Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Keep cats out of furniture
• Method 2 of 3: Train your cat with a clicker
• Method 3 of 3: Treat your cat differently
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Training cats to stay off furniture will help protect sofas, beds, tables, and your other fine furniture from claw marks, scratches, and cat hair. You can keep cats off furniture with sprays and unpleasant textures. You can also use click training to train your cat to get off furniture on command. Sometimes cats play on furniture because they are bored. Make sure your cat is entertained enough so they don't resort to scratching the furniture.

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Method 1 of 3: Keep cats out of furniture

1. Make furniture less attractive. Cats are drawn to furniture for a variety of reasons. A cat may jump on a sofa by a window or sit on a counter in search of food. Make your furniture less attractive by eliminating the built-in rewards cats seek on furniture.
   • Keep blinds closed if you have furniture near windows. This way, cats are not attracted to furniture for sunbathing or to look through windows.
   • Remove excess padding from furniture when not in use. For example, after you are done lounging on your couch to watch a movie, remove any blankets or pillows from the couch.
   • Clear the kitchen of food and waste that cats are drawn to.
2. Place aluminum foil over furniture. Cats don't like smooth surfaces. When not in use, cover the furniture with aluminum foil. This will deter your cat from jumping on the furniture as they hate to slip.
   • This works best with small pieces of furniture, such as coffee tables.
3. Try double-sided tape. Apply double-sided tape in stripes or criss-cross patterns to hard surfaces such as coffee tables, chimneys and kitchen worktops. If your cat notices that its paws have become sticky after hopping on a piece of furniture, the animal will be less likely to jump on it.
   • Do not place double-sided adhesive tape on leather furniture. It will leave residue that is difficult to dislodge.
4. Use a spray. Repellent sprays often work on upholstered surfaces. If you want to get your cat off a couch or chair, spray that surface with a commercial cat spray. Commercial sprays are not harmful to cats, but contain oils and other odors that keep them off furniture. Follow the directions on a spray exactly and apply it to your furniture to keep cats away.
   • Always test a spray on a small, inconspicuous piece of furniture first. Make sure it doesn't damage or discolor the surface before applying it to the rest of the furniture.
5. Place plastic floor mats over furniture. Plastic floor mats can be turned upside down and placed over furniture when not in use. Floor mats have small studs on the bottom that irritate a cat's feet. These studs are not harmful to cats, but are uncomfortable enough to startle your cat and prevent them from jumping on furniture anymore.
6. Use a motion-activated sound signal. Place the device near furniture where the cat is not allowed to go. If your cat then jumps on the furniture, the alarm will produce a high-pitched noise that is unpleasant for cats. Over time, your cat will associate the furniture with the unpleasant noise.
7. Create built-in punishment. Cats respond better to built-in punishment. Rather than punishing your cat after hitting the furniture, leave something on the furniture to startle your cat. For example, put some lightweight cookie sheets on the edge of the sofa or chair, which is balanced at the edge. When your cat gets up, they will land on the trays and startle. Over time, this can discourage your cat from jumping on the counter.

Method 2 of 3: Train your cat with a clicker

1. Buy a clicker and get a target stick. Cats can be trained to move on command using clicker training and a target stick. You can purchase a clicker for training at a local pet store. A target stick is simply a long stick that you use to guide your cat on and off surfaces. You can use any long stick you want, such as a wooden stick you can buy at a hardware store.
2. Teach the cat to follow the stick. For starters, you want your cat to learn to follow the stick. Place the target stick near your cat's nose. Once he starts sniffing the stick, move the stick. When the cat follows the stick with its nose, click on the clicker. Give the cat a treat, as a small treat. This will teach the cat to follow the clicker stick for a reward.
   • Spend a few days in short training intervals teaching your cat to follow the stick. Once your cat is consistently following the stick, you can train your cat to stay off the furniture.
3. Choose a command. Choose a command to get your cat off the furniture. The command can be something like, "No" or "Down". You want your cat to eventually jump off the furniture in response to this command.
4. Lead the cat down when you give this command. Every time you see your cat on the furniture, get your training stick. Give the command while distracting your cat from the furniture. Reward your cat with a small treat when the animal obeys.
   • If you consistently lead your cat off the furniture every time you see them sitting on a sofa or counter, they will eventually respond to the command without the aid of treats or a training stick.

Method 3 of 3: Treat your cat differently

1. Do not use a spray bottle. Many cat owners use a spray bottle to punish a cat if it gets on furniture. However, spray bottles are unlikely to be of much help in training your cat. Your cat is unlikely to make the connection between the punishment and the behavior. Punishing with a spray bottle will only stress your cat. Rather, choose go spray bottle as a training aid.
2. Make sure your cat has scratching posts. Cats need to scratch to keep their nails short. Unwanted scratching is often the result of uncomfortably long claws or nails. Keep a scratching post in your house. This will give your cat an outlet to scratch and keep it off the furniture.
3. Give your cat room to play. Cats can take over spaces as furniture if they don't have their own space. Take a room in your house, or a corner in one of your rooms, where you keep your cat's toys, food, and bed. When you play with your cat, play in this space. If your cat feels like it has its own space, it is less likely to invade your space.
   • Think about what kind of toys your cat likes best and then fill his play area with them. The more you tailor the space to your cat, the more likely your cat will spend time in it.
4. Don't punish your cat. Punishing cats is rarely an effective way to keep them off furniture. Yelling at your cat, or putting them in its cage when it misbehaves, will only add stress to your cat. Stick to positive reinforcement, such as giving your cat a treat when it comes off the furniture, rather than punishment.
   • If you don't reward your cat for good behavior, he is more likely to continue to misbehave.
5. Play with your cat daily. Cats sometimes misbehave out of boredom. Make time every day to play with your cat to keep him active and entertained. The less bored your cat is, the less likely the animal will resort to climbing on furniture to get attention.
   • Buy some cat toys from a pet store. Cats like objects that are easy to carry around. They are also often attracted to sounds. Choose toys that can ring, such as balls with bells in them.
   • You can tie a toy on a string and drag it across the floor. You can also throw items to make your cat chase.

Tips

• Try to lure your cat away from furniture with catnip. Place the catnip in a scratching post or in places where you want your cat to spend its time.

Warnings

• Avoid spraying cats directly with water or other solutions to keep them off furniture. This can cause cats to get scared of you and it only teaches them to avoid the furniture when you are around.
• Do not leave food residues on furniture. Cats are more likely to jump on furniture if crumbs and food are left behind.

Necessities

• Aluminium foil
• Double-sided adhesive tape
• Natural vinegar
• Plastic foil
• Scratching post
• Pet-repellent spray