How to Keep a Kitty From Climbing a Tree

Kittens start exhibiting their curiosity and climbing instincts at a young age.

It is in a cat's nature to want to climb vertical objects. Kittens feel this instinct early on and are sometimes willing to climb a tall tree. The kitten might feel less courage when up in the tree, though, and may not know how to get down. Negative reinforcement techniques can be used to teach your cat not to climb trees.

Things You'll Need

• Squirt bottle
• Cat tower
• Can
• Coins
• Duct tape

Instructions

1. Provide your cat with safe climbing toys, such as a cat tower or cat shelves. Taking away a cat's ability to climb anything can result in an unhappy feline.

2. Fill a squirt bottle with water.

3. Spray the cat with the water when you notice it starting to climb up the tree. It is best to do it before the cat has gotten too far up, so it jumps down instead of runs up. If your cat likes the water or doesn't respond to it, try the method in Step 4.

4. Fill a can with coins and close the opening of the can with duct tape. Shake the can when you notice the kitten about to climb the tree. The loud noise will scare the cat. After a while, the cat will associate the scary noise with the tree.

References

• The Cat Site: Get Off! How to Discourage Your Cat from Jumping on Counters