“My cat keeps jumping on my counter”: Navigating a common client concern

For many pet owners, the line between a behavioral problem and a normal instinct isn’t always clear, especially when it comes to cats, where common complaints often just reflect natural behaviors. These concerns frequently surface in the exam room, shaping conversations between veterinarians and pet owners, explains Tiffany Tupler, DVM, CBCC-KA, HABc.

In this video, Tupler draws on her unconventional path to veterinary medicine and her background in shelter and community care to unpack that distinction. With a focus on client education, she explains why behaviors like jumping on counters—often viewed as frustrating—are rooted in natural feline instincts, and how helping pet owners better understand these behaviors can build trust in the clinical relationship.

Below is the video transcript, lightly edited for clarity.

Tupler: I think No. 1 is a big one, and I use it a lot when I lecture: Cats jumping up on counters. For decades, people would use scat mats, which are kind of like little shock things you can put on a bed or a counter—a deterrent, as some may call it. Sometimes they'll put aluminum foil on things or use spray bottles, when in reality, cats as a species like to be high up. Even though they're prey animals and you think of them like tigers hunting in the woods, they're still small, domesticated cats…so they can still be preyed upon.

A lot of times, they like to be really high; that's how they actually engage in their environment. For many owners and veterinarians, it seems like common sense to just deter them from jumping up on stuff. In reality, it's a normal behavior for these guys because they want to be able to observe and then decide what action they want to take. Again, a common complaint you get from pet parents is, "My cat's always on the counter," or, "He's always on the kitchen table when we're eating dinner." But in reality, that's a super normal one.