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   Question    posted to Pet Trainers on 11/24/08 08:10 AM, Valhalla, NY 10595
I have  two 6 month old male kittens who are house cats, very affectionate and friendly with people BUT I need to make them stop climbing on the table or kitchen counters or my computer & printer.
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   Answered By     Westchester K-9, 11/24/08 04:19 PM
Westchester K-9

white plains, NY 10601
914-393-2346
Email Company
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Interestingly enough, you can train cats just like you can train dogs.  Okay, not JUST like - cats aren't always as willing to be trained as dogs are, but they can certainly learn!

First, try to supervise your cats around the things they climb on; keep doors closed or use an extra-tall baby gate so they have to stay in the room with you.  You need to be able to prevent them from getting onto things without your being there to stop them.  It's important that you're there to stop them every time so they start to learn they're never going to get away with jumping or climbing.

Start to teach them a command like "off."  Whenever you see them jumping or climbing onto something they shouldn't, say "off" in a firm voice (but don't yell at them!), and get them right off.  You can physically remove them if necessary, but usually just walking towards them will get them to jump off.  Once they're off, tell them how great they are, pet and praise them, and try to keep some cat treats handy so you can give them something good in return for their genius.

At the same time, provide them with an alternative.  Get a cat tree so they have something of their own that they're allowed to climb and jump on; cats like height, so you're not going to be able to get them to stop entirely.  To encourage them to use the cat tree, hide cat treats in various places in and on it, and even try rubbing it with catnip.

Finally, if climbing (as opposed to jumping) is a problem, you could try a product like Soft Paws -  vinyl caps that cover the cat's nails and deter the cat from climbing & scratching.  They're not painful, and can be very helpful in preventing these behaviors.  Whatever you do, DON'T declaw your cats - it's painful, can cause behavior problems, and can cause a number of physical and behavioral problems. 

Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions or any other issues I can help you with!

Joanne Willard, Westchester K-9    914-844-8680    joanne@westchesterk-9.com

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