Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/cat jumping on furniture

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 9/5/2008


Question
My cat always jumps on our furniture/animal cages now. We used to spray him with water but now he isn' scared of water anymore. We've tried loud noises like slamming a table or firmly yelling NO! but he isnt scared of it anymore. Any suggestions to help my cat to stop jumping on places he's not supposed to jump on

Answer
Paulo,

Cats LIKE to be up high. I would get him a kitty condo (scratching post tree) that he can climb up on before punishing him for getting on what he's not supposed to be on. Give him something of his own that he can jump up on. Then use a rolled up newspaper and slap it against what he gets up on that you don't want him to. He should associate the loud noise with jumping on something he shouldn't.

Also getting him a friend to play kitty games with, and for company and companionship, helps not to have a bored kitty that gets into trouble.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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