how do you keep them off the counter ?

[97guns]

looking for suggestions

 

[missymotus]

I don't

They are free to go anywhere they please, I just wipe down the benches before use. They are trained to not come up when I'm preparing food though.

 

[icklemiss21]

Someone asked this just the other day, so rather than repost my response

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=211995

 

[kailie]

Really, I have yet to find a way. If I see them up there I yell and them to get down...and they just look at me until I GET UP and start moving towards them.

They know they're not allowed up there, but do it anyway as soon as our backs are turned.

 

[mystik spiral]

Unfortunately (?) I agree with the other posters... Holland is allowed to go anywhere she wants. Yes, she is the Queen of the household.

Sometimes I worry after I've used the stove that she will burn herself, but so far she's proven that she's smart enough to stay away from it when it's hot.

You might want to try putting aluminum foil or double sided tape down on the counter for a while - some cats hate walking on it. Otherwise, when you catch them on the counter, give a firm "No!" and remove them.

 

[tico]

Ssscat saved my sanity.

It "cured" her pretty much in one day, and its been about a month now. Although I still see her contemplating the idea, she has yet to jump up.

 

[farleyv]

Since I don't want litter feet on my food prep areas, I used Scaaat. It is sold in most larger pet stores. It is an aerosol can that emmits an invisible beam. When that beam is broken. it shoots out a forceful blast of air. The feel of the air on their fur and the sound of the spray, startle them. It only took once and problem was solved.

It is not cheap. About fourty dollars. But my goodness, well worth it. Once that problem is solved you can move the can to another area that cats are prohibited.

My kitties have so many places they can go, they don't need to be on my counter tops.

 

[crazy4cats28]

My cats do almost anything they want EXCEPT jump on the counters or go outside. Princess was easy because she was only 7 weeks when I got her. She was way to small to jump that high and by the time she could she already knew that wasn't exceptable. Patsy was adopted at 1.5 years I just told her "NO, Bad Patsy, get down" and made her get down. After several times of being told she was bad she never did it again. I think she was easy to break of the habit because when I first got her she wanted very badly to please everyone (she was abused before I got her). I did the same with Mikey and he didn't take long to learn either but he will still have the occasional slip up. Just the other day he thought he wasn't getting his treat quick enough and jumped up and helped himself. I took the treat away from him, made him get down, told him he was a bad boy and held off giving him the treat for a few more minutes. He HATES being told he's bad so that plus taking his treat (even for a few minutes) was torture for him so I think he's pretty much learned his lesson.