How to stop your adult cat from jumping on counters and tables?
Betty the cat always liked to sleep atop her master’s television desktop box. A lot of house guests mistook her to a doll some kids went to play with the so called ‘doll’ only to run away with fright when betty shook herself awake from a long nap! Her master was at wit’s end to bring her down and train her to stop jumping on to his furniture.
Poor betty may just be trying to keep herself warm or trying to attract her master’s attention. Maybe she loves her master to bits and is being very social. She could also be bored, so sitting on a desktop box or a cupboard shelf could be her way of self entertainment.
Whatever maybe the reason, here is how to train your jumpy cat to not perch atop your table or counters!
The dining room table
It is very important to set boundaries for your cat as to where they are allowed and not allowed. This should be done from the time they come to your house. So, give them a reward for staying off the table and are resting for a long time on a chair, cat bed, cat tree or a spot that you have allocated for them. Anytime she jumps on the table carry her and put her to her new spot. Patience, consistency and repetition will make her understand the new rules.
It is also a good idea to make the table inaccessible to them while you are away. So, you could probably place a plastic table cover that is reversed so that they do not find it easy to climb on them. Placing aluminium foil on the table also works as some cats get scared of the feel or sound of the foil.
Your laptop
If you work on a laptop then you are bound to have many breaks. Your cat may just want to sleep on its warm surface or experiment with the keys. So, relocation to a new spot and reward for staying put at the spot will work along with continuous repetitions. Just stay determined and do not give in to them to successfully break the habit in your pet.
The gravity game
Some cats may just enjoy the thrill of being atop a piece of furniture like Betty. So, if you have a cat just like Betty then you must remove any breakable or valuable pieces of furniture from their vicinity. They may just need more playtime with you and it is also a good idea to keep them engaged with interesting toys like food dispensing toys or puzzle toys. You should also make the furniture unattractive to them. You need to draw their attention towards a new area that you have allocated just for their fun time. Remember to always reward them when they go their new area and when they keep themselves engaged in toys and stop themselves from going to restricted counters or area.
If your pet likes the added thrill of heights it is a good idea to create a cat perch for them to rest, play or eat. Once you are consistent on outlining the boundaries and reward them for good behaviour you cat will break away from their habit, especially when tasty treats are part of their reward!
