Common Behavior Problems

Getting on Counters, Tables and Other Tall Objects

Cats love to be on high places so climbing onto things comes naturally for them. Because the desire to be above the floor is a natural cat behavior it may not be realistic to think you can completely stop it. A better idea is to give your cat her own high places to climb onto. Kitty condos are available in many pet catalogs as well as pet stores. Or if you’re handy and have time, you can make your own.

If your cat has been lucky enough to find something to eat in these areas, that gives her even more motivation to want to explore your counters and tables. You must ensure that your cat never, ever finds things to eat, things to play with, or other good things when she climbs on your counters and other objects. If she intermittently hits the jackpot, it will continue to be worth her while to climb up and see what she can find.

And if climbing up on things gets your attention, it may have become a game for your cat. She jumps up, you yell and come after her, she jumps down and runs, you chase. What a great kitty game she’s invented!

Play more with your cat so she gets her needs for attention met in other ways. Drag toys around for her to chase. There are many great cat toys available for purchase, so find the ones that appeal to your cat.

Rather than trying to deliver the discipline yourself, use “booby-traps” to make it harmlessly unpleasant for your cat when she jumps up on things. We recommend SSSCat™.

If you’ve already tried these suggestions and feel your cat’s behavior is more complicated, call us for a telephone consultation.