To all the many people in life and on-line who have repeatedly told me that using a squirt gun or spray bottle to train a cat not to do something:

They never met my cat Puck. I did not name him that and then watch the personality develop. I watched the cat for a few weeks and then named him that. Think Shakespeare, not hockey.

He now runs when I grab the squirt gun and/or spray bottles. But he continues to knock everything of my book selves. I think it doesn't work since he has always known it was wrong. He is wanting me to feed him more. When I either chase him away, or he run from the spay bottle, he ALWAYS head straight for the food dish......

I tried using a spray bottle to train one of my cats. It did not work either. He would run away from me when I reached for the bottle but it did not correct his behavior.

Jumping on kitchen counters was what I was trying to get him to stop doing. repetitively picking him up off of the counter and putting him back on the floor eventually worked. When picking him up I would not give him food or set him next to his food dish he would just think it would be a reward.

I just leave food out for them they can get it whenever they want. there active enough that they don't get fat.

My cats weren't that heavy, but the vet said that one needed to lose a pound and the other two pounds. They have never been the same since, in regards to food. I once put out a dish with three days worth of food. They finished in a day.....

I've tried repeatedly picking them up and putting them in a different room. It didn't work. And I kept it up for a year.

As for the counter trick, I've heard covering the counters with tin foil... I suppose I could try it on the book shelves. That would take a while. 5 book cases. The surfaces of two dressers. Taking everything off and reshelving.... Not to mention the time to wrap each shelf in the foil..... It makes me tired just thinking about it.

You gotta love cats. Just keep in mind when dealing with them that dogs have owners, cats have staff.

I know this. I'm just tired of mending things, and putting books and videos and dvd's back on shelves.