My cat won't stop jumping on counters. What's the best way to train?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry that Bingley is being so bad! First for your sanity, at night I would confine him so he isn't keeping you up at night. Put him in the basement (with food, water and litter boxes) or a separate room. That will keep him from getting in to things and allow you to sleep. The good news is that he will grow out of this behavior, he is very young still. As for getting up on the counters, etc: cats like high places. First provide alternatives, get a couple of cat trees or other things to enrich his environment. Make sure all food is put away and the facet doesn't drip so he isn't attracted to the counters. Then you have to make the counters unpleasant: cover the counters with textures cats hate — aluminum foil is one example; cardboard covered with double-faced masking tape or shelf liner is another. No, you won’t have your counters covered forever, but you will need to keep them covered while your cat learns to use the new perches. For the more determined cat, you can look at harmless automatic devices that discourage counter cruising by making sounds cats dislike when they trigger a pressure pad or electronic eye by jumping up. I hope this helps and have a great day!

Keeping your cat's nails short and trimmed will help. It would also be helpful to provide your cat with a scratching post so he can use this instead of using your curtains. To keep him off the counters you can use a spray bottle with water to discourage this behavior. Other things that may work is putting double sided tape on the surfaces because your cat will not like how it sticks to his paws. It usually only takes one or two trips on the counter with the tape to discourage this behavior. There are also motion detecting devices that shoot high pressured air to startle the cat when it detects the cat on the counter. I hope one of these solutions works for you and Lomeo.

It can be really difficult to keep cats off the counter. You should continue to put them on the floor when you catch them. You could look into something like a Scat Mat, although it does give a small electric shock. There are also some motion sensor forced air canisters that might work. If your cats are particularly anxious or fearful you should be cautious with any type of negative reinforcement since it could frighten them and cause behavioral issues.

You could cover the counters with textures that cats don't like. For example, aluminum foil, placemats or cardboard covered with double-faced sticky tape. Many cats don’t like those surfaces, so the hope is for the cat to jump down once he/she touches the surface. Leave the mats on the counter at all times when not in use and, hopefully, she will stay off. After a few weeks without signs of her on the counters, remove a small section at a time and see if she will stay off.

I'm not familiar with this particular product, but it seems like it gives a puff of air to deter your cat. If it works, I wouldn't be concerned as a puff of air is likely to not cause harm, but more startle your cat. That said if it emits any strange odors or is causing distress I would discontinue it. I would also work on rewarding you cat for when they don't jump on counters, which you can do by asking them to sit when you're near a counter, and then rewarding with treats. If they hop up, redirecting them to a treat or toy away from the counter (such as a puzzle toy or a toy that requires interactive play back on the floor) can help by rewarding them for being away from it. You want to make the other thing more interesting than the counter. There are some other non-painful remedies to prevent counter jumping, such as sticky tape or aluminum foil, both of which startle more than cause pain or harm, however there is some debate over their efficacy long term. Generally, training your cat to avoid the counters and rewarding them when they stay away is a better longer term solution.

Cats LOVE to jump up on things and get to higher areas. If you don't already have a "cat tree," I would highly recommend you invest in one if you are truly going to try to keep your cats off your furniture. Give her something she CAN be on; spray with catnip spray or sprinkle with catnip. Most of them include scratching posts as well, which you should have a few of throughout your home to prevent her from scratching your carpet or furniture. [Nature's Miracle Pet Block]() or similar product may curb the jumping. I am not certain its safe to use on wood, though. Another thing you can do to deter cats from jumping up onto surfaces is to place aluminum foil on them, they don't like the noise or feel when they jump onto foil. You can also try [Sticky Paws](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/sticky-paws-on-a-roll-for-cats) which are double sided sticky sheets--they don't like the feel of these either. I hope that helps you! Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Have you tried crating her? Or confining her to another part of the house like a basement. I wouldn't do this all the time but when you are cooking or if the baby is around and you don't want Isabella all over her having a place where she can be safe and confined might be a good idea. It will not eliminate the jumping on counters but when you are doing something that you don't want her on the counter it is a way to keep her out of the kitchen. There is nothing you did to condone this behavior. Sometimes cats just do this so don't think that it is your fault, because it's not. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.