Keeping her off the table?

My Lucy does what most cats do - climbs everything! The only surface we want to keep her off is the dining table, you don't want to eat with a kitten bum in your face. And she'll lick your food.
I've tried the method I found on this site, using double sided tape to make it an unpleasant surface. However she she just ignores it and walks anyway. I don't want to use booby traps as she's very sensitive to sudden noises and I feel it would just stress her too much.
I have heard rubbing citrus on the surface will keep her off as cats hate the smell but I am allergic to citrus! Is there anything I could use instead? Thanks!

Can you get her to sit on a high chair, maybe at the same height as the dining table is? maybe if she is on the same level as what you eat or where you sit, she won't have issues.

Another thing is that you can put her bowl and let her eat at the same time you eat, or maybe put in the bowl what you are eating (as long as it is suitable for a cat to eat) so she doesn't lick your food.

Grizzly always climbs the dining table, but we never forbided him to do so. We put his bowl up there and he eats with us. Of course, he steals some of our food in the process 

Can you use citronella spray..? Or is it something you are allergic to also? It is used on fabrics (chairs, couches etc) to keep mites away and also keeps the mosquitos away.. Cats hate citronella spray. 

Citronella spray isn't allowed in the UK strangely. The EU hasn't allowed its use in anything other than perfume.

I've tried feeding her at the same time but she comes for our food still. I do give her some of our food which works temporarily.
I would just let her sit on the table but it freaks out the boyfriend, he has a thing about germs and food
I'll try the high chair idea and see how that goes, thank you!

I have had good results in terms of training Sinbad not to get on things by recognizing that his urge to climb them is motivated by his desire to be closer to me. He doesn't want on the table - he wants to be with us while we eat. He doesn't want to be on my computer - he wants to be near me when I'm working and the computer is the closest thing to me.

Succesful results are as @GrizzlySapien suggested: a high space for the cat near the space desired. I put a small tree near my stool at my desk, and reward Sinbad with praises and pets when he climbs on it. He has not climbed on my computer since I did this. Same with the table, I build him a cat condo that sits next to the table, and now he climbs on that while we eat and I'm in the kitchen instead of the table and counters.

Hope it does the trick 

Wait for some other, more experienced members to give you some of their ideas. As I said, we've never forbided Grizzly from climbing, but what I told you is what I would try at first if I had a problem with climbing. 

Also, if Lucy is vaccinated and a 100% indoor cat, your b/f has nothing to worry about. Lucy might be cleaner in every way. If you let her out for some time during the day, then yeah.. it's understandable for him to worry. 

 

Thank you both I'll definately try and find her something. We've built her a kitty climbing assault course across two bookcases and there's a shelf in the middle for her to lay on. I'll try moving that next to the table!

Ive started taking it down to move it. Once its up again I'll share a photo of her highness in her bookcase throne

Cool can't wait to see it.

Any progress??   

nicsd said:

Citronella spray isn't allowed in the UK strangely. The EU hasn't allowed its use in anything other than perfume.

I've tried feeding her at the same time but she comes for our food still. I do give her some of our food which works temporarily.
I would just let her sit on the table but it freaks out the boyfriend, he has a thing about germs and food
I'll try the high chair idea and see how that goes, thank you!

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Citronella spray IS allowed in the UK - most horse supplies shops sell it. Basically, a few years ago citronella was banned for use in insect repellants (it was a common ingredient in horsey fly repellants pro to that ruling). This resulted in it not being available at all for a while. It's now back on the market - it just cannot be sold as an insect repellant.

Alternatively, you can buy citronella oil pretty much anywhere that sells aromatherapy oils. Dilute at a ratio of 1 drop citronella to 10ml water, shake well, and you have a citronella spray.

Columbine said:

Citronella spray IS allowed in the UK - most horse supplies shops sell it. Basically, a few years ago citronella was banned for use in insect repellants (it was a common ingredient in horsey fly repellants pro to that ruling). This resulted in it not being available at all for a while. It's now back on the market - it just cannot be sold as an insect repellant.

Alternatively, you can buy citronella oil pretty much anywhere that sells aromatherapy oils. Dilute at a ratio of 1 drop citronella to 10ml water, shake well, and you have a citronella spray.

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Ahh thank you! I must have misunderstood what I was reading. I know shops that should sell the oil then, thanks again!

GrizzlySapien said:

Any progress??   

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GrizzlySapien said:

Any progress??   

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Hit a snag when moving the bookcases! For her safety they have to be fixed to the wall. Different room means different type of wall. We've had to order different wall plugs. But it will be up I was very proud of my creation!