Anybody whose ever had cats knows that they have strategic little minds of their own. They’re conveniently independent when you want and need them to be, but they also remain annoyingly independent when you’d like for them to heed your wishes. Understand that cats are attached to locations more than they are people — with that, they see your home as their home, and you as more of a roommate. For this reason, getting cats to obey when it comes to staying off objects in your home can be very tricky, but not impossible!
Start Them Young
Here’s a relatively obvious technique for nearly every creature: It’s easiest to instill good behaviors when you start at a very young age. The saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is essentially true. Cats, like dogs, have instinctive behaviors that become engrained over time. Being perched, owning their territory, and scrounging for crumbs are all instinctive and must be corrected early on if you’re interested in re-routing that behavior. If you’re re-training an adult cat, it may not be impossible, but you do have a longer, harder road ahead.
Find An Effective Method Of Discipline
Like children, cats respond to different techniques of discipline. We recommend you figure out what appropriate method your cat responds to, and be consistent with it as you need to. One of the most common methods is to create, somehow, a loud and unpleasant sound. We encourage you to do this with an object, not your own vocal cords, as you don’t want to risk your cat being afraid of you. Try taking a tin can, dropping a few coins inside, and then taping up the opening. Most cats will respond to a quick shake of the can when they’re doing something wrong, and will often run away. Try that the next time your cat jumps up onto the table; they’ll more than likely jump down quickly upon hearing that sound.
Keep Interesting Things Off The Table
If you know your cat has a thing for chewing on flower petals, choose another spot for your flowers. Although that’s a little inconvenient for you, it comes with the territory of owning your cat. Animals don’t understand things the way we do, so to expect them to accommodate your every expectation is an unfair standard to set. With that said – make it easier on yourself (and your kitty) by removing temptation from the scene.
With that said, understand that cats will be cats. Chances are, if you set up a video camera in your kitchen for when you’re not around, you’ll see that your furry little friend has figured out that he can get away with being up there at least when you’re not there. And we’d be lying if we told you that there was really anything you can do about that, if it happens. Clean your table often, because cats will be cats.
