Cat off the Table?

I'm glad mouse traps don't hurt the cat. But, others have had cases
where mouse traps did hurt.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Not@home" wrote in message
news:xzSZf.47$PL2.44@dukeread03...
My mother thought she had solved this by putting mousetraps, upside
down, on the table. They made a nice racket when they went off, but
wouldn't hurt the cat. I never told her, but even after she had
solved
the problem, if you looked in the picture window when pulling into the
driveway, the cat would be on the table, but he would be off it by the
time we got in the door, and stayed off while we were home. I suspect
she knew, because she started keeping the table pad on the table,
probably because it didn't show the hair as much.

I suspect the cat likes being off the ground, and perhaps there is a
good view from your table. The only way I have ever succeeded in
training a cat was by making the desired behavior more attractive than
the behavior you want to stop. We stopped our cat's clawing of the
furniture and curtains by lacing a piece of carpet around one of the
support posts in the basement, making a more attractive way for the
cat
to get its climbing exercise.

Perhaps yours would like a shelf with a view.

Jimi wrote:
Hi,

We have a very spoilt neutered Tom cat (only about 4 months old)
that
likes to jump on the dining room table while we are away from the
home.

Other than violence to this charming fellow, is there any
constructive
methods proven to work to keep a cat off shelves, couners, tables
etc.... I
think he's part mountain goat.

I have shot him several times with a water pistol...I think
he's
starting to like water.

Any proven advice would be greatly appreciated.... Thanks...Jim