Introducing a new furry friend to the family is enough to put a smile on anyone's face. Though, as know, kittens can be a lot of work. These adorable guys are busy trying to make sense of their new surroundings, chasing red lasers on the wall, and hopping on the counter to sneak some food. While it's cute to have these little prowlers hopping all over the place it can be a bit irksome to have them jumping on the counter when you're trying to protect your food. Well, there are ways to keep cats off the table and countertops, so don't you worry!
How To Keep Cats From Jumping
Use A Safe Deterrent
A surefire way to keep cats from hopping onto the counter is to coat your surfaces with some sort of a repellent. Be careful with the methods that you choose, however, because you don't want the cat to develop a mistrust of you. Your main goal is to keep cats off surfaces, not scare them from approaching you or worrying about what other traps may be around the house.
Some of the most classic methods are:
- Tinfoil. A simple and inexpensive way to keep your kitties off the counters is to stick strips of aluminum foil on surfaces. Cats aren't the biggest fan of the crinkly noise or the feeling of the material. The only thing you really need to worry about with this method is figuring out where exactly your cat will be jumping. But, once you deter them enough from the counter, they'll keep off.
- Double-sided tape. Cats hate the feel of tape on their feet so laying a few strips down on your counters will keep cats away. It only takes a few tries before your kitty picks up that counters = sticky, so this method is an effective and quick one. Be careful of cleanup, though, because it might take a bit to get the sticky stuff off your counters.
You can also use a few store-bought repellents you can use like SSSCAT. This motion-activated, pet-safe spray will keep your cats off counters without causing them any harm.
Don't Make Counters Appealing
It's completely normal for your cat to want to jump on the counter. It's the same thing with some dogs! They know some delicious stuff is going on up there and they can smell the food on there. So, one of the best things you can do for your cat is to remove any food from the counter when you're not using it. Don't leave scraps or snacks out because it's pretty much just an invitation for curious pets.
Entice Them With New Locations
Though the smell of food is encouraging for cats, that's not the only reason why they hop up there. A lot of it is out of curiosity and sometimes plain ol' boredom. So, you can stick a cat tree or cat bed near windows in the kitchen. This way, your furry pal will see that there are equally enticing places to go to and won't keep eyeballing the counter every time.
Citrus Fruit Sprays
Cats hate the smell of citrus. Using a homemade or natural citrus spray on countertops after cleaning up leaves a great scent while also discouraging your feline from hopping up there. Just be sure that the mixture you're using is a natural one so you coat the surfaces with any harmful chemicals. You can also use citrus fruit peels, but they dry out pretty fast so it might not be the most feasible option.
What You Should Avoid
Even though it seems like a simple solution, avoid using a spray bottle to discipline or deter your cat. It's not uncommon for people to get carried away with a spray bottle or for cats to quickly lose the trust of their human.
It should also go without saying that raising a hand to your pet when it misbehaves (even if you think you're being gentle or only giving it light taps) tells your pet that they can't trust you. They'll also grow fearful of you and that sort of behavior training doesn't accomplish anything.
You and your cat will spend a significant amount of time together and gaining trust and love will make things much better between the two of you. Leaning the proper ways to keep your cat from jumping and safe methods to teach it proper behavior ensures a great relationship!
