Eating breakfast in peace....NOT!

[Pam]

I am having an increasingly hard time eating my morning cereal without my furry felines jumping on the table with the intent to dine with me. This only happens at breakfast because at other meals there are other humans at the table with me (I am the only one here who really eats breakfast) and they are not so bold with multiple humans present.

I know I can use a squirt bottle but haven't resorted to that yet. Is there any other way other than scooting them off the table to get them to stop this? The funny thing is that when hubby walks into the kitchen and the cats are on the table they jump right down. He doesn't even need to say anything because I think they are afraid of his loud booming lower voice. He has never laid a hand on them but he sure does have a booming voice when he says GET DOWN! How about those of you with more than two cats.....do you have to lock yourself in another room to eat or do you just squirt, squirt!

[smokey the elder]

Maybe your hubby's voice on a tape that you can hide, and play when they cats get on the table?

[Pam]

Maybe your hubby's voice on a tape that you can hide, and play when they cats get on the table?

Now that's a clever idea! LOL!

[Kirsten]

LOL; I think it's definitely worth a try!

Kirsten

[catmandu]

My Ctas always want to see what I am having,especially Scrappy 2 who can smell CHEESE a mile off.
I simply say NO,and then they listen.
As they grab what they want off the Plate,
we have discipline here.

[kuhio98]

Cats are not allowed on the tables or kitchen counters in our house. It was easy to train Kuhio since we got her as a kitten. Halo, Cammie and Pepper came to us older girls who easily learned. We did it without hitting, without squirting water (I mean, who can find the water bottle when you need it?) All you have to do (and you have to be consistent) is slap your hand hard on the table and yell NO! very loudly. That gets their attention. They know something is wrong, but not sure what. Walk towards them and they will probably jump down. If not, take them down gently and yell NO! again. Kitties are smart. They want to please us. They will learn. Eventually, all you have to do is yell NO from wherever you are in the house and they will jump down. You can do it. Don't make your husband be the bad guy.

[lady_zana]

My Ctas always want to see what I am having,especially Scrappy 2 who can smell CHEESE a mile off.

Oh, Gary, that sounds like my Eepie! She's a cheese-eater too....if there's cheese on something, she thinks she has to have a sniff.....and how is she supposed to be able to help it if a sniff turns into a nibble and a nibble turns into a bite?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Lactose-free and fat-free milk. Eddie doesn't like it so he has stopped putting his head in my cereal bowl.....

Now...if I can just get his butt off my newspaper....

[lvpets2002]

Well see you need to feed them breakfast first & then when they are full & ready to nap then you go for the cereal bowl..

[RedHedd]

How about those of you with more than two cats.....do you have to lock yourself in another room to eat or do you just squirt, squirt!

I sit down and ask them to be patient and then I invite them to share the soy milk that's left in the bottom of the bowl. I know, I'm not any help here .... if you can't fight 'em, ....

[DrNiblik]

No cats on the table/counter ever. Whether you're eating or not. Kuhio is right. It is easy to train them by just telling them, off, down, or hey in a stern tone. Save the squirt bottle for things like eating the plants and kill two birds with one stone!

[*JTM*Coco*pi*Caramel*]

My old 15 year old girl Coco would never even dream of getting up on the table while I or anyone else was eating, BUT not my little Caramel! Coco always seemed to know her place she never really tried to get up on the table, well at least while we were there I can't eat in peace with Caramel though! I havent eaten alone since we got him and he tries to stick his paws and face in whatever Im eating! We tell him no and he slides down the table some, then he stretches and inches forward again 2 secondes later lol! He eats supper with the whole family and lays at the end of the table. I think it is to late to teach him! It's our fault that he is the way he is lol. He just loves ppl food so much and he is so curious! He likes milk from the cereal bowl, chicken, roast beef, fish, anything!

[critter crazy]

my cats have never been allowed on tables or counters!! we have always just said no!! and they have all listened, even my mom in laws cat (who is always on the table at her house!) knew hwne i said no, that I meant it!! you dont need to squirt water, or hit just be firm in you voice!! but if you give in just once all will be lost!!

[catnapper]

Eating at a table is your mistake!

I eatstanding up, holding the bowl under my chin for dear life. The left over milk gets divvied out among Nicki, Abby and Harry (all 3 are not lacatose intolerant)

[luvofallhorses]

I usually eat breakfast at the computer.. (usually cereal) and Tiger crawls all over me..