How the heck do I keep a kitten off the table/counters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Squirt gun.

+1
It’ll quickly learn to not get on the counter, at least when you’re around.

This. Also works for screen doors.

[Anonymous]

I make an insane scene about it, screaming, stomping my feet, shaking a container coins. I do the same thing with the outside doors so they want to stay away from them.

[Anonymous]

Its the cat's counters, now. Good effing luck.

(also don't use spray bottles - they teach the cat to be fearful of you. just get an air compressor can instead)

[Anonymous]

What's worked for me, and I've had a lot of cats:

1) firm no and put down on ground
2) spray bottle or squirt gun
3) lay tin foil or double sided tape on counter while training - they hate touching both of those!

I'm jealous, I want a kitten so badly but my daughter is allergic. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Aluminum foil or double sided sticky tape. But IME they have to be there ALL THE TIME. As soon as you take them down, cats will jump back up. Squirt bottles are great at training the cat that counters are off limits when people are around - I still find paw prints in the morning.

We only had true success keeping one cat off the counter … when he got fat and old enough that he physically couldn’t jump that high.

[Anonymous]

I’d ask why it’s such a big deal to you that the cat is on the counter. You handle the cat. You share affection with it. It will probably be on furniture sometimes. It will be wherever it wants when you’re not around. You feed it and change its litter. Of course you (usually) wash your hands after. But you wash them before preparing food and you probably wipe down the counter then too.

So what is it you’re really going to avoid if the cat stays off the counter?

If you insist, I agree with posters who say to pick it up and put it down. Over and over. Other stuff creates fear and anxiety. It may also just want attention.

[Anonymous]

Give up and accept it. When they do it in front of company make a big fuss of shooing them off and saying something like, "Now Mr. Fluffington, you KNOW better!"

[Anonymous]

Buzzer

[Anonymous]

Op here, and thank you for the tips. I don't want to simply resign myself, tho I understand I may be kidding myself a bit. The kitten will get particularly aggressive about jumping up during mealtimes and will find bits of people food to eat. She will also jump near the stove while we're cooking, which is what really freaked me out.

We'll continue the repeated NO and try some other tips.

[Anonymous]

You don't.

That said, I agree with the PPs that really all you can do is say "no" and take them off the counter, time and time again... And that will only work (sometimes) when you are there (which may be enough for your purposes).

[Anonymous]

kitchen doors that close

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Need your tried and true tips.

We gave up. I just constantly take them off when I am around. Assume cats climb everywhere when I am not around.

[Anonymous]

We have up. I don't really care. It's not like I eat directly off the counter. If I ever have to use the counter for food (dough or something) I bleach it first but I would do that without cats. I don't let people put their purses on the counter, those are way dirtier than cats imo.

[Anonymous]

I’ve had cats my entire life. Some cats are easier to train than others. Our current kitty refuses to stay off the table and counter. Our other cats have responded well to water guns, verbal commands or repeated removals. Not this guy. It’s been 8 years and he’s more stubborn than ever. As soon as I remove him, he returns. I can do it 20 times in an hour. If I squirt him, he jumps down and then returns. We often have to put him in our laundry room when cooking or eating and I always disinfect the counter before preparing food with the assumption he has been up there since the last time I cleaned it. It’s so frustrating but we do love him. I’m sure he is laughing at us now as he naps on the counter while we’re at the beach and he is home alone.

[Anonymous]

Our cat is never on our counters and it’s been that way for years, so I don’t agree with the comments that it’s impossible. We used a tin can filled with pennies and shook it loudly every time she jumped up. We never, ever put her up there for any reason. We do not have any cat climbing trees or anything else. We don’t really do anything now; she doesn’t even try.