fair number of 'bitey' or 'aggressive' cats - in a number of those cases the cat is aggressive DIRECTLY because of how it's been 'disciplined'. Scaring a cat will result in fight/flight, which is NOT something you want your cat associating with people it likes. Sure, some cats will respond well, but it's a pretty big risk as others will go straight to hard biting.

Terrifying a cat out of it's wits so it doesn't enter your kitchen seems like a pretty big over reaction to me - like if I was to chase my mother with a snake so she didn't come over without being invited. Since my mom is terrified of snakes it's an apt comparison.

Keep in mind that cat's hearing is FAR better than ours, so something that's 'loud' to you could feel deafening to your cat. Picture a rock concert where you're next to the speaker - the sound is like a physical thing that pushes on you. In this context, it's like you going over to a friend's house and them using an air horn next to your ear when you get up to go somewhere.



marie73 said:


> Wow. You DO know that your cats walk on *everything* in your house. Your sofa, your chairs, your blankets, your pillows (gasp!), every inch of your place. They put their little sweet feet on your lips while you're sleeping. And they walk on your counters when you're not home. They probably have counter parties, invite friends over. I hope you don't blame your cats when things get broken, because it's not their fault, it's yours, because it wasn't secured. They're *just* cats. *They like to be up high, they're not being brats. *
> 
> And there shouldn't be poisonous food where *any* animal can get to it.


This. All of this.

As an adult human being you are responsible for the kids and animals under your care - that means making sure they are safe. If you leave something precious or breakable out when you know you have a kitten (or cat who likes to knock stuff over) then it isn't the cat's fault. They were just being a cat.



FatCat said:


> I just thought of something. When my cat was in an off limit area I'd pick him up and set him on the floor. But maybe I need to scruff him. If the momma cat does that for discipline then maybe he'd understand that better. I always picked him up in a relatively comfortable way so maybe he doesn't associate that with bad behavior.


Please don't scruff your cat. You are not a mother cat, and mothers only scruff their kittens to move them. They stop doing it when the kitten is about 3 months old and I've never seen a mother scruff a kitten to discipline them - and that's fostering MANY litters with mothers. They either walk away (young kittens, <6 weeks), or whap them on the head (for SERIOUS offenses, 6 weeks>)

With kittens or cats new to your home the best way to teach them what you like is to redirect them to that behavior. So, if the kitten is scratching your couch, calmly pick them up and put them on the scratch post. (Don't rub the post with their paws, they'll do it themselves if they like the texture.) If you see them doing something you like talk to them happily, offer a toy or treat, or pet them (if they like being petted and aren't in 'play mode').



FatCat said:


> I just got a new computer desk last week. He likes to go behind it. I've heard wires rustling and he's grabbed the pressed-wood surface. It makes me nervous with him being behind there. I don't know what else I can do. I've got a big cat tree for him to play on and it has a scratch post but he never uses it.


The only choice are either blocking off access, or removing him every single time he goes back there. We taught our cats not to go under my SO's desk when we're present, but we know they're under there when we're not in the room. If you're not present to manage the behavior they'll do what they want unless they have no access. If the kitten chews cords then I'd suggest getting cord protectors.



Adalaide said:


> My concern is that she does it when someone is in the kitchen because I get them their food in the kitchen. But I'm so scared she'll get hurt! We have a glass top stove. For me a light stays on to let me know that it's still hot for as long as it stays hot, but she doesn't understand that. How can I keep her safe from serious burns? One day she'll get up without a person there, and it'll be right after I make supper. It takes the stove a good 30 minutes to cool off, so I can't just stand there the whole time letting supper get cold.


I've thought about this myself, it played a pretty big part in us not getting a glass top stove when we had to replace ours last year. But, TBH, I know many people with glass stoves and only one ever had an incident.

If they approach the stove from the counter top they're unlikely to step on the hot part when it's really hot - they have instincts that tell them not to do it, if you can feel the heat on your hand held nearby they can feel it too and most won't step right there. The danger is only when they jump DIRECTLY onto the stove top, because that doesn't give them the chance to feel the heat before they step onto it.


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## Lucas718 (Feb 19, 2012)

I basically asked the same questions as the OP 4 years ago when we first got Gazoo. He still gets on the counters and I've given up worrying about it. He's gonna do what he wants to do and there's not a whole lot I can do about it.


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## RomanLilith (Jun 15, 2016)

I still believe that my cats will be a-okay if I don't allow them to roam free on the counters and potentially hurt themselves, break something, etc. 
My cats are doing just fine and they don't mind being in their room as that is where most of their toys, beds, that is where I feed them etc. Even when I leave their door open sometimes they choose to just hang out there. Some people choose to kennel their dogs for their protection/to protect their home.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I'd probably stay in my room too.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Kennels are a tool, not the norm. *MOST* people stop crating their dogs once they are mature and aren't going to poo/chew up the place.

Would *YOU* be happy being locked in a room? Wait, there's a word for that... prison. My cats would be CRAZY if I forced them to stay locked up. They need more exercise than a single room provides.


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## RomanLilith (Jun 15, 2016)

:roll: :roll:

My cats are not locked up 24/7. They are only in there while I am at school or work. I think you guys are being quite dramatic. Its not a closet. Its a bedroom with all their toys, plenty of things to climb on and hide in. They are very happy happy cats. They are healthy. They are loved more than anything in this world. I take wonderful care of my cats. They are safe and warm and well fed. Please do not try to act like I am a bad cat parent simply because we do not have the same views on things.


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## Spea (Apr 24, 2016)

None of my animals have free roam of the house when we are away. I know many people that live this way and it's just not a big deal.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Next stop, Crazy Town.

let's get back on topic.


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## Spea (Apr 24, 2016)

Who and what is your last post referring to, Marie73?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

people posting the same thing over and over.


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## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

Most of the time I do gently pick him up and relocate him when I see him doing something bad or where I don't want him like the sink when I am washing dishes and the floor next to my bed. For some reason he likes to scratch at the side of the boxspring and I don't want the fabric to rip. Its not a real rough material so I don't know what the attraction is. We'll probably have to get a dust ruffle to cover it. But then he goes under the bed and scratches the flimsy material that covers the underside of the boxspring :O

His cat tree has a built in scratch post and I set him down next to it but he's never interested!

Has anyone used the Ssscat motion sensor spray, does it work?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

omg, don't even get me started on under the bed!

It got to the point where I turned the bed over and NAILED a fitted sheet to the underside.

They scratched through that.

Now I have a storage bed. No more "under the bed."


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## maybecharlie (Mar 27, 2016)

Oh my goodness marie73, great idea, if only I could afford it. I have bedroom door closed now to stop Charlie, he is a real monster at bed scratching.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I put boxes and plastic storage bins under my bed before I bought the new one. It drove me absolutely crazy!! Imagine *three* cats doing it. grrrrrrrrrrrrr


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Ii have a low rise bed frame. NO cat is going to fit under there.


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## FatCat (May 5, 2004)

Glad to see I'm not the only one! What do cats find so attractive about scratching that? I was under the impression that they like rough textures.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

They like certain textures; sisal rope, carpet, but some cars like cotton fabric, wood, or any fabric that's 'catchy' - like running rough hands over silky things. It just depends on the cat.

As far as confining goes, I'm in the middle. I think more space is better, so free roam is definitely best. However, since Doran sprays and Jitzu eats any food available our two boys are confined at night. Torri would be thrilled to be an only cat, and is very happy spending most of her time in one room, her safe room. We literally have to force her out to have social time.

I don't think either of those things is cruel, but they aren't ideal either. If I could snap my fingers and have cats who got along and didn't spray I'd give them full roam all the time for sure.

So, confining as a stop gap or way of managing behavior so the cats can stay with their families? Yes. Because it's simply more convenient...no.

I feel the same about kenneling dogs - if it's because they'll eat anything that fits down their throat, or they're puppies and still learning, or if they have a behavioral condition that means crating is safest - yes. But I'm not a fan of lifelong crating as the start plan or for older well behaved dogs.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I'd also like to add that we've tried many times to stop confining our cats, and I'll keep trying until it works. We're working toward them being loose full time as an end goal.


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

My current cat is 18 and she only started spending significant amounts of time indoors once her best friend, my German Shepherd, died in 2010. So she doesn't scratch the furniture, try to jump onto the tables or counters, nor does she go under beds. She's just a calm old lady :}

But, I know once she dies (it's gonna happen, I have to accept that) I'm definitely going to want a cat in my life, and this next cat is going to be 100% indoors. So I know now what I have to look forward to in the future, I guess ;}


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