what is a good way to keep cats off of counters and tables?

Question

i have several cats that love to climb on tables and counters at night what is a good way to keep therm off of these items as i would rather keep the cats than get rid of them but i can not have them climbing on these things

Answer 1

I heard if you clean the counters wih orange cleaner it will help. They dont like the smell of orange.

Answer 2

I can't believe you'd even consider "getting rid of them" for such an innocent problem! You made a commitment to them for LIFE when you adopted them. Remember that!

I've used a squirt bottle to keep cats off counters, and I've seen to evidence that they've been on counters when I'm not around. Use it in moderation if you decide to try this. With dogs (and I assume it would work with cats) I've shaked an empty coke can filled with pennies in it when they do something bad. They really hate the sound (it's loud and scary!) and soon associate their inappropriate behavior with that auditory deterrent.

I've also hear of people training their cats by lining counters with double sided tape, or aluminum foil, as they don't like the feel or sound of either of these mediums when walking upon them. Alarms and buzzers exist to keep cats away from areas they shouldn't be, although if you're sleeping while the cats jump on the counters, that might not be too pleasant a solution.

Keep food of your counters so cats aren't tempted to snack while you're gone. And most of all, give your cats a high, towering area of their own where they can climb and look down on the world. That's all they really want!

Answer 3

I don't really have an answer to this question because we just keep our counters clean rather than worry about training them not to go on the counters--cats will just go where they please even if you try to stop them. Our cats really don't go on the counter much anyway--unless they have a reason to. After training a cat, they will probably not go on the counters in front of you, but then go in the middle of the night when you are sleeping or when you are not home. Cats are smarter than most people think. And having cats get on the counter is not a good reason to get rid of them--why did you get the cats in the first place?

I guess I have more of a rhetorical question after reading the answers to your question and other questions in the cat section. Why do people who obviously hate cats answer questions to peoples' cat questions? It is really disturbing. I assume that they are such losers that they can't think of anything better to do. And after reading so many of these cat questions I wonder why half of the people who are posting on here even have cats!!

Answer 4

There are several different things you can do:

Buy an aversive spray that you can put onto the countertops to keep the cats off of them.

Put double sided tape along the edges of the counters. Cats hate anything sticky on their paws. You can also use nubbly or electric "scat mats".

There are also electronic devices that can sit on furniture or counter/tabletops and "scream" whenever the surface is touched by the cat.

You can get such items at places like drsfostersmith.com and larger pet stores.

Answer 5

I leave things on the counters with the cats in the house on purpose, so that when they climb up and try to get into it for one reason or another, I can throw them off while shouting NO COUNTERS!.

After one or two flying trips, they dont do it again.

I have one cat who insisted on exploring my kitchen counters at night, despite the flying lessons, leaving little kitty foot prints all over them. He thought he was clever because he only did it when I wasnt there.

I just waited up for him a couple nights.

He doesnt do it anymore.

To me, i'd rather break a cat of walking on counters and tables, than break them of peeing in the house plants.

Answer 6

I stick some tape, double sided on stuff like that and they catch on pretty quick...they hate the tape on their paws...but as always with cats they are gonna do what they are gonna do...I tried the water thing but it was staining my furniture...
Why don't you want them on tables etc?....they are extrememly clean animals and usually are quite good at no nocking things over....I have given up, I have never gotten sick nor has anyone in my family from the cat being on the counter,,,good luck...tape works..

Answer 7

properly I surely have a cat, that once she grew to become into youthful liked to stand up on top of the cabinets and push up the ceiling boards and decide for an adventure. What I did grew to become into lay aluminium foil down (cats do no longer in uncomplicated terms like the sound or feeling of it) on the counters that she had to bounce onto to get to the suited. After a pair weeks while she found out it grew to become into continually there, she no longer tempted it.

Answer 8

I trained mine to stay off my counters by using a spray bottle with water in it. I set it to stream so I can reach them from farther away. It doesn't hurt them and they eventually get the picture. My cats have not been on any counter in 4 years!

Answer 9

Get double faced tape and put it on the counter. Cats hate to get their paws sticky. At the same time you can reprimand them by telling them NO-NO. Cats are smart ,they will get the idea.

Answer 10

Keep a squirt gun handy and when they climb, give them a spritz. Don't let them see where the water comes from. Being smart they will learn that you control the spray. If they don't see it, they will associate the unpleasent wetness with the climb.

Answer 11

I don't care for cats but I read somewhere that you get empty aluminum foil pans and put them around the edge of the counters. When they jump up they knock them on the floor and scare the heck out of themselves. It's not all that loud that it might wake you but it sure does make them run. No idea if this is fool proof though.