Please help! I'm at wit's end with this boy!

[Lobodeb]

I'm really losing patience with Payton. He is a terrible counter jumper. That is a big no no in my house. I have almost every possible flat surface covered with sticky paws. When we were away on vacation, he got progressively worse. He would go in the bathroom, knock down towels, toilet paper (which then is fair game to Maggy to shred), etc.

Over the weekend, I had left a bag of raw ground beef in the sink to thaw. We went to the store and came back to find the meat on the floor, a whole with teeth marks in the bag and half of the meat gone. Sammy has never gotten on the counters, and I leave meat out all the time, pre-Payton. Maggy has a very sensitive stomach and I'm worried about her eating so much raw meat. Besides, he doesn't need to be on the counters. He's not starving. There is no need for it.

Well, my hubby just called, and he did it again. I put a bowl on top of the meat so it wouldn't be as tempting to no avail. He got it again! On top of that, he found some other places where I hadn't yet put sticky paws and knocked more things down. Namely, my husband's sports collectibles! My house looks like a huge fly trap, and yet, Payton still keeps finding things to get into. He doesn't do it when we're there, which angers me even more because I know he knows he's not supposed to be up on things and waits until we leave.

I don't know what else to do, but with a baby coming, I feel there isn't much more I can do.

Any suggestions?

[catnapper]

No advice, only I know people with cats that like to be up high and they simply learned to put things behind doors that they don't want knocked over by their cat. Yet one more thing about life with cats that isn't perfect.

None of mine get up on counters, so I can't help at all. Pouncer DOES get up and knocks stuff over on my desk and such.... which isn't bad now since I have learned to actually put my folders away like they should be anyway.... so he just helps me keep a clean office! LOL

[jazzcat]

The only way I broke Ripley from jumping on the counters was to spray him with water every time I caught him. It took a long time to sink in, that or he got too old to jump that high.

As for the meat, I've always heard you shouldn't thaw it at room temp. Maybe putting in the fridge to thaw all day will take care of your problem and it's safer.

Ripley was so bad into everything that for about a year I wore a small water bottle on my belt. It was the only way to make him understand. He eventually got to the point where I only had to shake it to make him behave.

[Lobodeb]

The only way I broke Ripley from jumping on the counters was to spray him with water every time I caught him.

I would love to do that, but a) he only does it when I'm not home and b) he loves water.

As for the meat, I've always heard you shouldn't thaw it at room temp. Maybe putting in the fridge to thaw all day will take care of your problem and it's safer.

Thanks for the health tip. I haven't had any problem this far, but I'll try that for health reasons, but it still doesn't prevent him from knocking down other things in the house.

[jackie]

Maybe when you are out, you can put him in one room, and shut the door. It's not the greatest solution, but all I can think of for the moment. It is hard when you can't catch him in the act.

[Donnaj4962]

I gave up trying to keep my girls off the counters, tables, etc. They are actually very good though, as they rarely knock things off when they are there. (Okay, except for the Sasha and the evil bag monster incident of a few weeks ago!)

They mostly just sit there and watch out the window or watch what I am doing. Most people srown at me when they come over and see them on the table or counters. But hey, it OUR house, and we can do as we please!

I am sorry I don't have any advice for you... as I just gave up. But I can understand your concern since things are being eaten that should't be and things being broken that are valuable. I hope someone else can offer some advice for you that will work.

[Lobodeb]

Did I mention that he's a sock thief? I actually caught him in the act!




I even found his "stash."


I also found him with some evidence.

[Don Juan's mom]

Over the weekend, I had left a bag of raw ground beef in the sink to thaw. We went to the store and came back to find the meat on the floor, a whole with teeth marks in the bag and half of the meat gone.

It isn't safe to thaw meat at room temperature. Put it in the refrigerator, or thaw it in the microwave.

On top of that, he found some other places where I hadn't yet put sticky paws and knocked more things down. Namely, my husband's sports collectibles!

Two words: QUAKE WAX. (TM)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Two words: QUAKE WAX. (TM)

Or I've found what they call Museum Putty. I found it at The Container Store, but I know you can get it elsewhere. There are two versions, the white pasty looking stuff and some clear more liquidy looking stuff. I use the white pasty stuff because it's cheaper and I'm not attaching crystal or anything. We use this stuff in the motorhome and let me tell you - IT WORKS!!! It is non-marring and non-permanent, but once you stick something down, it would definitely take more than an earthquake - or a kitty slipping by - to knock it down!

The only other advice I can possibly think of is, like someone else mentioned, put him in a closed room while you're gone. When Tubby was very very young, he was really quite the terror kitty. I would come home from work to find the house in a shambles. One time every single cusion on the couch was on the floor - strewed throughout the living room not just right by the couch! I never figured out how a tiny 8 lb cat moved at least 8 lb cusions, but the evidence was right in front of my eyes (and why I didn't take a picture I'll never know). Anyway, to solve this I put Tubby in the basement during the day while I was at work. It was a nice basement, not finished but with all sorts of interesting stuff for a kitty to investigate and sniff with plenty of natural light coming in. He didn't suffer down there, and my house stayed relatively intact.

However, I also have to mention that once he got a little older, he did calm down, but he never lost his love for counters, and he was never barred from them. There is no place in our house that is off limits to our cats. You just have to get used to it and kitty-proof your house....which you're pretty much going to have to do if you're having a baby anyway. Kitty-proof, baby-proof, same thing.

[Lobodeb]

I talked to my hubby about the museum putty. He's very skeptical and fears that it would damage his stuff. He also said that it doesn't solve the problem about Payton being where he doesn't belong. I have to agree. I don't need the house Payton proof, I need him to stay off the counters, shelves, etc. I have never had this much trouble with any other cat that's owned me, and they've owned me all my life.

I tried locking him in a room by himself today and that didn't work either. He destroyed that room. My husband has a bunch of throwback jerseys and he knocked them all down. Then he took all my shirts off the hangers. I ended up calling my MIL to let him out. He managed to destroy a room in 1 hour.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I talked to my hubby about the museum putty. He's very skeptical and fears that it would damage his stuff. He also said that it doesn't solve the problem about Payton being where he doesn't belong. I have to agree. I don't need the house Payton proof, I need him to stay off the counters, shelves, etc.

Well first of all, if the museum putty doesn't damage priceless objects in museums, I'm sure it will be ok on your husband's sports memorabilia. Secondly, what is going to damage it more, museum putty or being dropped to the floor from a high shelf? Thirdly, you are not going to keep Payton off counters, shelves, etc., so the best thing to do is secure the items that are there so they can't fall.

Since you say you've had cats before, I'm surpised you haven't figured out by now that cats are going to do what they want to do, whether we want them to do it or not. My suggestion for the future - adopt only older adult cats and stay away from kittens who are much more active and likely to jump on things.

[catnapper]

I agree with Deb. He is a KITTEN. Kittens are known to be exactly where they KNOW they are not allowed to be.

If he's on the counter after food all the time.... how often do you feed him? Kittens require a LOT of food. I feed mine every few hours. A little each time, but they get fed every few hours. Reduce the frequency as they get older. By a year old, you can be down to two or three times a day.

As far as knocking figurines over, well, the putty is a good solution. I guess I have graceful kitties, because they've never knocked over any of my collectibles, but then again, I don't react when they are up there. I just roll my eyes and ignore it. Its when we humans react that things come crashing down. They tense up because they see us reacting and then they knock things over. Of course, there are the cats who think its fun to knock stuff over. And if Payton is doing that, then perhaps a playmate or more playing time will help that.... because that stems from boredom. Is he doing it while you're not home? He's probably bored bored bored.