The Maine Coon is an athletic, adventurous breed, but do Maine Coons jump on counters?
Many owners are attracted to this cat’s love of climbing but become worried when they realize that their Maine Coon may have a habit of getting into places it shouldn’t.
Maine Coons are active climbers that are very capable of jumping on counters. Their large size and love of heights mean that this cat breed is one of the most likely to jump on counters. Most Maine Coons jump on counters due to curiosity, but they can also use the countertops as a safe space, or a way to find food.
As charming as the Maine Coon can be, this cat’s love of jumping on counters can be quite inconvenient. In fact, these cats have a knack for getting into all the places they shouldn’t!
Read on to find out how you can prevent your Maine Coon from jumping on counters, furniture, desks, and more.
Do Maine Coons Jump On Counters?
The Maine Coon is the largest domesticated cat breed in the world, famous for its long, thick coat that resembles a lion’s mane.
These cats are also notoriously good climbers, and they love adventure. If you’re wondering do Maine Coons jump on counters, unfortunately, the answer is almost always yes!
But are Maine Coons agile?
These large cats aren’t particularly agile, because their large size often leads to clumsiness.
Unfortunately, this means they can be even more of a nuisance on top of counters, knocking over whatever you’ve got stored there.
If your Maine Coon seems to constantly jump on the counter, you’re probably wondering why your cat loves it there so much.
In truth, there are a lot of different reasons why Maine Coons might jump on the counter:
Curiosity
Maine Coons are incredibly curious, and this is one of the main reasons they end up jumping on counters.
We, humans, spend a lot of time preparing food and doing various other tasks on counters, and our cats want to see what the fuss is all about.
Maine Coons also love to explore their environments, so it makes sense that they would investigate the counters, as well.
Love Of Heights
Maine Coons love being up high!
These natural climbers enjoy looking down on the world and take pleasure in scaling furniture and other vertical obstacles.
These cats might even simply enjoy the challenge of making the impressive jump onto your countertops.
Safety
Cats don’t just like to be up high for fun- it’s also incredibly safe for them.
Cats are much better climbers than many other animals, and their natural instinct is to be up high to avoid predators.
Your cat might choose to escape to the counter if it wants to get away from other pets in the house, even a vacuum cleaner, or anything else it perceives as a threat.
Looking For Food
Finally, many Maine Coons will jump on counters in search of food.
After all, it’s where we humans prepare most of our own meals.
Your Maine Coon might be more likely to jump onto the counter while you’re cooking, in the hopes that it will be able to snag a scrap or two.
Can Maine Coons Jump High?
If you’re considering getting a Maine Coon, but you’re worried about this breed getting into things it shouldn’t, you might be wondering, are Maine Coons good jumpers?
Or, better yet, how high can a Maine Coon jump?
The Maine Coon’s powerful, long legs mean that these cats are excellent jumpers, reaching a maximum of seven to eight feet in a single leap!
These impressive jumps helped Maine Coons to catch prey in the wild, but today, these house cats use their jumping abilities to explore high places in their houses.
What Age Can Cats Jump On Counters
Kittens are excellent climbers, but it can take some time before they’re able to make high jumps.
Kittens start making higher leaps around three months of age, but it might not be until they’re five to six months old that they can make the high jump onto a counter.
Should I Let My Cat On The Counter?
If your cat has already begun jumping on the counters, you might be debating whether or not you should allow this behavior.
Here are the pros and cons of allowing your cat to jump on the counter:
Pros
- More Enrichment: Your cat will have a whole new area to explore, which can satiate its curiosity. Maine Coons need a lot of enrichment to be satisfied, or else they can become bored and destructive.
- A Safe Space: If your Maine Coon lives in a household with children, dogs, or other cats, the counter can be a safe space where it can avoid interacting with anyone else for a while. While Maine Coons are known to be very patient with children and other pets, everybody needs some alone time, and counters are a great place for Maine Coons to stay out of reach from others.
- You Won’t Have to Train Your Cat: If you don’t have the time or energy to train your cat to stay off the counters, then it might just be easier to let your cat walk on the counters.
Cons
- Weight Gain: Your cat will have more access to scraps and any food left out on the counter, which can lead to malnutrition and weight gain.
- Bacteria: One of the biggest downsides to letting your cat walk on the counters is bacteria. After all, cats don’t wash their paws with soap and water like we do, and they walk in the litterbox at least once a day. This can be gross and even dangerous, considering you’ll end up preparing food where your cat was just walking.
- It’s Dangerous: Your cat won’t know to distinguish the stovetop from the counters, and could easily end up burning its paws on a hot burner! Counters often hold glassware, knives, and other potentially dangerous things that your cat could get into.
How To Keep Stubborn Cat Off Counter
If you’ve decided you want to keep your cat off the counter, but your Maine Coon is resolute on walking on the counters anyway, it might take a while to train your cat to keep off the counters.
Here are some things you can do to keep your cat off the counters:
1. Essential Oils
Essential oils are an effective and pleasant-smelling method of keeping your cat off the counters.
Some of the essential oils to keep cats off counters include:
- Citrus
- Lavender
- Eucalyptus
- Pepper
- Mint
Cats have very sensitive noses, and things that might smell good to us can be repulsive to cats.
You might have to experiment for a while to find an essential oil that will repel your cat from the counters.
2. Cat Deterrent
There are also specially made cat worktop deterrents that you can spray on surfaces to keep your cat away!
Make sure you do some research to find a deterrent that is safe for your cat, as well as pleasant smelling for your counters.
3. Aluminum Foil
Essential oils and cat deterrents are both excellent ways to keep cats off counters, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive method, you might be wondering, does aluminum foil keep cats off counters?
Most cats can’t stand the feeling or the sound of aluminum foil, so you can tape strips of it along the countertop edges to keep your cat from jumping up.
Plastic wrap and sandpaper are two other alternatives you might want to try out.
4. Cat Tower
Finally, another method to keep your Maine Coon from jumping on the counters is to provide an alternate climbing space.
The best cat tree for Maine Coons should be sturdy and extra-large.
Look for a cat tower made from high-quality sisal rope, and plenty of different platforms for your cat to jump and climb on.
Maine Coons are highly intelligent and active cats, and the more enrichment that’s provided for them, the better!
In fact, one of the most common reasons for behavior problems in Maine Coons is that they aren’t getting enough stimulation.
If you want to add even more enrichment to your cat’s life, you might want to consider adding wall-mounted shelves for your cat to climb on.
Not only will this provide a safe space that only your cat can access, but it will also allow your Maine Coon to exercise and explore in an area that is convenient to you!
This is the extra-large cat tree we just purchased, for our three Maine Coon cats. It’s strong, sturdy, and ideal for a Maine Coon cat:
Why Is My Cat Suddenly Jumping On Counters?
If your cat never jumped on counters before, but suddenly began engaging in this behavior, then it is likely due to one of two reasons.
Firstly, your cat may have only recently discovered how to jump onto the counters. If your cat smelled food or saw a more easy way to get onto the counters, then it might have suddenly decided to venture onto the counters for the first time, eventually becoming a regular habit.
Secondly, your cat might be feeling insecure in its environment.
A new pet or baby, or even a floor vacuum cleaner like a Roomba, may have caused your cat to seek higher ground away from the perceived threat or annoyance.
How To Stop Cat From Jumping On Desk
As charming as it may be if your cat wants to follow you around the house, they can become a huge nuisance if they walk around your desk while you’re trying to work.
Common deterrents like spritzing with a spray bottle, or making a loud sound to discourage your cat to leave are both options but aren’t ideal.
Cats view these as punishments, and unlike dogs, will only become bitter towards you.
The best way to stop a cat from jumping onto things is to use environmental deterrents.
Make the surface your cat is jumping on as unpleasant as possible, by placing odd textures or making it difficult for your cat to climb.
How To Stop Cat From Jumping On TV Stand
Things can become even more of a problem if your cat likes to spend time on the TV stand!
Many cats love to play with or chase the moving pictures on a TV screen, but a curious cat could easily knock over a flatscreen. As a result, this is a behavior that should be curbed right away.
To prevent damage to expensive equipment, it’s a good idea to be as consistent as possible when reprimanding your cat.
Don’t make your cat leave the TV stand sometimes, then allow it to sit there other times, as this will only be confusing to your cat. Instead, make it clear that your cat is never allowed on the TV stand.
Combine consistent training with some of the above methods, like cat deterrent or essential oils, to ensure your cat learns that the TV stand is not an appropriate climbing spot.
Are Maine Coon Cats Good Climbers?
Maine Coon Cats use their high intelligence to find the easiest way to climb obstacles.
All cats are naturally good at climbing, but the Maine Coon’s long limbs and extra strong hind legs make them one of the best cat breeds for climbing!
Having originated from the wild wilderness of Maine, these big cats definitely know how to live in the wild and climb trees. Learn more about this here.
How To Stop Cat From Climbing Furniture
Learning how to keep cats off tables and furniture is an essential part of teaching your cat manners.
Not all cat owners mind if their cat jumps on the couch, but tables, entertainment centers, and bedside tables are usually a universal no-no.
Some owners might get discouraged, however, and wonder, can cats be trained to not jump on furniture?
Here are the two main techniques you’ll need to keep your cat from climbing furniture:
- Consistent Discouragement
- Environmental Discouragement
Let’s take a closer look at these two options:
1. Consistent Discouragement
Teach your cat in a gentle way that it is not allowed on the furniture.
Every time it climbs where it is not allowed, pick your cat up and place it elsewhere, preferably in a more fun area, like a kitten playground or a cat tree.
Consistency is the most important part here; it might take weeks for your cat to learn it is not allowed on the furniture, so you must be patient.
2. Environmental Discouragement
As we’ve already covered, environmental discouragement is the other method you can use to stop your cat from going on the furniture.
While it may be easier than discouraging your cat yourself, you may not want to put things like essential oils or aluminum foil on certain parts of your furniture.
Thankfully, environmental discouragement doesn’t have to be a permanent solution.
Your cat should learn to avoid certain areas if you make them unpleasant for your cat to get to. After a few weeks of your cat consistently avoiding the furniture, you can remove whatever deterrents you’ve placed there.
It may take a couple of cycles, as your cat might immediately return to the furniture once the deterrent is removed the first time.
While this does depend on how stubborn your cat is, you should eventually be able to remove the deterrents altogether.
Cat Scratching Countertop
One unique problem you might run into is your cat scratching the countertop.
Cats love to scratch, and it’s an important way to keep their claws healthy. Some countertop surfaces might seem like the ideal scratching posts for cats!
If your cat is scratching your countertop, your first step should be to get one (or several) scratching posts for your cat.
I love this extra-large scratching post as it allows my strong 20lb male Maine Coon cat to pull and scratch against his claws on the post.
The post itself is also far more sturdy and longer-lasting than other cat scratching posts we have purchased in the past.
Here’s a quick Youtube video that I made when we first purchased this particular cat-scratching post:
You should always have at least one high-quality scratcher made of sisal rope, but you might also want a few cheaper scratchers made of cardboard lying around.
Whenever you catch your cat scratching the countertops, pick it up and place it right next to the nearest scratching post to encourage it to use the new surface.
As with all methods of cat training, this might take some time and patience, but your cat will eventually learn to use the scratching post.
This method, combined with using various deterrents on the countertop, is perfect for finally teaching your Maine Coon to use a scratching post that was specially designed for cats.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering, do Maine Coons jump on counters then the answer is, unfortunately, yes.
These athletic cats love climbing and exploring, but by providing a cat tree or even some cat-safe, wall-mounted shelves, you can encourage your cat to explore somewhere that’s safer and more convenient.
For more stubborn cats, you can use methods like essential oils, cat deterrents, or even materials like plastic, sandpaper, or aluminum foil to discourage your cat from walking on your countertops, tables, and other furniture.
It might take a while to train your cat to stay off the furniture, but with consistent training, even the most stubborn cat will eventually get the idea!
Related Questions
Cats That Don’t Jump On Counters
If you want a cat that’s unlikely to jump on counters, consider a low-energy breed like a Ragdoll or a Persian. The Munchkin Cat is also unable to jump on counters due to its short legs.
Do Maine Coon Cats Live In The Wild?
Absolutely! Learn more about this fascinating subject right here.