Deterrents To Keep Your Cat Off The Kitchen Counters
Once you have provided your cat with sufficient alternatives, you may also need to add deterrents to make hanging out on the countertops unattractive to her. Start with the least forceful methods and work your way up as needed.
- Keep the counters clean. Make sure you cover, put away, or otherwise secure any food on the countertop routinely. Rinse off any dishes in the sink so there aren’t food pieces creating lovely enticing smells.
- Clap loudly and say “No.” If you see your cat jump on the counter, clap loudly and say “No” sternly. Either pick her up and place her somewhere more suitable, giving her praise once she’s there or praise her once she jumps down from the counter.
- Use citrus cleaners. Cats are repelled by citrus odors, so using a citrus-based countertop cleaner routinely may be enough to keep your curious kitty off the kitchen counter.
- Try double sided tape. Lining the edges of the countertop with double sided tap may irritate your cat when she jumps up and teach her that it isn’t fun to be up there.
- Make a loud booby trap. Put 10 or 15 coins each in several cans and tape them shut. Place the cans in various spots on the kitchen counters where they are teetering on the edge. When your cat jumps on the counter and brushes against these, they will fall off and make a loud noise. This is usually enough to scare a cat and potentially keep her from trying again.
How To Keep Your Cat Off The Kitchen Counter
It’s one of those things about having cats in your home that isn’t necessarily ideal: she jumps on your kitchen counters. This can be a problem because you don’t want food or wayward litter or litter box contents to end up in your food. You also want to protect your cat from dangerous items such as knives, foods that are toxic , and hot items that may often take up residence on or near kitchen counters.
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Should You Keep Your Cat Off The Counter
While your cat may love the vantage point from up high on your counter, its actually not the safest place for him to be.
Cats can get hurt if they fall from even a countertop height, Dr. Bonk said. They can also get into things that they shouldnt, such as cleaners or human foods that can make them sick.
Try Out Different Scents
In addition to hating certain textures, cats are also particular about scents. When used safely, essential oils and cleaners can be a great and humane deterrent. Scents like peppermint, citrus, lavender, eucalyptus, and lime may make your furry friend think twice before hopping on the counter.
If you do use essential oils, avoid applying them directly on your cat or in a location where your cat may inadvertently ingest them when licking its paws. Some pet parents also use calming pheromone diffusers to prevent cats from jumping on counters out of fear or anxiety.
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How To Discourage Cats From Jumping On Countertops And Tables
Alternatives may not entirely prevent your cat from winding up on your counters and tables. In some cases, you may need to add deterrents to off-limits areas to make them scary and unwelcoming for your pet.
Environmental deterrents are things that your cat doesnât like, but wonât hurt them. Things like unpleasant smells or textures are a great way to keep your cat away without punishing them. Theyâre also less stressful than spray bottles or yelling. You can try methods like:
- Balancing cookie sheets on your counter so they make a scary noise when your cat jumps on them
- Placing tape sticky-side up on the edge of the counter or table
- Placing plastic carpet running ânubs-upâ to make the counter surface unpleasant
- Hanging towels off the edge of your counters so your cat slides off if they try to jump up
These deterrents all have one important thing in common: they donât involve you actively scaring your cat. If you only remove your cat from your counters by hand, then they will simply jump up when youâre not around. If you actively scare them away, then your cat might decide that youâre scary, not the counters. Environmental deterrents help them learn that itâs the counters specifically that are off limits and scary.
Why Should Cats Not Be Allowed On The Counters
Aside from the fact that you dont want your cat to share from your charcuterie board while your back is turned, its important to keep bacteria and germs away from your food prep areas.
Though considered clean pets, cats carry bacteria on their paws from their adventures in and out of the litter box. Feces and related germs can transfer onto high-touch human areas and even into food, inviting illness, especially for pregnant women, elderly or those with weakened immune systems. Rest easier by setting better boundaries in your home to prevent cats from jumping onto kitchen counters and tables.
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Stop Rewarding Your Cat Jumping On The Counter
Cats usually jump on the counter because they know there must be something good there. In most cases, itâs food. Your cat may be interested in other things such as an outside view, running tap water, a plant on the counter, and many times, itâs because you are there.
Try putting away food instead of keeping it on the counter. Storing your food and supplies in the refrigerator or a cupboard. We often keep part of our food in the microwave . The microwave has solid doors that even the most capable cat is not able to open.
Additionally, some people enjoy how their cat plays with the tap water but get mad if the cat jumps on the counter at other times. They only know that you let them play with the water from the tap so youâve taught them thatâs okay behavior. They canât tell that there is an okay time and not okay time to do that.
Whatever the reason, simple observations may show you what your cat is doing up there. Once you know what is that heâs interested in, you should be able to think of a solution. Sooner or later, if a cat jumps on the counter and does not find what heâs after, heâll stop doing it.
The last piece of advice is spending some quality time with your cat and making his surroundings more appealing to him.
Like all training, consistency is the key. Your cat will be happier as they know what is positive behavior. And, your counters will be cat free.
How To Keep Cats Off Counters
A viable solution to keep your cat off the counter is to remove the sources of temptation, or in other words – make your countertop less appealing for them. Meanwhile, it would also be best to provide access to alternatives. So without further ado, below are some of the ways on how to keep cats off the counter.
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Don’t Leave Food Nearby
The most common reason why your cat may love counter surfing is the availability of food there, Johnson-Bennett said. Food aromas are extremely enticing for cats, whether that be leftovers from their owner’s dinner or their own food being prepared at the countertop. Be sure no food is left out uncovered and don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink or unwashed pans on the stove.
Todd told Newsweek: “Changing your own behaviour is hard, but it makes a difference. If your cat finds some chicken breast or tuna or other tasty food on the kitchen counter, they are going to keep going there in the hope of finding something nice to eat.”
If your cat appears to be perpetually hungry, simply feeding them more may help discourage them from frequenting countertops in search of food, says the Humane Society of Huron Valley, an animal shelter in Michigan.
Cats love routine, so feeding them several small meals throughout the day on a regular schedule not only helps to decrease their need for food but also keeps them glued to the floor, where they know their next meal will be served.
Invest In A Water Fountain
Some cats jump up on the kitchen or bathroom counter to drink out of the faucet, as they like the taste of fresh, running water. If this is your cats motive, give them their own water fountain. These cat-friendly foundations operate just like decorative fountains, using a small pump to circulate water for thirsty cats. Most fountains have filters to help remove impurities if your persnickety cat prefers cool water, add a few ice cubes into the reservoir each day.
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Get Your Cat A Drinking Fountain
You will need:
- A cat drinking fountain or water bowl
If your cat is jumping up on your kitchen counter and drinks water from your kitchen faucet, it’s highly likely that your cat is actually thirsty. Some cats don’t have a very strong drive to drink water so may ignore a bowl of standing water, but all cats can get dehydrated, so it’s important to provide them with fresh water at all times. If your cat is constantly licking water from your faucet this isn’t just a cute quirk it’s worth getting them a cat fountain to see if they’ll switch to it.
Why Do Cats Like To Climb On Counters
Its a curious conundrum: Why do cats hate water yet jump on kitchen counters to play with a dripping faucet? An even more puzzling question: Why do cats like to hang out on our countertops in the first place?
Cats are both predators and prey, so being able to survey their territory from above keeps them safe from predators and allows them to spot prey to catch, says Samantha Bell, a cat expert with Best Friends Animal Society. Thats understandable, but domestic cats dont have to catch their food, and they certainly dont have to worry about predators, so why do they like to be up on the counter so much?
Counters are so attractive to cats because theyre up high, sturdy, right in the middle of the action and full of food, Bell says.
Your actions can reinforce this counter-jumping habit. If you pet and talk to your cat while its on the counter, itll quickly learn that this is a place where it can get attention, says Ragen T.S. McGowan, PhD, an animal behavior scientist with Purina. Many cats will jump up on the counter just to be close to their human family members, she says.
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How Can You Train A Cat To Stop Jumping On The Counter
Dr. Simpson says that its easier to train a behavior from the start rather than trying to modify it later, but that doesnt mean its impossible. Youll need a little patience and a few handy tools along the way. If your hungry kitty is licking the counter for scraps after youve cleaned up and stored food away, then invest in a food puzzle, or make a DIY onethey are an active and fun way to engage a cats love of the hunt.
For the more curious cats, there are a few ways to change their feelings toward the countertop. You can give the cats the high vantage points they desire in other parts of the house.
“Some people go all out and build walking ledges around the room or install shelves for their cats to explore uncharted territory, but you can more easily provide vertical living space for your cat with a cat tree,” says Dr. Simpson. “When placed near a window, a cat tree is even more entertaining for your cat.”
If the kitty condos and cat trees dont work for your feline friend, you may need to make your kitchen counter an unpleasant or unattractive place for him or her to be. Try covering the area with double-sided tape or aluminum foil to make it texturally undesirable. There are some commercially available products that deliver static charges or loud tones when the cat jumps onto the area you’re trying to protect.
Some products also deliver a burst of unscented aerosol spray when motion is detected in the area.
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Get Some Essential Oils
Essential oils can be toxic to cats if you spray your cat with them or your cat ingests them. However, you can create a DIY solution with cat-friendly essential oils like citronella and eucalyptus to ensure your cat stays off the counters.
Youll need to dilute them and make sure your cat cant lick or otherwise get into the oils. Never use peppermint oil, which is very dangerous to cats. Ask your vet how to properly use essential oils before trying this option.
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Find Her A Scratching Post And Toys
Your cat may be bored, which is why shes perusing your countertops. Get your feline friend a scratching post as well as toys she can play with throughout the day. You can get her catnip toys to drive her wild and ensure she gets enough of her energy out.
Your cat will certainly love the Tower of Tracks Cat Toy, which has three levels of tracks and bright moving balls to capture her attention. She will love tapping into her natural instincts and swatting at the balls all day long.
The Most Important Thing About Convincing A Cat
What Ive learned is first, do no harm, because with a cat the most important thing is trust. If your cat sees you as a punisher, his trust in you erodes quickly, which means any behavior you might think youve corrected can surface as another issue in a different costume.
Cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy wrote that if a cat loses trust in youeven from you repeatedly pointing a squirt bottle at themit can cause more behavior problems, fears and phobias that you hadnt considered. Depending on your cats background, this may be a bigger Pandoras box than with other cats.
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Why Does My Cat Keep Jumping On My Counter
It’s common knowledge that cats love climbing and jumping to/from high places. It’s in their DNA a natural expression of their feline intuitions. Animal behavior experts believe this stems from their hard-coded instincts to protect themselves. The higher they are, the safer they’ll be.
Kitchen counters are a whole different story. While cat owners shouldn’t disregard this behavior as self-preservation, most cats jump on top of counters just because they can.
Counters are cool, clean, and smell nice. They’re filled with treasures, too loaded with tempting treats like thawing ground beef, half-eaten chicken, or yesterday’s marinated tuna steak.
Moreover, cats are attracted to running water. If your kitchen counter is attached to a sink, they’re more likely to hop on your counter to take several sips of running water.
Finally, some cats simply like watching you while you’re chopping and sautéing. What better way to do that than on top of a kitchen counter?
Give Them Plenty Of Exercise Away From The Counter
You will need:
Cats are naturally curious and like exploring, as well as finding yet new spots to relax and survey their territory. Cat trees provide your cats with exactly the right combination of opportunities for jumping and climbing and resting spots, so it’s well worth investing in one. Bored and understimulated cats are more likely to act out to get attention, so incorporating plenty of playtime with them into your daily routine will also help.
Doron Wolffberg, Founder of All About Cats , comments: ‘If your cat loves to explore and counters are often one of their preferred areas to roam about on, then its worth investing or building a climbing tree or tower to keep them occupied. The different textures and levels of a cat tower will be more inviting than your kitchen worktop or other similar areas.’
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Redirect The Cats Attention
Your cat may be climbing to get your attention, but before you give in and pet it, redirect its attention from the counter. If their motivation is touch , then tossing a treat or toy and petting them only after they are on the floor can help to redirect them, says McGowan.
As tempting as it is, dont pet your cat when its on the counter, as this can inadvertently reward the behavior. Instead, call your cat to another part of the kitchen before giving it a treat or toy. Otherwise, McGowan says, it might learn a new trick: If I get on the counter, Mom or Dad will throw a treat.
Consistently provide the rewards when your cat is not on the counter, and itll learn that being in other places gets it a reward, according to McGowan.