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How to keep cat off kitchen counters

post #1 of 11
9/2/10 at 9:28am
Thread Starter 
Now that Sid is feeling better, he goes up on the kitchen counters when I am on the computer, asleep, or at work. He knows he isn't supposed to be there because as soon as he hears me get up from my chair, he jumps down and runs under the bed.

However, he continues to go up there. The proof lies on the counters with trails of kitty litter and fur he leaves behind. Being that he is being sneaky about it, what can I do to get him to stop?
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post #2 of 11
9/2/10 at 9:36am
The most important thing is never ever leave anything yummy there. I find this being the most important thing. Once they know there is something to be found....

I used coins in cans and observed what were the most favorite spots for jumping. I also ambushed and put the cans where they could not be seen from below, so that the rattle would really get them by surprise. After that just putting the cans on the edges were deterrant enough because nobody liked the noise.

I tried the sticky tapes too but that was a mistake. First of all I left them on too long and the residue never really came off. Second, they were too narrow and my cruiser learnt to step over.

I tried water in sink too but as the sink was not the target area it did not work. I then put it in shallow pans around counters. I think it would work too but I think the cans had already done the main work in our case.

Also, I always reinforce all this with verbal reinforcement whenever I am around and see the eyeballing. "No" and clapping if there is any indication or breach.

We never had a big problem but everyone tried it at the beginning. All big mistakes happened when I left something like chicken right on the edge and after that there was a period when the boys would just have to check... just in case that chicken had returned
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post #3 of 11
9/2/10 at 9:50am
Thread Starter 
I do not leave any food accessable on the countertops unless in a secure container. Since my dishwasher is broken, I hand wash all my dishes. I thought about him possibly getting into dirty dishes, so now I wash every dish immediately and put it on the drying rack. I think what he is going up there for is the window nook in front of the sink. I leave the blinds closed there and set one livingroom window I leave open for him to sit on the window sill to look out. Yet, that hasn't seemed to work yet.

Think what I may try first is the sticky tape. What I'll do is add the tape to pieces of letter sized paper and just line the countertop with that. Being that they're on paper and not stuck to the counter, it should make it easy to remove when cooking.

I may try the can idea afterwards if the tape doesn't do it, but I have a feeling it is going to take a lot of cans cause there are so many points of entry for him to jump up from.
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post #4 of 11
9/2/10 at 10:06am
Tin Foil. They hate the crinkle when they walk on it
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post #5 of 11
9/2/10 at 11:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikev078 View Post
Now that Sid is feeling better, he goes up on the kitchen counters when I am on the computer, asleep, or at work. He knows he isn't supposed to be there because as soon as he hears me get up from my chair, he jumps down and runs under the bed.

However, he continues to go up there. The proof lies on the counters with trails of kitty litter and fur he leaves behind. Being that he is being sneaky about it, what can I do to get him to stop?
I tried a lot of things over a very long period of time. I wished I knew about this solution sooner
as the only thing that worked for my gremlin was this: SSScat
http://www.multivet.net/en/products/ssscat/
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post #6 of 11
9/3/10 at 4:48am
I don't even bother trying, they have learnt not to go up while I'm cooking and that's good enough for me. I just wipe down surfaces before use.
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post #7 of 11
9/3/10 at 8:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by missymotus View Post
I don't even bother trying, they have learnt not to go up while I'm cooking and that's good enough for me. I just wipe down surfaces before use.

Though I have had Sherman steal cooking ground beef right out of the skillet before. He's a food hound, though. He learned that time from burning his mouth (superficially, he was fine).

If you have cats they will get on the counter when you're not there, especially if there's a window. And even if you don't see them up there and think "my counters are clean", they're not. Cat hair floats around in the air and lands on everything.

Keep things clean and relax the rules. Life's too short, you could lose your cat tomorrow.
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post #8 of 11
9/4/10 at 9:07am
I have the same problem, just last night I caught my cat jumped over my kitchen counter and the night before last night I found him sleeping on my dining table!
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post #9 of 11
9/4/10 at 10:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_PH View Post
Tin Foil. They hate the crinkle when they walk on it
That has NEVER worked with either of my strong-willed cats. They just laid on it!

We've lined the counter with empty Coke cans filled a bit with beans and the tops taped closed. We've also used empty milk jugs lined up on the edges. Like a previous poster said, put them at the back of the landing zone so they're startled when they land. The idea is to make it uncomfortable for them to be up there. You can also go to the hardware store and get some plastic carpet runner. Cut it to the size of your counter space, turn it upside down so the little nubby things are exposed, and place it on the counter. When the kitty jumps up on the counter, those little nubby things will not feel comfortable (they won't hurt Sid either) and hopefully, he'll jump down.

I don't have a problem with my cats wallowing on the counters, but I do have one that is usually very sneaky and quiet who loves to jump up on the counter near the sink and look out the window at the geckos on the screen.
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post #10 of 11
9/4/10 at 10:34am
Also meant to add that if you're consistent when you find them on the counter/table, they'll soon learn that it's not the place for them. I usually sternly tell the cat "NO!", pick her up and put her on the floor. Of course, I'm also usually telling her to "GET OFF THAT COUNTER!" as I'm walking toward her. I'm sure Hannah thinks her name is really, "No ma'am! Get off that counter NOW!"
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post #11 of 11
9/4/10 at 12:00pm
I only had that problem once. It was caused by pork chops laying there to thaw. Speeboat liked them.
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