Why does my cat knock things off tables?

Three answers, often layered. First, predator play: the object is acting like prey she can knock around. Pens, small objects on counters and dressers all qualify. Second, attention-seeking: if knocking something off ever produced an immediate human reaction, she learned that behavior produces engagement. Third, boredom: a bored cat will work with whatever’s available. The fixes differ: more interactive play sessions for the predator angle, calmly removing her without making eye contact for the attention angle, and more enrichment for the boredom angle. Cornell flags lack of stimulation as a contributor to nuisance behaviors.