keeping cats off worktops. SERIOUS ANSWERS ONLY PLEASE?

Question

I own 4 cats. One of them , (female 6yrs) will not stay off my kitchen worktops, no matter what I do, so I'm forever picking out cat fur, when using pans etc.Don't want to get rid of cat, as she's part of the family. But as you can well understand, it's not very hygienic. I quite often put her down, the turn round, and the minx is back up there. Sometimes she sleeps there, other times just sits. This is a real problem, so please help...x

Answer 1

Any solution can not have you as a component (spraying with water, yelling) or she will just learn to jump up on the counters when you are not home.

To teach her to always stay off the counters, use double-sided tape, sisal welcome mats, or an x-mat (available through www.jbpet.com) on the surfaces. They are painless but uncomfortable. Or, get Ssscat (www.premier.com). This is a can of citronella oil with an alarm that is set off by motion. If she jumps on the counter it will sound and spray her.

Answer 2

I tried my hardest in the begining to keep them off the counters and the table. I would yell at them and use the spray bottle on them to get them on the counters, I just got so exahusted with it and they are up there all day while we are at work anyway so I'm like what's the use.

what I did was put heavy shelf paper down on the counter that they like to be on (It is infront of a window) and when I need to use that counter space I pick up the shelf paper and then when I'm done I clean up and put the shelf paper back on the counter.

if you don't want to go that route, you can put double sticky tape on the counter but that tends to be a sticky situation (Pardon the pun) when trying to cook and stuff.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Any kind of Citrus, orange, lemon, lime etc acts as a deterrent for cats - so you could try rubbing some lemon juice in your worktop, or maybe keep a basket of lemons on the worktop?

Answer 4

i seem to have stopped my cats from climbing up on the work tops by.. sprinkling pepper, putting cat repellent also on the bench if pepper doesnt work, I was told also to spray cold water at the cat but I often find just the sound of a spray works without anything in it just as well, you have to make their beds comfortable and praise them when they are in their beds, mine like there own beds, they tollerate each other but wont sleep together, which can take up a lot of space but I find they are in their beds a lot more than on the work tops if they have a proper place to sleep

Answer 5

All of the answers so far are good ones, I can only agree that using a surface cleaner with a citrus smell to it works as does a sharp tap on the nose with a strong "NO". Good luck.

Answer 6

I recommend buying a cleaning product which is lemon or even orange fragranced. Cats really hate the smell. Alternatively, buy orange oil and rub small amounts into the surface. Try it - hold out something with a citrus smell to her, watch her sniff it and see how she reacts.

Answer 7

For me, what worked was - firm "No"; then tap on the nose, than, the most effective, was hissing at him when he did climb on the table. I think tapping on the nose and hissing are the ways a senior cat would chastise junior cat(s), so they are effective.
Loud noises (clapping hands, dropping keys on hard floor, etc.) also work to associate the unwelcome (for you) activity with unwelcome (for your cat) sensations.
And then there is the spray bottle...

Answer 8

Warren Epstein who has a pet advice call-in show in the US recommends filling empty soda cans with pennies and lining them up on the very edge of your counters. If the cat knocks them down they are upset by the noice and clatter and stop going up there.

Answer 9

Put 2 sided tape on the counter top for a few days cats hate the sticky feel of it under their feet or you could smear honey or syrup on it as they hate the feel of that two but that may be to messy

Answer 10

confident. There are a pair of thoughts. First, squirt water, in basic terms somewhat squirt. quickly, whilst he sees the water bottle he will comprehend it somewhat is a no no. 2d, double sided sticky tape. Cats HATE sticky tape. whilst puss jumps up and his paws persist with the tape, he will bounce off. He might attempt it a pair greater cases yet will learn the stressful way. third, yet expensive, lay aluminium foil on the floor. They hate that too. the 1st 2 labored for my cats, incredibly the water bottle. They scarper whilst that comes out!