Pet Lovers

[NickNack]

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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

@NickNack As I've said before Bill the cat would jump on everything no matter how high it is or WHAT it is. 

He'd gotten really good about NOT jumping high unless he knew it would be OK.

However, he does love to open cabinets and closet doors (can't tell you how many I've walked into).  

The other night I was laying in bed (with Katie the cat) and heard a cabinet door thumping back and forth in the master bathroom.  "thump, thump" over an over.  

I got up (yelling, Bill, stop that right now).  I've been working on the toilet replacing some inner working things so I'd put the tank top on the floor....all of the stuff was put in the sink (piled very high in the sink).  It never dawned on me he would jump up into the sink.

Well, still in the dark, I heard glass hitting and a loud thump.  I got up and turned on the light just in time to see Bill run from the room but didn't give it any thought.

Move forward to next morning....I couldn't find Bill anywhere.  He's normally following me everywhere so I knew it was a bad sign.  I texted my friend (the Vet's nurse).  She was 1 1/2 hours away but came immediately.  She had a hard time finding him too.  She took him home and into the office the next morning.

Long story....short.  He fell trying to jump in the sink and hit his leg and hip on the porcelain tank lid on the floor!  It wasn't broken just badly bruised.  He got a shot for pain then and so far it's been every other day.  He's still touchy there but will let me touch him now (I just got some lovin').

Cats are unpredictable.  He hadn't jumped in a long time (that high I mean).  He's probably around 9 years old now so my friend said he's getting older.

When I think of what could have happened to him, I panic really badly!  

At least this story ends well as does your Henry's story.

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@Annabellethecat66  I'm so sorry about Bill's accident.  That sounds pretty traumatic for him.  I'm glad you have the Vet Tech as your friend.  She sounds just wonderful.  I'm so glad he's getting better.  He could have jumped into the toilet tank, too, with the lid off.

[NickNack]

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@dooBdoo wrote:

               @NickNack,  This is a problem with some cats and not others.   I learned from watching Jackson Galaxy that cats usually are a bush dweller, a tree dweller or a beach dweller.   I've had both, and I've gradually been able to train them completely away from kitchen countertops.

his video on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNaGNZ7bISU

             Galaxy is one of the best cat behaviorists around -- I'd encourage you to find his "My Cat From Hell" Animal Planet shows and watch them.   Also, his YouTube videos cover a myriad of topics -- and all of it adds up to getting a better understanding of how cats behave and why they behave that way.   The more we can "get inside their heads" the easier it is to make our home a heppy dwelling for feline and human.

              It's sounding like your Henry is a tree dweller.  As you already know, there are many ways to convince a cat to choose other options replacing the kitchen counters.   The one option that I draw the line at is spraying water on the cat -- I side with Galaxy on this, and he has a long, detailed explanation online about the reasons not to resort to this punitive act.    We don't want our little pal to associate us with fear or distress, and they're smart enough to see that spray bottle is "attached" to our hand.   The spray bottle can be harmful to creating and maintaining trust.

            If you haven't done so, take a look at all the articles online.   Here's a link which will perform a search for you for "keep kitten off kitchen counter":

"Let Me Google That For You"

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=keep+kitten+off+kitchen+counter

           As you're seeing, when we welcome these dear felines into our home the process of understanding and adjusting can be a frustrating one, and it does take education, observation, dedication, patience, time and effort.   But the love you clearly have is the most important component.❤️   

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Thanks for this info and the links @dooBdoo.  I've watched some of "My Cat From Hell" as well as some Jackson Galaxy You Tube videos since getting Henry.  One of the articles I pulled up from your link was by him.  He suggested using double sided tape (as someone else suggested in this thread).  He said to put it on a placemat or something so you can remove the placemat when you need to use the kitchen.  I thought that was a great suggestion.  I'm going to try that with some packing tape that I have.  That might be a little bit too strong for him though.  He might stick to it too badly.  If I think it is I'll use the tape from the sticky rollers or buy some two sided tape. 

Don't worry.  I won't use a spray bottle on Henry.  I read about that before I got him.

[dooBdoo]

@NickNack and Henry...

[Love my grandkids]

@terriebearI totally agree! We did this with our last cat to keep her from doing a certain thing. We allowed her free roam of the house except for one spot.

We got a squirt bottle of water and when a firm "no no" didn't work, she got a little squirt on her rear end with a firm, loud, NO.  It took a couple of weeks but it worked.

[candys mine]

I second the double sided sticky tape.  Again, the key to "training" a cat is to not make it worth his while to do the unwanted behavior.  Jumping on the counter?   GAAAH,  what is that STUFF under my PAWS?  I'm OUTTA here! 

[MoJoV]

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@on the bay wrote:

@NickNack We'll just all come babysit Henry (and Frankie) while you cook!

How bout that?🐱

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I call dibs on first watch! 💞🐈

[NickNack]

I have a lot of place mats and a lot of packing tape.  I lined up the placemats on the counter and put packing tape sticky side up (tucked in on the ends) on the placemats.   When I finished Henry jumped up on the counter.  His paws did get stuck, but he got them unstuck and figured out where the tape was and walked everywhere but the tape.  I got him down and put another row of tape on the placemats.  I don't know whether it will work or not.

[fthunt]

Another reason to love dogs - - jump all day and never land on the kitchen counter.  Cat lovers won't like this - but I will not eat a meal at a home where cats are allowed on kitchen counters.  Sorry - I decline with an excuse.

[jaxs mom]

Cats have a very good abililty to sense heat and they stay away from it. My cats know that the toaster oven gets hot and that the pans on the stove get hot. It's ok to let him get close enough to sense how far the heat radiates. Once he knows he'll retain the information and approach carefully. I've never done anything special with new kittens and my toaster oven and they've never been burned. 

[candys mine]

Cover the Whole placematS with tape.  On both sides of the oven and, if you can, on Top of it when it's off. Give a cat an inch and they'll take a mile.  They're clever little things.  I 've always thought Henry has an intellegent gaze.