Yesterday I figured that since Boots has been here for a week and he’s doing great going in and out of the sewing room while I’m down there working, and he explores a little downstairs but comes back to the sewing room every few minutes to make sure I’m still close, maybe it was time to leave the sewing room door open while I was upstairs.
It didn’t take long or him to come up the stairs, though he would only walk on the wood part of the stairs. I hope he will eventually go up the carpet. Otherwise, we’ll end up with a dirty mark along that wall where he walks.
He came up, looked around and went back down, still walking on the wood.
About ten minutes later, he came up again and parked at the top of the stairs.
I think he was thinking he could make a quick trip down the stairs to safety if anything scared him. We had all the bedroom and bathroom doors closed so we wouldn’t have to search for him if we couldn’t find him. Vince closed a door a little to hard and down the stairs Boots ran.
He was right back up. He got inside the entertainment center, walked across the mantle, was quite interested in Rita just on the other side of the gate. And then . . the inevitable . . he got on the dining room table.
I love him and I would love for him to stay upstairs but as soon as he was feeling comfortable, he was on the dining room table. I cannot live with that. I got him down, said NO! He actually does know what NO means but I’m not sure he ever learns not to do things. If I’m winding yarn and he grabs it with his mouth, I say NO and he stops but the next skein, he does it again and I say NO and he stops and it never ends. A dog will learn that he isn’t supposed to do something and stop doing it but . . will a cat ever learn?
I figured the only way he would learn was to watch him, remove him from the table and tell him no over and over again but I just can’t live with a cat on the table.
He did it several times. I thought maybe he just wanted to sit there and look out the window so we closed the blinds and he still did it. He’s a jumper and I know he’s going to get on the kitchen counters.
The sewing room isn’t a bad place to live. I’ll spend most all my time knitting or sewing down there. I just don’t think I can (1) train him not to get on the tables and counters and (2) live with a cat getting on the tables and counters.
Once Vince has gone back to Texas and he isn’t so worried about Boots and Rita killing each other, maybe I’ll try again, maybe putting foil or bubble wrap on the table.
Boots did finally jump over the gate and end up with Rita. They both totally ignored each other. Not sure what was up with that. I told Vince . . Don’t worry about them. Rita has no teeth and Boots has no front claws. They’re kinda harmless. Let them get to know each other but he’s so protective of Rita and I surely didn’t want to convince him that it would be fine and then have one of them get hurt.
I think we’d be better off with a parakeet than we are with a dog and a cat but . . we have a dog and a cat so we’ll make it work.
Diann Smith says
I have ALWAYS wanted Boots in the house with you both and not in another place like in Texas. Make him a little comfy bed and he’ll settle in a jiffy. I am such a fan of BOOTS and all cats….as well as Rita. YAY! good read to start the day.
Roberta Miglin says
A spray bottle that shoots a longish stream is a good deterrent for a cat. Say NO and then squirt. Your going to get the table and counters wet but it’s the best trainer for a cat. Won’t totally stop them from never doing something but all you have to do is show the bottle and off they go. Just don’t use it in the sewing room or where you really don’t mind Boots getting on things. Maybe a cat tree in the dining or kitchen just for him???
wanda jordan says
Boot won’t get on table maybe. My cat never has and he was an outside cat. Doesn’t get on cabinets either. Did 2 times climbed to top of fur-downs. I hollared at him to get down he did and never got back. Just make sure you are raising your voice using a different tone to him when you say no. He will get the picture. They like being up high as you well know with CAT maybe make him a high cat tree. Just have patience. Cats are so different form dogs they really are. Strong minded you have to show who is boss! Well you can try. Might have to get a can put coins in it and rattle loudly to scare him off stuff.Don’t give up…….
Dottie Newkirk says
What we found worked with our cats was a spray bottle (filled with water). A firm no, a squirt and they were out of there. Occasionally, curiosity would entice them once again, out with the bottle and we didn’t even have to squirt it – they were down. Nor sure how well that would work with Boots.
Andrea in MO says
We used a sprayer with good success, too. Cats feel safer when they’re up on something, so if he’s not sure about his new surroundings it’s natural for him to not be on the floor while he’s assessing the situation. Have you considered a cat tree? I’ll admit they’re not the prettiest things to look at, but it would be a place he can feel safe without climbing on top of your table.
Paula says
Thank you for keeping Boots off the table and counter! This is so unhealthy. We were able to train our cats, who came to us at 3 years old, to stay off the counter. Persistence is the key. We used a squirt gun and it took a while, but they did learn and we had them for 12 years without any trouble.
Kathleen says
Spray bottle worked with our cats when I moved. Don’t say “No” because he will associate you with the spray and will get up there if you’re not around. You only have to do it a few times at first, less and less, and then every once in awhile as a reminder. We don’t even spray anymore. As soon as they hear the bottle they run. He’s a smart cat. It’ll work.
Donna says
I have 3 cats and 1 dog and they all get along really well. All have claws, teeth, and can see so it may be a miracle that they get along, I don’t know. Pepper is the dog and she loves to chase Edith, one of the cats. I don’t think Edith cares because she only runs a little ways, then stop. Pepper only likes to chase her because she runs, so when she stops, so does Pepper. Elsie loves Pepper and rubs against her. Flicka, the old cat, just ignores the dog. All the cats and Pepper go out or come in as they please…..as long as I am available to open the door. If one of the cats isn’t in when it’s bed time, Pepper goes out and finds whoever is missing and they all come in together.
Pepper is a 5 year old Cairn terrier who is very well behaved. She knows that her job is to chase the deer out of the yard so I can kind of keep flowers. She knows where her boundaries are (I live in town on about 2.50 acres) and feels that the neighbors cat and dog should stay in their own yard. If we meet the neighbor’s cat or dog on the street when we go for a walk, Pepper doesn’t care. After all, the street is not her yard. We can go for a walk without a leash because she minds my commands but she prefers the leash and asks for it. I thinks she feels more secure with the leash. When we go to my sister’s house, she thinks that the chickens should NOT be up by the house, in the flower beds, or by the shop/garage. She is very busy herding the chickens back to the chicken house area….and hunting mice and other varmints….while we are there. Then she has to take a nap all the way home. She lives on the farm where our grandparents lived about 25 miles from here.
We have to make sure Elsie is in the house when we go for a walk because we may get a block from home and Elsie will come out of a shrub somewhere and think she can go for a walk too. We have to go back home to put the cat in and then start the walk all over again.
Of the 3 cats, Elsie is the best hunter. She brings home rabbits, squirrels, mice, snakes and birds. Flicka prefers mice. Edith prefers cat food in the house….she’s definitely a house cat! She looks almost exactly like your Cat from Texas.
I kind of wish you lived much closer to Iowa. I read your blog daily; I’m a quilter, gardener, and I crochet. I can knit but I’m not crazy about it. I think we could be close friends…. This was a very long comment so I hope I didn’t bore you to badly.
Carolyn says
A mouse trap set w paper over it will scare them too. I have heard that aluminum foil works
Judy Laquidara says
That would scare me more than the cat!
Linda Garcia says
I have had numerous cats over the years and I use the spray bottle method of training. I also make a noise at the same time I squirt them when I am first training the cats with the squirt bottle. It sounds kinds of like “Pssshhhttt”. Make it a loud sound and as harsh as you can. The reason for this is that eventually, all you have to do is make the noise and they know not to do something. The squirt bottle is never where you need it to be and you can make the noise quickly. Also, give him places that he can climb. A window seat or cat tree in front of the window. My cats love to sit or lay in the sun, especially in the winter.
Karen Sutton says
A spray bottle of water or a squirt gun always worked on our cats –
Lisa Boyer says
We didn’t want to use water on wood, so we used a noise deterrent instead. Get an empty cat food can, put a few coins in it, cap it with a plastic can cover. When my cats jumped up on my plant table or dining room table, I rattled the can at them and off they flew. After learning what the can looks like, I can now just set the can on something I don’t want them on, and they stay off. After they see the can day after day…they just get used to the fact that it’s a NO! spot, and I can put the can away. In the beginning, you can use several noise cans set around the periphery of your dining table and the cat won’t jump up there because they might knock one over when they leap up. This method is great because unlike water, you don’t always need to be near the “No!” spot–the presence of the can and fear of it falling and making noise is enough to keep them off. If you have to train intensively for a while, keep a can in your pocket.
Judy Laquidara says
I think Vince wouldn’t be happy with the noise since most of the time, he’s sleeping in his chair. I have used spray with Boots in the sewing room and a very fine mist is all it takes.
HEATHER WATTS says
Hello Judy, Just thought I would mention that cats prefer to be somewhere at a height, hence the reason for Boots wanting to be on the table Perhaps a scratching post with a platform on top at waist height by the window so that he can see outside? Heather in Aus.
Nelle Coursey says
The water spray bottle will do the trick. We have used it with both cats and dogs. It will not hurt them but it will teach them not to do the things you don’t want him to do.
Amy Makson says
Cats learn… they don’t care…lol
Judy says
There are air canisters designed to emit a puff of air when there is motion. You can google to see some demonstrations of this.
Judy H says
I like the cat tree idea. If you spray him when he gets on the table, he’ll learn that he’s only allowed on the cat tree. I don’t particularly like the mouse trap idea, because I’d be afraid the paper would come off and catch his paw. My cat knows she is not allowed on the table or the kitchen counters. You can definitely train a cat.
Judy Laquidara says
There’s not going to be a cat tree upstairs unless we put it in the sun room. Boots sheds terribly and I don’t want to encourage him to be upstairs unless that’s just where he wants to be when we are up there.