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I left my cat with my parents for a week while I went to another city for a training class.. While I was gone, they didn't do anything to maintain her training. She's fairly small still and beserk on energy. She is 100% Bengal, so strange behavior is normal, but this one is really bad. She has now developed this habbit of jumping up on counters when nobody is looking. Apparently my mom was making dinner today and left the stove unnatended. The cat jumped on the counter and stole a piece of ham off the frying pan, then climbed up the living room curtains with it and ate it at the top... She could have hurt herself, plus, she absolutely cannot be steeling food like that. How do I curb it when it seems that the greatest reward is available to her with a bad behavior? I can't possibly reward her enough to stay on the ground or punnish her enough to make the food stealing not worth it.. Ideas?

A.

First of all, make the counter a non tempting place - leave no food there, maybe use some sticky tape (cats hate to walk on it) for a while.
Second, train her to stay on for example a kitchen stool when you prepare food at the counter. Reward her for sitting on the stool (never lift her up and place her there, wait till she jumps up (sorry, I am never sure - is it leap up and jump down or the other way around? - I am not American). Give her treats for staying there a few seconds and add more seconds and later minutes. Alternate between a few seconds and a longer period, so she never knows how long she has to stay on the stool to get a treat. After a while she will feel that staying on the stool is much more beneficial to her than the counter. It may take some time, but it is worth it. (With clicker training it may be faster)
Another trick is to spray water on her when she is on the counter, but she might associate this with your presence, and jump onto the counter when you are not there.

Or you could just accept that she is on the counter, let her burn her tongue or paw - deliberately let her touch food or stove a bit to hot for her (but not hot enough to really hurt her), and she will most likely never try again.

Good luck!

Regards from Anne

>>Or you could just accept that she is on the counter, let her burn her tongue or paw - deliberately let her touch food or stove a bit to hot for her (but not hot enough to really hurt her), and she will most likely never try again.

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Jaime owned by
Mya the dog
and the cats:Crash, Moxie, Gabby and sometimes Tucker

She's a cat, that's what they do

Although mine has never taken food when it's hot, I did have one, who is also a bengal, run up on the sink, steal a filet of fish and then dash off under the couch to eat it.

I just ensure that all human food is out of the reach of furry paws, never leave kitty-appealing food unattened on counters, tables, etc or it will get eaten.

I had problems with Neo at the table too. Scolding means nothing to him. I was told that Clicker Training can help. I thought - what? teach him tricks and he won't steal my food? Well, the first trick was to touch the pointer with his nose. Ah, hah! When he got on the table, I told him "down" and put the pointer by the floor. Voila! That was the trick! He now knows when I point to the floor and say "down" that he gets a treat. Now he actually is allowed on the table cause he knows he isn't to touch the food! I know, I know... cat hair... gross! But... I really don't mind... I like the company! lol

If you do a google search, I am sure you will find MANY sources on clicker training. $1 for the clicker and the treats can actually be the regular dry food. Great investment!