How to stop a cat from jumping on a table

Cats like to look down on the world. From wild ancestors who often hunted in trees, these pets inherited a love for elevated surfaces – window sills, tables, cabinets. How to wean a cat to climb tables and other unwanted places?

The feline desire to be taller does not always suit people. There are several effective ways to wean a pet from climbing up or wandering around the table.

How to stop a cat from jumping on a table

First you need to figure out why the cat wants to get on the table at all. If this happens during dinner and she tries to get something tasty – you need to wean the cat to beg for food and the problem of walking on the table will disappear by itself.

Also, many cats use the table as an observation point or just a place where they can be in peace and quiet, for example, take a break from a child. In this case, the pet must be offered an alternative: a shelf or other surface with a good view, covered with a warm soft bedding. Almost certainly, the cat will gladly move to the new headquarters and lose interest in the table from which it is driven away.

The most difficult case is when the natural curiosity inherent in cats attracts to the table. Cats are territorial animals and it is important for them to control everything that happens in their possessions. It is possible to exclude a table from bypassing the territory, but this will require more effort and time. 

Everything is easier when it comes to a kitten. Contrary to popular belief, cats lend themselves well to training if you start it from childhood. How to wean a kitten to climb on the table, as well as from any other undesirable behavior, read here.

With adult pets, training works worse. A more effective tactic is the formation of a persistent dislike for the surface of the table. You can make a restricted area unattractive like this:

• Spread foil on the countertop. When you try to walk on it, the foil makes loud rustling sounds. Cats that like to move silently do not like this unmasking.

• Place a tray with water on the surface. The fear of getting wet paws affects almost all cats, although some breeds, such as Maine Coons or Kurilian Bobtails, are an exception.

• Flavor the table. Pungent odors are another item on the list of what cats don’t like. Citrus aromas are especially unpleasant for them. To make the cat dislike the table, it is enough to spread fresh orange or lemon peel on it, or even better, rub the surface with essential oil. The smell of vinegar has the same effect.

• Stick strips of double-sided tape on the surface. Stepping on something sticky several times, the cat retreats in disgust.

Such measures do not act immediately, but rather quickly. One to two weeks is usually enough to develop a cat’s dislike for the table. This is the main advantage of all the described methods: unpleasant associations arise precisely with the place, and not with the owner.

If, to wean the cat off the table, clap your hands loudly, sprinkle it with water from a spray bottle, or do something else, it will most likely stop climbing onto the table. But now the owner will begin to treat differently.

What not to do if the cat climbs tables

Physical violence and punishment in principle does not work with cats at all. Shouting, spanking, locking in another room – all this only destroys the owner’s connection with the pet, but does not form the desired behavior.

It is strictly forbidden to push the cat off the table, as it can be injured. The size of the tabletop is most dangerous for cats: when falling from a greater height, they are able to group, and in such cases they simply do not have time.

With caution, you should use purchased scarecrow devices that bounce or make loud sounds when a cat appears on the table. In a naturally fearful animal, they can cause too much fear and even stress.

Knowing how to wean a cat to walk on the table will bring only positive emotions and mutual understanding to communication with her. The main thing is to try to live in harmony with a fluffy pet.

See also:

How to stop a cat from begging for food

Are cats trainable?

Why doesn’t a cat respond to its name?

Why are cats bad rat hunters?