Help in training my cat!

[grendel]

We have a beautiful, friendly and active cat who is just over a year old. We've had her for about 8 months.

We love her but she is driving me crazy. She has started jumping up on the kitchen surfaces and I don't know how to stop her. Problem is, she VERY rarely does it when we're around - if we ARE around she gets a sharp 'NO!' and is instantly put outside. However, she mostly does it at night and the evidence is plain to see in the morning with the trail of muddy footprints everywhere. Yuk!

So all that she has learnt is not to jump on the surfaces while we're there. From her point of view, most of the time she goes on the surfaces it's fine ('cos it's at night) and very occasionally she gets shouted at (if we happen to catch her).

Can't shut her out of the kitchen as that is where the cat flap is. Don't want to shut her outside at night but DH is starting to mutter about locking the cat-flap and making her sleep in the garage.

What else can we do? Any suggestions?

[systemsaddict]

Cats can be surprisingly easy to train to 'do stuff' using clicker training - we have a remarkably well-trained cat and it was great fun. www.clickertraining.com/cattraining

HOWEVER ... they are bright enough to work out when they can 'perform' their training to get treats, and when they can get away with the other stuff. So you could probably clicker-train her to sit on a platform off the counters while you are there ... but she would still be able to work out that she could get up onto the counter at night time.

If it bothers you I would find somewhere else to shut her inside at night with a litter tray, if you can ...

Some people have had success putting stuff on the counters that they don't like to feel on their paws - silver foil I think, maybe cling film. Or putting things on the counters which will make a loud noise and fall when she jumps on - marbles?

[grendel]

Ooooo, I'm liking the idea of making the counters slippery in some way. Thanks for the suggestions.

I had thought of spraying the counters with something orange-scented because I think cats don't like the smell. Anyone know anything about this?

Annoying thing is that she never used to jump up. I think she just realised that she 'could' about a month ago and now does it every bloomin' night! I'm also finding footprints on the kitchen table. Grrr.

Don't really want to go down the shut in at night and litter tray route - that would definitely be a last resort.

[mogwhistle]

No answers for you I'm afraid. My two cats jump onto the work surfaces sometimes too and they know it's naughty! I just make sure I use the anti-bac spray before prepping food.

[grendel]

Well there is that benefit I suppose. My surfaces are sparkling now (in between the footprint incidents) because they get cleaned all the time.

[frostyfingers]

No, no, no - you do NOT train cats, they train you! You obviously have loads to learn.....!