Naughty kittens

[susie_flo]

Aw, my little Truffle Bear is like a ragdoll, she just flops in my arms when I pick her up, like a super-soft, purry beanie baby, with no inclination to get down. She's also becoming my main lap baby.

Harriet, by comparison, is an ever-busy wriggler and an incorrigible leg climber, who hardly ever settles down. This morning she climbed up my entire body and then leapt from my shoulder to the kitchen surface. A few mins later I heard a man-shriek from the kitchen, as she climbed halfway up G's leg and used her claws to anchor herself there. Minx.

If anyone has success stories for training cats not to go on kitchen surfaces, could you share how you did it? They're still too small to leap directly from the floor, but they've both worked out that they can get there by climbing the tea towels... currently our approach of putting them back on the floor every time they get there is not much of a deterrent.

Harriet (the clumsy one) has also taken to sitting on the side of the bath while I am taking a shower... This is an accident waiting to happen.

I think they've both grown notably bigger in the last week, Truffle is now about the size of G's shoes, and Haribo would no longer fit in Sara Lou's boot. It's still cuteness overload though.

Sigh

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Comments

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

My parents systematically used sprays of water (the kind you get for dampening laundry before you iron it) when their cats were kittens to train them not to go on the kitchen surfaces. You have to harden your heart a bit to do it, but it did really work. Then again, as Mum pointed out, although the cats never go on the kitchen surfaces while humans are around, it's quite often obvious that they feel no such reticence when left on their own!

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks - water spraying may be an option, as long as I can steel myself to do it to the little fluffbags :-)

[green-badger.livejournal.com]

I usually just shout a bit, and then tap them very gently on the nose. They stay off the kitchen surfaces now, unless I'm foolish enough to leave unguarded food up there... xxx

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

We probably ought to try that - shouting and making an unpleasant noise every time they do it. (I wonder if a whistle would work as a deterrent?)

[green-badger.livejournal.com]

I'd be worried that a whistle might hurt their little ears. Might be worth researching?

Your kittens sound utterly adorable, by the way. xxx

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Yes I will check online for tips. A loud shout and maybe clapping could be the way to start. (And lord, they are so adorable that I am woefully pathetic at disciplining them so far)

[green-badger.livejournal.com]

I am now imagining your cats thinking they're getting a round of applause for misbehaving. :) xxx

[lazy-hoor.livejournal.com]

A very firm 'NO' and a tap on the nose. I have used water spray but the buggers get used to it and look at you with an expression of 'Is that all you got?'

We haven't managed to cure Clyde of jumping on worktops but he does it when he thinks we're not looking - so he knows he's being naughty! And when you catch him and say 'BAD BOY!' he jumps down and meows very meekly.

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Lol. I will try BAD GIRL! and see if I get meekness

[lazy-hoor.livejournal.com]

When we first got him he'd also flop down and show his belly when he'd been bold, but he doesn't do that anymore! It's like 'Aaah, what are you gonna do...'

[ms-siobhan.livejournal.com]

I am consumed with kitten envy - especially the rag doll-ness of Truffle....

Tips I have heard - rubbing worktops with oil of citronella, covering worktops with tin foil, putting squashed cans or metal bottle tops on there.

Hope things are firm now.

[perfectlyvague.livejournal.com]

Yup - citrus oil and lifting them down whilst they're small or tapping them off when they're bigger is the way forward - I've never had a cat that really tried it so I think it's all in the zero tolerance as soon as they do it.

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I shall try this. Zero tolerance + citrus oil + a loud noise every time they do it.

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

Yup. Even rubbing orang peel along the edges of worktops works quite well - but Glenn to do it or your hands will smell of fruity evil and they won't give you love.

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Good tip about the oil. I shall give that a try.

[ivory-goddess.livejournal.com]

success stories for training cats not to go on kitchen surfaces

Keep the kitchen door shut!

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Oh, for a kitchen door... (we're open plan into the hallway, unfortunately)

[(Anonymous)]

a friend kept her kitties from under the sofa by spreading the whole area with aluminum foil. Apparently they wont walk on it. Not that you want to have your kitchen surfaces covered forever, but maybe just long enough to teach them that they don't want to be there.
Lori Kiergaard

[the-meanest-cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks Lori. I'd not heard the foil tip until today. Both kittens like to play with a ball made of scrunched up foil, but I am curious to see how they react if I lay a strip on the floor for them to walk on...

[tvted.livejournal.com]

Hey...cats HATE lemons so that might work. I was also going to suggest spray bottle. A good telling off works as well but remember not to say their name.
I use to boast how my bears never got on the kitchen cupboard. However, that naughty Maude has been super bad and has been walking across the kitchen counter....right in front of Mommy!!! and disobeys Mommy when Mommy tells her to get down...with pointing gestures.

And don't forget they are 'nortie torties' not naughty kittens!!!

[gylfinir.livejournal.com]

Water sprays are effective, in my experience, though it killed me to use it. My two loved to climb my (very expensive) curtains, and I was told that a small water pistol would sort them out. And it did. I only actually had to use it on them a couple of times; after that, just holding the plastic gun in my hand made them stop and run in the opposite direction. They don't even try to go up the curtains any more.