How To Keep Cats Off The Counters
If yous are Googling 'how to proceed cats off counters', nosotros hear you. Having to wipe visible muddy mitt prints, or invisible leaner that you know is there, from your pristine kitchen surfaces regularly is annoying, no matter how much yous dearest your fluffy friend. The trouble with cats is that, unlike dogs, they don't seem to heed human commands and will do more often than not as they please. Unless y'all make the undesirable behavior that picayune bit more difficult for them...
So, while researching the best means to clean up later on cats volition go some mode in keeping your kitchen clean, preventing your true cat from constantly jumping up on the counters in the get-go place, is a meliorate long-term strategy.
How to go on cats off counters
Call up to exist realistic and to treat these tricks every bit trial and error, considering no method is 100 percent effective. If your cat actually likes sprawling on your kitchen counter, they'll probably still do it every now and then. The goal is to reduce the frequency of them doing it.
1. Employ double-sided sticky tape
You lot will need:
- Double-sided sticky record, from Amazon (opens in new tab)
All you need to do is secure the double-sided sticky tape along the edges of your kitchen counters. Make sure y'all encompass the whole perimeter and leave no gaps. Cats detest the stuff and probable will leave your counter alone. Camille Dubuis-Welch, Deputy Editor of Real Homes and cat owner swears by 'Petslucent Cat Scratch Deterrent Sticky Paws Tape (opens in new tab)' to protect different surfaces from her cat's paws and/or claws effectually the dwelling house. 'Information technology'southward so easy to apply and it but makes surfaces less desirable for them to go at, without pain their paws or ruining your countertops or carpets furthermore.'
Note that this method should hopefully be temporary and the viscid tape will stop beingness so sticky after a while. 'Plus, it's inexpensive and past the fourth dimension the stickiness wears off, your cat will most likely have lost interest in that particular spot anyway!'
Patch-testing for a few days should give you an idea of whether this method will work for yous. If this isn't enough to put your true cat off, yous could reapply and effort once more or combine this with another of the methods below. Be certain to choose a brand that won't do damage to your counters and we'd recommend testing a small piece on an inconspicuous spot before taping the whole area as some countertop materials may be more than susceptible to damage.
Bonus tips: This method is also very effective for stopping your cat from scratching your sofa or armchair.
(Prototype credit: cunfek / Getty)
2. Try kitchen foil or blistering sheets
You will need:
- Any type ofkitchen foil (opens in new tab)
For any reason known to cats only, they dislike the crinkly texture and audio foil makes under their paws, so will soon learn to avoid the spot.
The abrasive part for you is having foil all over your kitchen counter, merely the idea is that y'all'll only demand to go along it in that location temporarily. One time your cat begins associating your kitchen counters with something unpleasant, they probable will stop jumping up on top of them.
3. Attempt cucumber equally a deterrent
You will need:
- Fresh cucumber
Every bit anyone who has watched cats on YouTube will know, about half of cats seem irrationally terrified of cucumbers. Animal behavior experts are nonetheless trying to effigy this one out, although it might have something to do with cucumbers reminding cats of snakes. Cats likewise hate the smell of fresh cucumber, then leaving cucumber slices along the counter may assistance to deter them.
(Epitome credit: Stujah / Getty)
4. Give them enough of do away from the counter
You will need:
- A cat tree (opens in new tab)
Cats are naturally curious and like exploring, besides equally 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'south well worth investing in i. Bored and understimulated cats are more than probable to act out to get attention, and so incorporating plenty of playtime with them into your daily routine volition besides help.
Doron Wolffberg, Founder of All Most Cats (opens in new tab), comments: 'If your cat loves to explore and counters are often one of their preferred areas to roam well-nigh on, then it's worth investing or building a climbing tree or tower to keep them occupied. The different textures and levels of a cat belfry will be more inviting than your kitchen worktop or other like areas.'
5. Be consequent with saying no
You will need:
- Enough of patience
Opposite to what you may take read online, cats exercise answer to negative enforcement. They are very attuned to their humans' tone of vocalism and body language and know when they are being told off. And then, saying 'no' firmly whenever they jump up on your counter does work, but just if you practise it consistently. They say that all it takes is forgetting to say 'no' one fourth dimension out of 10 for the true cat to make up one's mind that the unwanted behavior is, in fact, acceptable. Firm and consistent discouragement of behavior does not amount to penalization and your cat will larn, simply y'all will need to requite it a good few weeks to come across results.
vi. Go your cat a drinking fountain
You volition need:
- A cat drinking fountain (opens in new tab) or water bowl
If your cat is jumping upwardly on your kitchen counter and drinks water from your kitchen faucet, it'due south highly probable that your cat is actually thirsty. Some cats don't have a very strong drive to potable water and so may ignore a bowl of continuing water, but all cats tin can become dehydrated, and then 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 but a cute quirk – it'due south worth getting them a cat fountain to run into if they'll switch to it.
vii. Remove chairs from around your counters
This may non be the best news for your breakfast bar ideas, but if you take chairs next to your counters, it'due south much easier for your cat to leap upwardly, making it more enticing. Wolffberg explains that 'many cats often find themselves on counters thanks to the help of chairs and other items of furniture shut by, which give them a starting point to brand the jump less complicated. If this is the case for your true cat, and so simply remove any chairs or similar objects that can help your cat reach higher surfaces.'
How to keep cats off counters: what not to do
Although trying a few unlike methods is a good idea, there are things that definitely won't piece of work to deter your true cat from your kitchen counters, and may even permanently touch on your relationship with your cat. These include:
- Harsh penalisation or shouting: Cats exercise not understand penalisation; all they'll learn from it is to fear and avoid y'all. This also goes for excessively raising your voice.
- Strong-smelling chemicals or cleaners: this may be tempting as cats dislike strong smells, only if your cat does jump up and ends upward with harsh chemicals on its paws and then licks them, you'll stop up with a sick cat.
- Spraying your cat with water: this is cruel and again will only teach your cat to be afraid of you without agreement what they've done wrong.
- Essential oils: virtually essential oils are highly toxic to cats and shouldn't be used effectually them in any grade.
Source: https://www.realhomes.com/advice/how-to-keep-cats-off-counters
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