Keeping Cats off Counters

Cats are known for their annoying habit of jumping over countertops. My pet cat loves climbing over the kitchen counter and sniffing around for some tit bits to eat. I tried to keep my cat off counter and finally found some solutions to my question on how to keep cats off counters. I know many cat owners may be facing the same question on how to keep cats off counters plaguing them. The following tips will help keep cat off countertops.

How to Keep Cats off Counters?

Cats love climbing over heights and finding the occasional treats they find lying on the countertops. The naturally curious nature of cats intrigues them to climb over the countertops sniffing the many different smells they may come across. It is a very difficult task to keep cats off countertops. I found punishing or yelling makes no difference to my cats. They do not follow orders the way dogs do. They follow their own will and don't give a damn to your incessant pleadings and cat training on keeping cats off counters. So what should you do to break their irritating habit and keeping cats off counters forever. The methods are quite simple and you can try few of the following tricks to keep cats off countertops.

Tricks to Keep Cats off Counters

The first method that you should employ to keep cats off counters is squirting water. You should use a spray bottle and squirt some water on the countertops when your cat tries to jump on it. Cats dislike water and after a few squirts, they will be dissuaded to climb up the countertops. When squirting water, make sure you are at a distance and the cat does not see you. Many times they associate the squirting with the owner and avoid climbing the countertops in your presence. They will happily get their paws up when you are not around. I made the mistake of revealing myself while squirting and my clever cat kept off the counters when he found me around. He happily pranced around in the night or when I was not around. I found the tell-tale signs of someone nosing around due to the paw prints left behind.

If the squirting water trick is not successful in keeping cats off counter, then you can employ the second method that is, cat rattle. Cats hate loud and annoying noises and you can use this fact as a trick to keep cat off countertops. Take a few old tin cans and fill them with a few pennies or pebbles. Seal the opening with a duct tape. Keep these crude noise making tin rattles on the countertops edges. Whenever your cat will climb up the countertops, the tins will fall making a loud noise. If this happens once or twice, your cat will avoid climbing on the countertops to avoid the loud, irritating noise. Voila, you are successful in keeping cats off counter.

If by chance, the method of cat rattle fails, you can employ a third trick, that is, gluey paws. Cats love to keep themselves clean and avoid anything sticky. You can use double-sided tape and cover the countertops with it. After a week or two, your cat will avoid climbing the countertops. You can even try covering the counter tops with aluminum foil to break its habit of climbing over countertops. You will notice in a couple of weeks you have succeeded in keeping cats off counter.

If unfortunately, none of the above work in keeping cats off counter, then you can try some commercial products like spray repellents, 'scat mat' that gives a mild static shock on touch and will surely help to keep cats away from the countertops. You should begin teaching the rules of the house to the kittens as it is easier to teach them while they are at a growing state. Adult cats are a bit difficult to train as they become strong-willed and stubborn. You should be persistent in keeping cats off counters. Once the cat learns a rule, it will follow it forever. I hope these tricks help you in keeping cats off counters. I sure managed to keep mine off countertops. Though I am under the impression that he has just created an illusion that I am the master of the house.