cat always on counter!! GRRR!

thh20

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Our 6 month old kitten has been counter surfing since we got her, and we're at a loss. We've tried every possible method under the sun to try to get her to stop, but nothing works. It's become a battle of witts, and she's winning. Are there smells that cats can't stand that we could use to naturally keep her off? I'm one step away from getting a motion detector alarm to keep her off!!

HELP!!
 

pombina

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Id be interested to read replies to this too....
I think it must be smells because before Sleeves was big enough to jump up himself he used to jump up your leg and cling on with his claws it was AGONY. Now he just jumps up all the time, he even falls asleep up there.
 

coaster

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You say you've tried every method and she's winning. It's time to adjust your expectations. This is a battle you're not going to win. Period. Get used to it. You have a cat that's determined to be on the counter, and nothing's going to stop her. So you're only creating frustration for yourself.

Clear off and put away everything on the counter you don't want your cat to get into. Clean it off before you prepare food. Always wash the dishes right away or put them away in the dishwasher.

It's more hassle, yes, but if you just make up your mind that it's a worthwhile price to pay for having a cat, then you're going to be fine with it.

Good luck!!


PS - I went so far as to put a cat bed on top of the kitchen cabinet. I couldn't keep them off there, so I just thought I'd accomodate them. And they enjoy it:
 

momofmany

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I added a scratch post with a top nest in the kitchen that is slightly higher than the counter tops. They prefer that cause it's taller than the counter, easier to get up it, and a nice cuddly place to sleep. If they jump on the counter, I redirect them over to the post.
 

pombina

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the bed is cute!! I like that idea. We have actually bought some 'cat grass' from pets at home and put it in the window sill at the back of the worktop so that Sleeves will eat that instead of my plants...
I always clean before preparing food etc but why do some people look so disgusted when I admit to my cat walking on the work top?
 

crittermom

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My Mom says it is nasty for cats to get on the counters.I asked her why and she said because they pee and poo in a box and then scrape it to cover it up.I will admit that it DOES bother me that Blaze gets on the counters.But, I've just been diligent about keeping all food off the counters and doing dishes before going to bed.Blaze will rarely counter surf during the day.....when she does, all I say is BLAZE and she knows to get down.When Mom is in bed, is another story.
 

hissy

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I respectfully disagree with Tim. My cats have all learned that there are two places in our home they are allowed on, and they do not get up on these places. One is ontop of Mike's computer (his Ham Radio unit is there) and the other is on top of the entertainment center.

If you go to our home page www.thecatsite.com and look at the product review for this month, that product will help you out of this predicament.
 

coaster

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I assume Mary Anne is referring to the ssscat. I have purchased four of the devices. They are currently sitting in a closet unused. They did not work for me. One of my cats was totally unfazed by them. And only one cat is still deterred by them

Furthermore, of the four units, three failed within a month. One was replaced under warranty. The air canister has a limited life and replacement is expensive. It's a gamble that it will work -- an expensive gamble. If the cat learns to be deterred by the whistle alone, then I suppose it's a good solution. But my experience is that result was obtained in only one out of three cats.

Deterrents will work with some cats. They won't work with other cats. This person has said they've already tried everything they know of, and it hasn't worked. So I assume this cat is one of the determined ones, and I really don't see any point in spending money on more cat deterrents that will most likely prove useless. That's the basis of my viewpoint.


BTW - I have taught them to stay off the counter while I'm preparing food, and to stay off the kitchen table while I'm sitting there eating. But that didn't involve static or active cat deterrent devices. It involved consistent, repetitive action on my part.

I suspect the main reason Mary Anne's cats respect her wishes not to be up on the two places she mentions is because there isn't anything up there to catch their interest. And I'll bet she provides plenty of more interesting alternative high places for them that they prefer. Two principles that can also be applied to kitchen countertops.
 

hissy

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On the contrary, on our entertainment center are most of our Alaskan artificats. Seal skin pincushions, hoof-a-boos and a wonderful headdress made of ptarmigan feathers- which is one of the reasons why the cats aren't allowed up there.
I have heard that the ssscat repellent does work, and if it doesn't then contact the company about it and see if they will make it right.
 

musicteacher

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My Alex loves jumping on the counter. He's very sneaky about it, but if he hears me get up to come get him he jumps down right away. Usually I can fool him by just making a noise and he'll think I'm coming. I don't punish him for being up there, but I do push him off and tell him no. I heard that cats do not like the feel of aluminum foil. You could put that on your counter until your kitty gets the idea. You can also try double stick tape.
 

mikenealis

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Also try taking one of those "roller mats" that you can put down on carpet for rolling chairs.... the kind with the dull plastic spikes to keep the mat in place, and put it upside down ('spike' up) on your counter. <---- oddest sentence ever.

Have you tried cookie pans (the kind with the lips) with water in them on the sides of your counter? Just a little bit of water is fine. If you put a lot, it's just more you're going to have to clean up.
 

purity

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My cats go where they please
I have nothing on my counters they could damage and all food is put away. I wash the counters before preparing food so I don't see it as a problem.
 

larke

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Spray lemon juice (or lemon something) on the counters (short term). They don't like citrus smells and won't stay up there long, but you may have to keep it up for a while.
 

quazar

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I used to have a spray can of stuff called 'Pet No' many years ago. I don't know if they make it anymore, but it kept the cat we had then far away.

Now that I'm all grown up with cats of my own, I have two that think its fun to jump on my counter and stove top and tables. They're doing it less and less now, as they're learning that they get a swat on the butt when they do this. My other cats seem to have learned the first time they got swatted.

I suppose it depends on the cat's determination and lack of something better to do?

The more cat toys and gadgets around my home, the less unwelcome micshief they seem to get into.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Try Feliway spray - worked for me when Sashka was determined to get up on the counters after I tried EVERYTHING - including pans of water that she would land in when she jumped. You can train your cat not to do this - but you need to TRAIN it, the same way you would train a dog. Cats can be trained, it's just harder, that's all!!
 

keiffers

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mine used to get up there quite regularly when I got her - came home one day and even found her up on top of the cabinets and even the top of the fridge that's about 4ft from the closest countertop - one thing that helped me control where she went, among other things, was a water spray bottle. Now I know some people don't like this method, and to each their own, but hey it works for me. Now that I've had mine for a little over 2 yrs, once she sees me even just touch the water bottle she thinks twice about doing something she's not supposed to do. She's not been on the counters in well over a year now, so I figured the water bottle contributed to her staying down. Who knows...good luck
 

carolpetunia

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Originally Posted by Pombina

...why do some people look so disgusted when I admit to my cat walking on the work top?
Those are probably people who (a) don't love or understand cats, and (b) make sandwiches and such right on the countertop... which is a bad idea to begin with. Don't let them bother you! :-)
 

ksakkos

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From what i know the smell of onion is something they dislike. An other technique is to put a finger in a lemon and then in the mouth of the kitten. After this they will dislike lemon flavour also...Lemon has not worked for me so well, perhaps because the smell desapears faster (i used it for the plugs and cables)...

-K
 

ksakkos

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Originally Posted by keiffers

mine used to get up there quite regularly when I got her - came home one day and even found her up on top of the cabinets and even the top of the fridge that's about 4ft from the closest countertop - one thing that helped me control where she went, among other things, was a water spray bottle. Now I know some people don't like this method, and to each their own, but hey it works for me. Now that I've had mine for a little over 2 yrs, once she sees me even just touch the water bottle she thinks twice about doing something she's not supposed to do. She's not been on the counters in well over a year now, so I figured the water bottle contributed to her staying down. Who knows...good luck
i have a little question on this. Are you sure your cat does not wait for you to leave before going on the counters...?
 

pombina

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Those are probably people who (a) don't love or understand cats, and (b) make sandwiches and such right on the countertop... which is a bad idea to begin with. Don't let them bother you! :-)
Thanks! That makes me feel better. He's been jumping up there for a while now. I do put him down if we are making food and if he is insistent then I just shut the kitchen door. He always jumps up via the cooker so I get worried one of the rings will be hot and he'll burn himself. Oooh the joys.
I had an arguement with a girl at work, who doesnt really like her cat too much. I got really sick last week, I just picked up a bug from somewhere and was so sick. This girl tried to say it was because I let Sleeves on the counter!! I was like nobody else was ill!! and he doesnt go outside so couldnt pick anything up from there!
ooooh it annoyed me
 
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