Alexander,

Why does my cat insist on jumping up on the kitchen counter when I've scolded him again and again for it?? His older sister does not do that. She knows it's a no-no. So why does he do it?

Shirley

Purrs Shirley!

Cats love to be up high, and it is more normal for them to be on the kitchen counter than not to be. In fact, I find it more unusual that your kitty's sister is not jumping up on the counter. However, it could be that females are just simply a little more "in-tune" with our wishes! It is also possible that your male has learned to associate food with the countertops, and perhaps it gives him a sense of superiority over the rest of the household by being up there. (You know how males are with those superiority complexes!)

My first recommendation is to purchase a product known as Ssscat. It's a wonderful deterrent and it works when you are not around. That way your cat does not associate the negative behavior only with your presence. You can read more about this product here.

You can set it on either noise plus a safe spray, or simply on noise. It is motion-activated, so every time your cat jumps on the counter, he will be met with a loud noise, which reminds him not to do so. It only takes a few times before he associates this negative sound with his behavior. Trust me - he will stop jumping up there...

In addition to this, I would purchase (if you don't have one already) a tall cat tree that might fit in an area near a window. This will provide some extra entertainment for your kitty, and also provide the stimulation and exercise that he gets from climbing. Stacy Mantle, my personal assistant, has devoted herself to finding the best products for us and has written a fun review on my most favorite cat tree, which can be found here. It is easy to assemble and can be formed into many different shapes. It is also very lightweight (Stacy can lift the entire 8 tiered set with one hand, yet it is sturdy enough to hold 14 of my friends at once!)

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please feel free to write any time!