What Keeps Cats off Furniture?

Cats on the furniture causes big problems in some households. By understanding the psychology behind keeping cats off of furniture and by implementing a few new strategies, you can make life easier in your home and keep your cats comfortable at the same time.

  1. Ineffective Methods

    • Yelling at or hitting your cat will not teach your cat to stay off of the furniture. It only teaches the cat to be afraid of you. Stick to methods that allow you and your cat to remain friends and keep your furniture cat-free.

    Make It Uncomfortable

    • Make the furniture uncomfortable for your cat by temporarily laying aluminum foil, cardboard or double-sided sticky tape on the places your cat likes to sit. Your cat will eventually get tired of the uncomfortable furniture and find somewhere else to relax.

    Behavior Modification

    • Teach your cat not to sit on the furniture. Deter your cat by clapping your hands loudly or giving a light spritz with a water bottle when he gets onto your furniture. Remove the cat from your furniture and place him in the spot you want him to sit with a treat, giving him another treat when he sits there voluntarily.

    A Place of His Own

    • Provide your cat with a cat window seat, a kitty condo or a cat bed of his own. Having a special spot of his own is often enough to deter cats from sitting on your furniture.

    Alternatives

    • Realistically, you may never keep your cat from jumping on your furniture. If this occurs, consider covering your furniture with blankets that can be washed, closing doors to rooms with furniture you want to keep you cat off of, or keeping the cat outdoors.