"David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message news:0NednRkae-9IdwvbnZ2dnUVZ_jadnZ2d@comcast.com...

     "T C MCKEAN" <panther436@verizon.net> wrote in message news:fvwli.16411$qu5.9402@trndny02...

       "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message news:Js6dnX0OaJ33KAjbnZ2dnUVZ_hGdnZ2d@comcast.com...

       "T C MCKEAN" <panther436@verizon.net> wrote in message news:DFNki.3588$qu5.2615@trndny02...
       >
       > "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message
       > news:gqadnVSZtKrfaw_bnZ2dnUVZ_u3inZ2d@comcast.com...
       >>
       >> "FW" <inlook@Yahoo.org> wrote in message
       >> news:N2Bki.101945$NV3.16596@pd7urf2no...
       >>>
       >>> "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message
       >>> news:nLadnYU0BOyVUB7bnZ2dnUVZ_rqhnZ2d@comcast.com...
       >>>> I tried to keep him off the table.  After enough perseverance he has
       >>> managed
       >>>> to come closer and closer to my food over the years.
       >>>>
       >>>> At first I squirted him.  Eventually he would just sit there and take
       >>>> it,
       >>>> often becoming a wet, dripping mess while the water I squirted backfired
       >>> on
       >>>> me and ended up all over the table.
       >>>>
       >>>> Then I resorted to slowly pushing him to the edge but the guilt I feel
       >>> when
       >>>> he falls off the edge sideways with his typical "well, I didn't expect
       >>> THAT
       >>>> to happen- why did you do that to me?" attitude is too much (plus his
       >>>> leg
       >>>> was operated on when he was a kitty and I'm worried he might get
       >>>> injured).
       >>>>
       >>>> So now I just say his name loudly, make strange sounds, bang against the
       >>>> bottom of the table, stand up, and so on until I can intimidate him off.
       >>>> Often he's back within seconds and he'll be quite happy to sit at the
       >>> other
       >>>> side of the table for a few minutes, as if he just wants to lay there.
       >>> Then
       >>>> he seems to float toward my plate and the whole cycle starts over again.
       >>>>
       >>>> I agree with you about the dirty feet in the food- if he manages to get
       >>>> a
       >>>> swat in I usually give up eating.  Sometimes I take him to a bedroom and
       >>>> close the door.  I'd probably do it every time if he didn't howl like a
       >>>> hound dog the whole time he was in there.  I never even knew cats could
       >>> make
       >>>> sounds like that before.
       >>>>
       >>>> I don't feel like I would ever win a game of "training him" not to go on
       >>> the
       >>>> table- he's not a quitter.  I kind of admire that but oh how it
       >>>> frustrates
       >>>> me when I feed him at the same time and he comes to my plate! LOL
       >>>>
       >>>>
       >>>>
       >>>> "Shadow Walker" <shadowenwalker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
       >>>> news:467ffb46$0$4645$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
       >>>> > If he's allowed on the table this could be the root to the whole
       >>> problem.
       >>>> > My babies are not allowed on any surface other than the couches and
       >>>> > chairs. If they bother me while I'm eating they will bother my guests
       >>> and
       >>>> > I can not have that. So they go to another room or I keep a water
       >>>> > bottle
       >>>> > on the table. Once you let your kitty get into this habit with you
       >>>> > they
       >>>> > will expect it with all your company as well. Then it progresses to
       >>>> > food
       >>>> > stealing. I'm sorry I love my kitty's but swatting at my food with
       >>>> > feet
       >>>> > that walk and dig in the litter box are not walking on my counters, in
       >>> my
       >>>> > plate, on my fork...yuk.
       >>>> >
       >>>> >
       >>>> > "David" <davidd31415@yoowhoo.com> wrote in message
       >>>> > news:T7adnVZCHo_klO3bnZ2dnUVZ_gSdnZ2d@comcast.com...
       >>>> >> I've heard cats live in a world of smell.  My cat always seems hungry
       >>>> >> around my dinner time- that's understandable.  My cat rarely eats
       >>>> >> what
       >>> I
       >>>> >> eat for dinner but he loves to jump on the table and pounce my plate
       >>>> >> while I'm eating.  I've tried feeding him at the same time I eat.  At
       >>>> >> first all goes well, he starts eating his food... but then it seems
       >>> like
       >>>> >> he loses interest in his food and MUST come smell mine.  Does anyone
       >>> else
       >>>> >> have this issue?
       >>>> >>
       >>>> >> Maybe he's just making sure it's safe for me.  *groan*
       >>>> >>
       >>>> >>
       >>> If any of my cats jump on the table I simply say No! and pick them up and
       >>> put them on the floor.   A cat will quickly learn without water squirting
       >>> or
       >>> or any other drastic measures.
       >>>
       >>> FW
       >>>
       >>>
       >>>
       >>
       >> Oh he gets plenty of NOs.  And "#@*! DOWN DOWN DOWN"  *bang table*
       >>
       >> As far as him quickly learning- he learned long ago that with enough
       >> persistence sooner or latter he will get a paw in some food.  Maybe just
       >> once a month, but sooner or latter.
       >>
       >>
       > Solution to this is a quick tap of the cats nose and a very sharp NO!!! a
       > statment of  DOWN!!!!! then knock the cat down off the table. Do not pick
       > the cat up if posible. do this every time it happens and do not allow the
       > cat to jump up on other things you do not think is alright. The cat is
       > expressing his dominance of the household and domain over all within. You
       > need to show the cat you are the dominant Cat in the house and you will not
       > tolerate its challenge to your authority.
       > This method has worked for every cat I have had the pleasure of taking care
       > of.
       >
       >
       >

       A quick tap on the nose.

       A quick tap on the nose....

       Where did I hear that before?  Oh yes, it was the foster slave who was telling me how to prevent this (http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9790/peekingbuddyik7.jpg) from turning into this (http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4070/ouchol2.jpg).  

       In the end I think I'm just going to be dominated.  I have too much kitty sympathy.

           I in no way meant to be cruel. The tap does not need to be hard and painful to the kitty. just enouph to get its attention to the unwanted behavior. I love all cats and know a lot about cat behavior, having worked with all manner of domesticated cats as well as about 10 year working with exotic cats of many species in a zoo setting. I currently volunteer with cats in a no kill animal shelter.

       Right, I didn't think you'd want to hurt the kitty.  I had no luck with the taps to prevent the biting, it really got much worse.  We started with light taps and he would just bite more, almost like it was a game.  The taps got harder and the biting continued.  A few showers did the trick but I can't do that to him over the food- he gets sooo scared.

       I know he does learn from pain...while I was yoyoing he was playing and the yoyo slipped and bonked him, now he runs when he hears the sound of a spinning yoyo in another room.  I don't want to teach him that way though.  I can cope with the battles for domination; there's always a locking-in the bedroom when there are guests or he goes too far.

       Thanks for the advice though, I figured the first person who told me that was full of it- if I have problems with other cats I'll give it a shot again.

       You mention volunteering in a shelter.  I think that would be very rewarding and I would like to do something similar but I fear "bringing something home" that would get my cat sick.  Do you know of anyone who has had problems like that?

       I should probably start a new thread to discuss this but most of the group is probably ignoring me after my involvement with the trolls (I should just resist) so I'll just ask you! :)
       ----------------------
           You did not mention biting in the original thread that is another problem aside from jumping on the table. Never use your hands when dealing with the biting unless you really know what you are doing and have experience with a biting cat. With biting is is helpful to use another object to deflect the aggression. Usually some toy or object they can actually bite. One of my cats at home had a problem with biting when he wanted to play. I play with him from under a blanket so he does not associate any human parts with something to bite. Now after many months of this he no longer will attemp to bite me when he wants to play.
           Volunteering at a shelter can be rewarding if you have the right attitude about the animals. You are there to make their life as comfortable as you can while they are there. There is a remote chance that you could bring something home to your kitties at home, but with proper sanitation proceedures and hand wahing the risk is infitesimally small. The place I volunteer at has a full time veterinarian, and staff of many, to insure the health of all the animals and have proceedures in place to detect health problems quickly and isolate the animal while being treated.
       Tina
       Ps. If the kitty is biting after jumping on the table do not tap him on the face!  instead, Pick him up shouting NO!!! then drop him on the floor then tap his butt saying NO!!  Down!!!

       Ahh yes, I brought biting up b/c I was told to use the "nose tap" to deal with the biting.  Needless to say it didn't work.  I did try the toy and blanket ideas.  With the blanket he always seemed to manage to gnaw down hard enough to hurt still.  Toys... I might not have been disciplined enough on that one, I admin.  He's good now.  I'll give it a try, I'll start tapping his nose when he's after my food, I'll let you know what happens.

       Hmmm the chance to bring something home worries me but it would definitely be rewarding to help all those other cats.  I'd probably sanitize my hands and spray myself down with Lysol before coming back home.  I might look into it.