Several months ago, I posted this question to the intertubes: Would it be inhumane to spray Hooghly when she jumps on the table and countertops? I had a water gun, which I didn’t use because it was too intense. After trial and error, I purchased what I thought was the perfect solution: A little travel spray mister. It was very light, gentle, and got the job done.
For a while.
Hoogs got used to it. She also got used to the sprayer, then the water gun, and now sometimes the sprayer from the kitchen sink doesn’t even work. Internet, I’m at my wits end. Tell me, is the ScatMat worth it? Cruel?
Ya gotta let me know your thoughts on this one. Today, in ONE HOUR, I counted TWENTY-SEVEN TIMES she jumped on the table or counter. And most of those times she got sprayed.
And yes, I’ve tried the coins in can. I also have plenty of other, higher, places that she can hang out and view her world. So it’s not like she doesn’t have any other options. But seriously, I’m sitting here drinking wine and trying to convince myself that kicking her would, in fact, be abuse, and having her made into a pair of gloves would be expensive. I’m out of ideas, people. I need help.
Scat mats do work. We have one over a gate that separates dogs and cats. We have to set it on high for the dogs to responds but the cats don’t come near it after the first time. Dogs aren’t so smart and forget what happened last time they touch it. You can also try this coins in a soda can and tape on the end. Shake it when he does something you don’t like. It startles them.
My friend recently adopted a kitten from the Humane Society, and they told her to put crinkled aluminum foil on the counters/ other places she didn’t want the cat to go. Also, she’s found that hissing at the cat when he does things he shouldn’t makes him stop pretty quickly, so if you don’t mind a few odd looks you could try that, too.
you could get a carpet runner and put it upside down (so the pointy side is up). the whole thing isn’t pointy, just parts. so it will be more annoying than actually painful.
i’m getting to this point myself with my kittens. they’re into EVERYTHING!
I agree on the contact paper. They HAAAATE it. And putting it on the counters when you’re not using them is no more of a haasle than the mat.
It is annoying that they get used to the water, but it’s pretty funny how they just squnt their eyes and visibly “suffer” through it.
If the paper doesn’t work, you could try the mat. Or lower your cleanliness standards. I know the last one has helped a lot of people with cats.
Contact paper or fly paper might do the trick.
Both of my cats love water so the water spraying never worked with them. However, you know those cans of air that you can buy at photo stores or in places with electronics…my cats are terrified of that can and I rarely have to actually spray them with the canned air anymore. As soon as they see the can they stop their bad behavior. Sorry, but I don’t even know what a ScatMat is…
If you come up with something, let us know. Though we pretty much never eat at the table because it’s covered in junk, it’s usually covered in junk because we don’t want to eat there because the animals are CONSTANTLY on it. Ooof.
You could try putting down some contact paper, sticky side up, on the counter and table for a day and see how that works. Cats hate anything sticky on their paws, so that might keep her off, but then you can’t use the table/counter with it on there (and you’d have to tape it in place to keep her from pulling it off when she lands on it and jumps down).
I don’t think the ScatMat is cruel, but it would probably be best if you could test it on yourself before letting the cat jump on it – just to see what it feels like and how strong the tingle really is.