How do I keep my kitten off the kitchen counters?

I have a 4 month old brown tabby w/tremendous engergy. She tries to get onto everything, and the kitchen counters are of course the most interesting. My previous cats would get on the counters, but only when I was gone (clever kitty!). I can't remember how I cured my first kitten of getting on the counters right in front of me. I think I used tin foil, which seemed to work. Doesn't work w/Ally! I also tried packing tape doubled up, but that didn't work either. Thank you!

hehe I am having the same problem and she laughed at the double sized tape.

Michelle

I tried double sided tape for a while. Saki got bold. Lol. Well I just yell "SAKI GET DOWN!" and clap my hands and now he runs so fast off the counter But others have suggested tying balloons near the counter or alumminum foil.

Unfortunately, Ally responds to my yelling "No!" and clapping only half the time. The rest of the time, she tries to hide behind something. She knows she shouldn't be there, but thinks if she hides I'll forget! lol. I just hope she ends up like my previous cat who figured out that she could hang out on the counters all day long, as long as I wasn't around. She rarely tried it when I was there. So hopefully Ally will mature that way. The tape and foil won't work, and balloons sound good, but how in the heck do you do what you need to do in the kitchen w/balloons all over your counter edges!?

lol that's a good question.

I see you're from San Fran.. a fellow bay arean! I'm from Redwood City

The balloon trick is actually more for when you aren't directly working at the counter. Get some mylar helium balloons and tape the strings to the edge of the counter. Put a fan near so the balloons sway a little. Theoretically, since they are taller than kitty and moving, they will intimidate her from getting on the counter.

You can also try cleaning the counters with a STRONG citrus scented cleaner, or put citrus air fresheners on the counters. Most cats don't like citrus and will avoid it.

I have seen products that look like the underside/spikey side of floor mats (like you have in an office) that is supposed to work to deter from getting on counters. I have also seen a mildly electrified mat that would give a slight current to her feet when she lands on it (like when you touch both sides of a 9 volt battery).

As a last resort, I have heard of putting old-fashioned mouse traps upside down on the counters with newspapers over the top of them. When kitty jumps up, the motion springs the mousetraps which not only snap but also jump up since they were place upside down. The noise and the sudden motion is supposed to scare the cat since they can't see what is setting it off.

Thanks, Heidi! Lots of great suggestions! I'll try the balloons and keep my eyes open for the other product. And I love the smell of citrus, so I'll definitely give that one a shot!

And remember to dose yourself up with patience.
When you do catch her be consistent. And if there's anyone else living with you, make sure they're responding in the same manner as well. Nothing worse than two different messages being sent.

Great question. I'm interested in the answers myself because my two kittens have just figured out how to jump up on the counters. We've tried the spray bottle, tinfoil, and Sticky Paws and they haven't been fazed by any of those. We're basically yelling 'no' and clapping, which is somewhat effective. Maybe I'll try the citrus air freshener, though. We've used that to keep them away from the Christmas tree and for the most part they really don't mess with it.

Jeepers does this so much! She's really sneaky and waits 'till we're out of sight. But she's still quite small and can't make a quick getaway, so we catch her up there. Nothing we do stops her so know we make sure nothing is left out and I keep disinfectant solution in a spray bottle which I use every time I use the surface. The disinfectant is citrus so she is doing it less. One thing's for sure, the dishes are washed, dried and put away in record time now!!!

My cats have had the foil, baloon, citrus spray & everything else i have thought of treatment & non of it worked.. They are doing it less as they get older and as soon as they realise im looking at them they bolt for their life, cause they know there in trouble..

Our newest addition, Pepe', has just discovered the countertop, and the bakers rack, and the microwave, anything he is not allowed to be on. He is fearless, and does not respond to anything except the water bottle, which I really like to use only as a last resort. He also like to drag my cell phone off the charger. I had someone call me so it would ring while he was playing with it, but it didn't even make him jump. He likes tin foil, and eats oranges, so foil or citrus won't work. Physically removing him makes him think it is a game. He has dethroned Georgia as our naughtiest kitten of all time.

Good post, as I have the same question regarding my cats. I like readding the other members imput, though

thats interesting with the upside down mouse traps. I'll have to suggest that to my sister in law. her cat is not afraid of anything. really!

the aluminum foil worked for me.....now I rarely ever catch my Molly up there, and when I do she looks at me with the look of knowing she isn't supposed to be there. Only reason I think she gets up there anymore is to tell me "I don't like that you haven't given me any attention or you haven't been here, so pffft at you". I think it's like someone said earlier, they do it when you're not around. I can only imagine where she goes when I'm not here LOL

My himalayan cat LOVES so sit on tables and counters when there's room. Especially the glasstop coffee table. I just let him do it. When he sleeps on the kitchen table or counter, I just make sure I wash it off before I sit there to eat!

Our newest addition, Pepe', has just discovered the countertop, and the bakers rack, and the microwave, anything he is not allowed to be on. He is fearless, and does not respond to anything except the water bottle, which I really like to use only as a last resort. He also like to drag my cell phone off the charger. I had someone call me so it would ring while he was playing with it, but it didn't even make him jump. He likes tin foil, and eats oranges, so foil or citrus won't work. Physically removing him makes him think it is a game. He has dethroned Georgia as our naughtiest kitten of all time.

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My oldest cat has the same attitude. Only he totally ignores me yelling no, clapping, etc. The water bottle only makes him lay down on his back and purr for more--onery thing lol I've even opened the cabinets over the counter and found him lounging in there. I tell him to get out and down and he looks at me like "oh please..you make such a fuss over nothing"

I have the same problem with my newest addition to our family. I have tried the squirt bottle, I even put vinager in the water. I tried alumin foil on the counters and that did not deter him. I even tried putting him in a cage, he does not seem fazed by any of it. I am at my wits end with him. I was hoping to get some suggestions on what to do and you all gave great suggestions. I will try some of them.

After reading this, I realize I just didn't know how good I've had it! Of course, I got both cats as adult strays, so they may have been trained by their previous humans, though at least one of them was primarily an outside cat. I've had Red Cat about five years and in that time I've seen him on the kitchen counter once. He jumped up near the sink when I had forgotten to put his water back in the bathtub after my bath. And Purdy never has been on the counter to my knowledge. I've even forgotten a tuna can with a little bit of tuna in it on the counter overnight accidentally, and they never touched it. (I'd meant to give it to them when they returned from outside, but forgot.) And I've left salmon out thawing during the day and left the room, and there was no evidence they'd been up there.

They both looked like they were ready to jump on the counter a number of times when I first got them, but a firm "no" detered them. And I suspect that during the periods I got both cats, I had a lot of stuff on the counters, which might have made them feel it was hazardous to jump up there overnight or when I wasn't around. Or if they did try it, they may have been scared by things falling.

I've heard of stacking empty tin cans on counters so they would fall and make a racket if a cat jumped up there. You might find other things like empty foil pie tins and the like which might make noise to stack precariously.

One thing that does work, is litterpans with a little bit of water in them. Just line the counter edge with them and duct tape them down, because once they leap and land in water IT flies everywhere! LOL It is very effective though-