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Cat Proof Jigsaw Puzzle Table? (3 Simple Methods)

If your cat is playing with your jigsaw puzzle table and messing up your work you may be getting frustrated and looking for a simple solution to protect it. (click here to see my best solution, on Amazon #Ad)…

Can you cat-proof your jigsaw puzzle table?

It is possible to cat-proof a jigsaw puzzle table, but you may have to be creative. There are simple methods you can use such as covering it cleverly. A lot of people are hesitant to start up a larger jigsaw puzzle because they know that they can’t finish it in one sitting with a pet cat.

Use These To Protect Your Jigsaw Pieces

Description	Image	My Rating
01. Puzzle Roll mat (My Best) Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
02. Portable Puzzle Board Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
03. Puzzle Sorting Trays with Lid Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad

So, now you know. But, what can you do with the pieces in progress? Why are cats fascinated with it anyway? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

What is a jigsaw puzzle table?

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A jigsaw puzzle table is a hobby table designed for putting puzzles together. People can make their jigsaw puzzle table from an old table that isn’t getting much use anymore, or they can buy tables that were made specifically for doing puzzles.

The best puzzle tables will have a layer of felt on the surface to prevent slipping.  Most puzzle tables should fold out flat, making them the ideal surface for putting together a puzzle. Some of the store-bought tables have drawers to store extra pieces.

Can you train a cat to stay away from your jigsaw puzzle table?

It is possible to train your cat to stay away from the jigsaw puzzle table, but it’s very hard to do. In most cases, the cat won’t listen to the training and likely won’t work. If your cat wants to explore what’s on top of your puzzle table, it will find a way.

Some people have luck keeping objects nearby to distract the cat’s attention. If a cat has its favorite toy or scratching post in the area you may be able to direct its attention away from your puzzle table. With cats, you’ll have better luck getting them to focus on something else instead of training them to stay away.

How to cat-proof your jigsaw puzzle table:

It would be disappointing to spend all that time putting the puzzle together, only to find out that your cat knocked it over while you were sleeping.

To avoid this happening you will have to find something to keep your jigsaw puzzle table protected. One of the easiest and most effective solutions is to find something to cover your table with.  But, here is the detail…

1. Keep it covered: When you’re not working on your puzzle, you should keep your puzzle table covered up. You don’t have to buy a special cover either, you can use items that are already in your house. A fitted bed sheet (click here if your cat keeps scratching them) usually does the trick. Tinfoil also works well because cats hate the crinkly sound on their paws.
2. Hide it: If your cat is very persistent a cover might not be enough. You may have to hide your table someplace where the cat won’t be able to get at it. Your puzzle table may be safer in a closet or the laundry room.
3. Keep the door closed: If you don’t have any luck with the other two options, then you may have to close the door and keep your cat out of the room. Sometimes the only way to keep your jigsaw puzzle table safe from your cat is to keep it in a separate room.

5. Why do cats like your jigsaw puzzle table?

Cats are funny and they seem to like things that you don’t want them playing with, and that includes jigsaw puzzles. Cats are attracted to cardboard, which is part of the reason they love those jigsaw pieces.

While some cats like to play with the individual pieces, others like to use your partially completed puzzle as their new bed.

It’s a mystery to most humans why their cats love their jigsaw puzzles so much. What we do know is that it’s nearly impossible to finish a jigsaw puzzle without your cat interfering somehow.

What can a cat do to your jigsaw puzzle table?

If your cat gets onto your jigsaw puzzle table they won’t harm the table, but they are likely to wreck your puzzle. Even though these tables are designed to hold your puzzle in place if a cat disrupts them it’s likely to destroy your progress on the puzzle.

Once a cat starts playing with a puzzle piece it could do damage to the piece as well. Each puzzle has a particular shape to it so it can easily fit in place.

When cats start to bite at the pieces while playing they could ruin the shape. They may also put puncture holes or claw marks on the surface, which will affect the image.

Could your cat injure itself on your jigsaw puzzle table?

Jigsaw puzzle tables are safe to have around cats, and your cat shouldn’t get injured on the table. They are no different than any other table in your home.

Your cat is more likely to hurt your puzzle than they are to hurt itself on the table. You will only need to cover your table to protect it from your cat, and not the other way around.

Should you discipline your cat for touching your jigsaw puzzle table?

It isn’t necessary to discipline your cat when they touch your jigsaw table because they are not misbehaving, they are just curious.

If they are persistent with trying to touch your table then you should keep a spray bottle with water in it nearby. Anytime that you’re working on your puzzle and the cat touches it, give them a squirt.

If you continue this practice then they will lose interest in touching your puzzle table because they don’t want to get sprayed. They will begin to associate touching your puzzle with getting wet and that should send their curiosity in a different direction.

Could a cat swallow a jigsaw puzzle piece?

Your cat can swallow a jigsaw puzzle piece, especially if they are small. When cats play, they usually bite whatever object they’re playing with.

Anytime they play with a puzzle piece they’re at risk of swallowing it. Some cats even swallow bits of the cardboard as they are chewing on the puzzle piece.

If a cat swallows a whole puzzle piece there’s a chance that it could get lodged in its throat. If your cat swallows a puzzle piece contact your vet right away.

How to store jigsaw puzzles in progress:

If you have a partially completed jigsaw puzzle in progress on a table, then you can cover the puzzle and keep the table hidden so it remains cat-proof. However, if you don’t use a puzzle table there are other ways that you can store your puzzle in progress:

01. Roll mat

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These are great for doing puzzles because you do what you can on the mat, then roll it up and store it in a cylinder tube. Once you’re ready to get back it, all you have to do is roll the mat back out and your puzzle should be intact.

02. Puzzle Board

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These portable boards are designed specifically to keep your puzzle safe no matter where you take them. You can take them anywhere you go.

03. Sorting trays

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You may have your puzzle in progress safely covered, but what about the extra puzzle pieces? These are the biggest hazard for your cat so you should store your puzzle piece in sorting trays. They will help you stay organized so you know exactly which ones to grab.

How do you keep puzzle pieces on the table?

One excellent solution is called a puzzle mat. This is a tool that not only provides you with a space to put the puzzle together but which can allow you to move the puzzle somewhere more private if your cat has taken an interest in the puzzle and refuses to be dissuaded from playing with it.

The puzzle mat is designed so that you can roll it up and the already-assembled pieces of the puzzle will be fine, allowing you to either store it away until your kitty is otherwise occupied or you can move it to another room where you can assemble it undisturbed.

Why does my cat sit on my jigsaw?

Sitting right in the middle of your jigsaw puzzle is an instant way to get your attention and your cat is doing this on purpose. They’ve noticed that you are focusing your time on the puzzle, instead of them, and they are telling you to pay attention to them.

If this is happening to you regularly, you can try petting your cat for 10 to 15 minutes before you do your puzzle every day and try to keep a strict schedule.

Cats are creatures of habit and if you are giving them attention at the same time every day before you start on your jigsaw, then your cat may well be mollified and leave you to it!

How do you put a puzzle together with a cat?

There are a few tricks that you can use to keep your kitty from batting away your puzzle pieces or plopping down in the center of your puzzle. The first is to cut out a piece of aluminum foil that is big enough to cover the puzzle. When your cat jumps on the table, simply cover it with the foil.

Cats seem to hate the texture of foil and tend to keep their distance, so this is a method that is not only simple but quite effective. The second thing that you can try is putting a little double-sided tape on the table.

Just pick something with a weak adhesive so that it won’t do any damage and place it on the table’s borders. Cats don’t like the sticky feel of it on their paws and after an attempt or two to get on the table and find it sticky, most cats will start avoiding the table – even once you’ve removed the tape!

Do cats like puzzles?

Cats love puzzles, but for very different reasons, of course. To your cat, a puzzle is a collection of a few hundred to a thousand tiny toys – ready to be batted around, chewed, or even carried off to play with later!

They also notice the attention that you lavish on them and this just makes your puzzle more of a ‘target’.

What do you put under a puzzle?

That depends on what you want to do. If you are looking to glue and preserve the puzzle upon completion, then the wax paper is ideal, as you can roll the finished puzzle with a rolling pin, pour on some glue, and preserve it for later framing if you like.

If you simply want to be able to protect it from your kitty, then a puzzle mat is ideal, as these allow you to ‘roll up’ your puzzle safely at any time, with the assembled pieces remaining conjoined until you can get back to doing the puzzle or relocate it somewhere safer.

Finally, a large piece of foil, substantially larger than the puzzle itself, provides you a place to work on it that your kitty won’t want to step on.

What to do with a puzzle after you finish it?

When your puzzle has been completed (despite your kitty’s best efforts to thwart this), then it’s time to decide what you will do with it. There are certainly several options. For instance, if you do a few puzzles a week, then you might take different completed sections from each puzzle and glue them in place on a canvas.

This makes a nice home decoration and it’s a little more fun than simply putting the puzzle away. Another option is to do your puzzles on wax paper so that you can glue them and frame them for later. This typically involves rolling it flat with a rolling pin, coating it in glue, and letting it dry for about 4 hours.

If you are so inclined, you can even give yourself a challenge by taking it apart and seeing if you can complete it again within half an hour or an hour. Get creative with it and have a little fun – after all, you’ve certainly earned it!