Kitten training?

Question

I have a four-month-old kitten who has just learned how to jump up on the kitchen counter and now I can't get her to stop. This is a problem because now she can get to the stove (it's electric--I'd worry less if it were gas/flame, but I don't know if she knows not to touch the coils like she would with fire), and no matter how well I watch the stove when it's on, I worry about her sneaking by me.

I've heard of putting bubble wrap (i.e. something that's loud when pounced upon) or something sticky on the counter to discourage them from jumping. Has this worked for anyone? Any other suggestions for breaking the counter-jumping habit?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi..
You should try the click n treat method. (rewarding for good behavior). It really does work.
It is pretty easy training, just need to be a little patient, but it does work!

Answer 2

My cat is seven and she has been jumping on the counter since she was a kitten. We've tried everything - the foil, sticky tape, water bottles - nothing worked. (In fact if I spray her with the bottle she'll whack me with her paw) Other than this problem she is a very friendly cat, was litter box trained at 6 weeks and never had one accident.

Anyway, we have a glass top stove. She has always known to stay away when it is on. When its off she'll walk right across it. I think they sense the heat and instinctually stay away.

Bottom line try everything mentioned to keep her off the counters, but don't worry too much about the stove - the cat should stay away.

Answer 3

I'd be inclined to let the kitten jump and that's just my philosophy on handling some of the baby behaviors that kittens do.

There are asbestos covers to put over the coil burners on your stove. You could just place one or two over the burners when you know they are hot.

I have a ceramic top stove where the burners can't be seen by a cat. Though my cats are a lot older one jumps up in that area pretty often. He doesn't walk over the stove. Sometimes I find paw prints in the morning and of course the elements are not hot then -- I suspect he knows to avoid them.

Answer 4

I think that anything loud, or unpleasant, when you cat jumps on it, will help. Also, tell her firm "NO!" whenever she climbs up. I keep my kitty from the kitchen table (no stove, but for hygienic reasons - he's clean, but if my mom comes visiting and the table is full of cat hairs... you can guess the situation), and he stays away (I have on it things that he can upset, so I know he doesn't), so - to encourage you - it CAN be done, and it took me about a week, with a re-bound when I was away for a week, to carry the point through. Good luck!

Answer 5

you do not say how previous the kitten is. yet as a standard rule its a good concept to easily take the kitten and position it on the floor every time it comes up. also, feed it faraway from the dinner table and per chance sequester it when you're eating dinner. also, even as it really is older, you should use a bottle of water that sprays and once you spot undesirable habit you could purely say no and squirt it. Works on my cats every time.

Answer 6

My cat jumps on the counter and stove too...I started scolding her and that at least gets her down. We haven't tried any deterrents with her...we just tell her no, and clap to get her down. At my vet's advice, we did try a light snap on the nose when she was on the stove, but that didn't work...she still came up and stuck her nose in hot frying pans.
I've heard of tape, tinfoil, a mousetrap-like device, spray deterrents, spraying with water, etc...i think it's just a matter of finding what works for you and your cat.

Answer 7

I've heard of laying down aluminum foil (it's not so messy and it makes noise enough to scare them). Also, if you're around, definitely keep a spray-bottle with water and spray her everytime she jumps. It will break the habit quicky if you get a few good sprays of water in her face (cats hate water). Good luck!

Answer 8

I have heard about the double sided tape and it is supposed to work though I am not sure if it does I have also heard about putting foil on the counter cause cats hate the feel of it under their feet. You could smear maple syrup all over your counter cause cats hate that feel too but very messy. I have never used these myself just heard about them so not 100% sure they work it probably depends on the cat.

Answer 9

my kitty would constantly do this also, but he HATED the sound of aluminum foil! so every time we would catch him on the counter, we would shake some foil and he would sprint off. he stoped, but you could always just put some foil atop the counter, so if your not available, you don't have to worry. i read a book on kittens, and it mentioned they hate the feeling of the aluminum foil on their paws, and don't like the sound either. i hope this helps you as much as it helped me.

Answer 10

I have a 5 month old kitten with similar problem , we put sticky tape on everything we didn't want him on and its working so far .