How do I stop my cat from knocking over items on shelves?

Question

I have had a brother and sister pairing of cats since they were 4 weeks old (same litter too). The male was definitely the bolder, always being the one to check out an area before my female came timidly behind. In my apartment, though, they almost never jumped around. They struggled to jump onto the counter and would often use the kitchen table to then get onto the counter. This was also true past when they turned a year old. Since moving back to my parents for personal reasons, my male cat has been climbing and jumping everything in sight that the other cats I have had in my 19 years have never even attempted to go to. While he has tried to jump onto these shelves and higher places, he has also in the process knocked over some very priceless things on my shelves. Also as another environmental note, there are 6 cats in total at my parents house now (2 of them are my cats) which they did struggle to get along with. My male often chased all the cats around to assert his dominance and would need to be frequently put back into my room for "time out".

I am not sure what I can do to prevent him from jumping on shelves I do not want him to be on. The shelves are jam-packed with items, too, but he jumps up regardless and will knock things over. The squirt bottle has little effect on my cats as well, and many forms of discipline I have tried do not seem to work with him in general.

I can't really move the shelves either or move things away from them so they can't reach, as I don't have the room or ability to provide enough spacing for that to happen. Someone suggested a kennel from them, but I am not a huge fan of using kennels, as I feel it is cruel to keep an animal locked up in such a small space.

EDIT: I am looking for a different solution besides using a water bottle. The duplicate in question has 2 answers, both with the main bulk revolving around using a water spray. As stated above, this doesn't affect my cats, and so the answers to this question are of no use to me.

Answer 1

I know in previous questions you always have someone mention water bottler, this is NOT a good method at all for the following reasons:

• Cat relates YOU to the water bottle, you're the bad guy.
• Cat knows you control the water bottle so will continue to do bad behaviors when you're gone.

Some ideas:

1. Double sided sticky tape - place the sticky tape on your shelves, when the cat jumps the sticky-ness will deter him from going there. The idea is for him to assume it's always there so you don't need keep it on the shelves long-term.

2. Aluminum foil - tape foil to your shelves, the noise it makes once they jump on it will scare them.

3. Ssscat - motion sensor device that activates once the cat is near it. It sprays air in their face.

4. Air horn - hide yourself and when the cat jumps on a shelf activate it.

5. Purchase some cat trees that are taller than your shelves, them being the highest point would be great. Give your cat treats when using their trees.

6. Have plenty of toys for your cats to play with on the floor

7. If possible, keep the cat out of the room when you're not around.

Whatever trick you come up with it mustn't hurt the cat but scare it, and should not make the cat think it's from you.

Answer 2

I'm lurking and can't leave a comment yet so pardon a comment in the answers frame. There is a product, and many similar, called Museum Putty. It's the greatest stuff. It holds things, all things, in place. A little ball of putty under fragile knickknacks, priceless or otherwise, will keep them secure during an earthquake. It's how they advertise these products. The putty stays soft, will pull cleanly off the item and is reusable. I secure art that gets brushed by humans in hallways, screens in window frames so the cats can't knock them out, etc. It's easily found in hardware stores. Good luck.