Cats have their own minds and their own mission, regardless of whether or not our furniture gets in their way. When chasing that elusive fly, cats tend to not notice (or care) that they are leaving their little paw prints on the glass tabletop just minutes before your in-laws are coming over for the first time. They are also well aware that the sofa cushions are softer and more luxurious than the bed you got for them. So why on earth wouldn’t they crash out there? Keeping a cat off the furniture can quickly turn into a full-time job and will most definitely become a lifelong battle if you make an exception to the rule—even if it was just that one time.
Training Your Cat: Methods That Work
Many experts agree that keeping all of your furniture and tabletops completely kitty-free might be unrealistic. You may be able to train your cat to stay off some furniture, but unless your cat is an exceptional learner, expecting them to stay off every piece may be too much. It’s within a cat’s “natural need element” to find ways to elevate itself—it’s part of their primal instincts, which they still carry from the wild. After all, height implies safety to a cat.
That said, your level of patience and persistence will play a big role in your success. If you become easily frustrated, then you might as well not try. If you’re inconsistent, again, stop while you’re ahead. Cats have an innate ability to pick up on small inconsistencies and use them to their advantage.
If you’re going to train your cat to stay off the furniture, you should start immediately. Allowing them on the furniture when they are young only to change your mind when they become a full-grown cat will cause serious problems. It can still be done, but it works best if you start right away.
Hitting and smacking are not the way to go. The only thing you’re teaching them is that every now and then, you’re prone to violence in their direction. Most cats cannot make the connection between a swat and being on the couch. Hitting an animal is simply cruel. They do not understand the reason for the infliction and will only learn that their trust in you is misplaced.
There are a few training kits on the market, each advertised with “every training accessory needed to keep your cat off the furniture.” While you may be able to accomplish your goal with one of these kits, the general reviews are rather mixed. Some people swear by them, while others found them a waste of money. This tells us one of two things: either the people who gave them a thumbs up used them correctly, and those who gave negative reviews didn’t, or some cats will respond to these kits better than others. If you’re considering one of these kits, research it well, know what you’re getting, and make sure you understand and follow the directions to a tee.
Other methods can also be employed to keep a cat off the furniture. Cats dislike sudden sounds or sensations. Using something sharp and quick, like a loud hiss or a squirt from a water bottle, can help convey the message that their behavior results in a negative reaction. However, you’ll need to be nearly instantaneous with your response. As soon as the cat’s paws touch the furniture, you need to be ready to correct the behavior. If you walk into the room and find the cat sleeping on the sofa, the cat will associate the action (sleeping) with the sudden displeasure over the environment (the couch). Instant action is the best reprimand.
If you do encounter your precious feline happily dozing in places they don’t belong, immediately remove them from the furniture and say “down” in a voice that leaves no doubt you mean business. While this isn’t as effective as instant action, it can help when combined with swift corrections.
Of course, when you’re not at home, your little one will likely feel as though they can get away with anything. This presents a problem during training when you need to rely heavily on consistent actions and reactions.
Start by rolling wads of tin foil into large balls and covering the furniture you are training with them. In many cases, 4 to 6 weeks of leaving this deterrent around in your absence should be enough to discourage your adventurous one from climbing up on the furniture. You’ll be able to tell whether it’s working by the position of the wads. Give it several days before deciding if it’s not working. Your cat may try, only to jump down right away. If after a few days the wads have obviously been moved or even played with daily, move on to balloons. Fill the balloons with air, ready to pop, and lay them out on the furniture in the same way as the tin foil wads.
Stick with it, and you are likely to be successful. Keeping a cat off the furniture is a continuous process that will rely on your ability to let your own stubbornness outweigh theirs.
