How to stop a cat when Sssccat is useless?

[Draco]

I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment. The living room is connected to a small galley kitchen, divided by a small bar counter.

I want to keep the cats off my main counter, with the stove and sink. Monet has a habit of jumping up there, even with the gas stove on. I've tried "no".. tried tossing things in his direction, loud noises.. he'd start, but he won't get down. I'd have to physically remove him from the counter.

I tried sccaat, but given the location (far from the stove), and no matter which angle I turn it.. it goes off each time I move across the living room and it's driving me mad! I tried putting it on top of the fridge and angling it down, no dice. Tried to turn it to face the back wall, still puffs as I walk across the living room. It stopped Cassie after two squirts at her, but it did not faze Monet when it hissed at him. He'd get down, but only go right back up on the counter. I'd clap my hands, he'd run, but goes right back to the counter.

I leave nothing up there. i USED to just toss empty cans of cat food in the sink to clean out later.. but I guess he still thinks the cans are still there for him to lick from.

Any other suggestions on how to keep him off the counter? Double sided tape doesn't work, tried that too.

 

[momofmany]

Does he have an alternative near by the counters? I put a cat condo taller than the kitchen counters in my kitchen and they tend to gravitate to that condo rather than the counters. Sometimes a cat will jump on the counters because it is a tall place. If you add a condo, you will need to teach him to use it over the counters. When you see him up there, give a loud NO, pick him up and put him on the condo, then praise him like there is no tomorrow. Give him a treat on the condo if he likes treats. You want to make the condo more attractive than the counter, and reward him every time you see him on it.

Just a thought......

 

[txcatmom]

I can't use Ssscat in the kitchen for the same reason.  I am home with my kids all day and it would be going off constantly.  (I did use it with great success with the Christmas tree....I had a chewer who could have really hurt himself with the tree.)  I've just come to accept that we will never have 100% compliance with the "no counters" rule at our house.  (They have gotten better about it over the months, and I've trained them to go to the kitchen window sill as their "allowed" spot.)  If you can't be right there to supervise the pot and flame, maybe putting the cat in a room for a little while for their own safety would work. 

 

[Draco]

There's a cat tree just outside the galley kitchen. I can't put one inside as there's no room at all (I hate the kitchen, no room for me to work at and I feel so claustrophobic!)

He's always on that tree. but he hunts on the counters for scraps of food and empty cans of cat food. There's nothing up there anymore as I always toss out the cans now and I never leave scraps of food out anyway.

 

[txcatmom]

You may have already tried this, but aluminum foil worked for us for a little while.  The cats eventually became immune to it, but it did discourage them for a bit and helped some with their training.  I've read some cats aren't even phased by it or like to play with it though.  Some of the ideas of things to put on your counter are so hard to move when you need to use the counter (nubby rubber mats, pans of water, sticky tape) that I never tried them.  Foil wasn't hard to move.

 

[Draco]

tried foil today.. Monet chewed it up. Do'h!

 

[ted m]

I've heard to use the plastic runners (that one would put on their carpets) upside down on the counters. They're the same things that one would use to put under the computer chair to protect their rug.

They have those nubs under them (to grip the rug).

However, I would be afraid that the cats would jump up on the them and really hurt their soft feet? Unless a person could find one that has rounded nubs rather than the pointy ones.

(Not sure if this suggestion even makes sense, or if I'm explaining it well. )

 

[nerdrock]

I've heard to use the plastic runners (that one would put on their carpets) upside down on the counters. They're the same things that one would use to put under the computer chair to protect their rug.

They have those nubs under them (to grip the rug).

However, I would be afraid that the cats would jump up on the them and really hurt their soft feet? Unless a person could find one that has rounded nubs rather than the pointy ones.

(Not sure if this suggestion even makes sense, or if I'm explaining it well. )

I don't think they're sharp enough to hurt their feet, but they are uncomfortable for cats to stand on. 

 

[ted m]

I don't think they're sharp enough to hurt their feet, but they are uncomfortable for cats to stand on. 

Oh, I agree... I was just thinking if a cat were to JUMP onto it...with full force? It could cause damage?

Maybe not.

 

[nerdrock]

Oh, I agree... I was just thinking if a cat were to JUMP onto it...with full force? It could cause damage?

Maybe not.

I don't think so, but I honestly don't know, lol. 

They sell mats at some farm/hardware/garden stores that are a lot sharper than one of the plastic chair mats that are specifically for keeping cats off places (tops of fences, roofs, etc). I can't imagine that they'd be able to sell them if they would do damage to an animal. So I think the chair mat would be fine, even if jumped on full force. 

You also have to think, if the cat is jumping down onto it, it's going to hurt more but if it's jumping up, it's not going to hurt as much. 

 

[ted m]

I don't think so, but I honestly don't know, lol. 

They sell mats at some farm/hardware/garden stores that are a lot sharper than one of the plastic chair mats that are specifically for keeping cats off places (tops of fences, roofs, etc). I can't imagine that they'd be able to sell them if they would do damage to an animal. So I think the chair mat would be fine, even if jumped on full force. 

You also have to think, if the cat is jumping down onto it, it's going to hurt more but if it's jumping up, it's not going to hurt as much. 

Yes, this is true. I may have to check into the special mats of which you mention. Thanks!

 

[poppy0109]

Draco, I've tried everything with Poppy too.  If he wants to get up somewhere, he's going to do it no matter what I do.  I try to distract him with play, which makes him get down from it (counter, dining room table, tv stand, dresser) but then he'll go right back to it.  He is a stubborn 3 1/2 yr old boy!

I have a cat tree in every room.  He still wants to jump up on everything.

I wish I could help but I've run out of ideas for Poppy.

  Nothing scares or bothers him!

 

[carmina piranha]

Erm...This is what worked for me, but you may not like it. I did it on my adult cat, and started doing it with our foster kittens. My guy thought it was too harsh, but I checked with the lady running the cat rescue, and she said it was fine. If a cat or kitten jumps on the counter, I grab the cat, put it in the sink, run water all over it while loudly saying "No-no! No-no-no-no-no!!" then I carry the cat to a bathroom, still saying "No-no" or other things loudly, turn on the light, set the cat down, slam the door, and set the timer for 10 minutes. Once the timer is up, I go and towel off the kitty and make peace. My adult cat jumps on the counter perhaps every 2 months. The kittens more like once every couple of weeks.

 

[speakhandsforme]

I just use a squirt bottle. I know people tell you not to, but Boots hasn't jumped on the counter in weeks, and doesn't seem to love me any less for it. :dk:

 

[rosiemac]

Erm... This is what worked for me, but you may not like it. I did it on my adult cat, and started doing it with our foster kittens. My guy thought it was too harsh, but I checked with the lady running the cat rescue, and she said it was fine. If a cat or kitten jumps on the counter, I grab the cat, put it in the sink, run water all over it while loudly saying "No-no! No-no-no-no-no!!" then I carry the cat to a bathroom, still saying "No-no" or other things loudly, turn on the light, set the cat down, slam the door, and set the timer for 10 minutes. Once the timer is up, I go and towel off the kitty and make peace. My adult cat jumps on the counter perhaps every 2 months. The kittens more like once every couple of weeks.

Never ever heard of doing this routine, and yes,  l also think it's harsh.

Why do you need to slam the door on the poor things?!.  They have enough upset at being fosters being passed from pillar to post without any further stress

I just use antibacterial wipes on the worktops before l prep food. Very quick and very simple!