If you have a cat, you will know how difficult it is to stop a cat having the complete run of the house, even if you were adamant that there were certain places you were not going to allow it to go.  Your cat will find a way of getting to those areas, believe me!!

I have owned cats for many years, and have always been unable to stop them from entering the kitchen because there are two entrances, and their food is kept in a utility area off the kitchen, so I have tried many different methods to keep my cats off the kitchen worktops over the years.

You must never let your cat jump on the kitchen worktop because items in the kitchen could hurt it, such as kitchen implements and the oven or hob.

If you cannot stop your cat from entering the kitchen, it is crucial to try to stop it from jumping on the worktop.  The best way of achieving this is to ensure no food is left unattended, but there are other methods you could use, which are discussed in depth in this article.

Do not leave food on the kitchen worktop

Cats can be drawn to the smell of food, so you must not leave any food unattended on the countertop, because they will become naturally tempted.  Leftover food attracts many animals and insects, so clearing away food is very important.

You certainly do not want to serve food if there is even the tiniest possibility that stray cat hairs could have found their way into it.

Clearing away leftover or unused food from your kitchen worktop, placing it in the fridge or even in the microwave or oven if you wish to use it later in the day, will keep it safely away from inquisitive noses, removing the temptation for your cat!!

 

Repair a dripping tap

Cats are naturally curious by nature, so a cat will become very tempted by a dripping tap, jumping up to investigate and beginning to play with the water dripping from the tap, and sometimes even drinking from the tap rather than from the water bowl you have carefully placed on the floor.

Cats enjoy drinking water from the tap because it is in their nature to always want to drink from a fresh and clean source of water, but some are simply captivated by the motion of the water dripping from the tap.

It is therefore imperative that you repair the dripping tap as soon as possible, thus removing the temptation, and to always ensure your cat has fresh and clean drinking water in his bowl.  If possible, move the water bowl away from the food dish as some cats feel the water is dirty if it is placed too close.

Install cat trees or cat shelves

Some cats jump up on the kitchen worktop because they wish to look out the window and survey their surroundings with the added advantage of height.

This added height makes your cat feel more comfortable and become more confident because he will not be able to be trapped from behind, and will have advance notice of any approaching adversary (you?!).

If there is room in your kitchen, try installing cat trees or shelves near to a window so that your cat can look out of the window, whilst also obtaining the added height advantage he is seeking.

Your cat is thus able to spend time with you without you having the added worry that the cat will always be looking to jump on to the worktops.  The posts supporting the cat tree can also be used by your cat as scratching posts, so not only have you saved your kitchen worktops, you have also saved your furniture!!

Try distracting your cat

Another way of convincing your cat to leave your worktops alone is to work on a distraction technique wherein you throw one of its toys in the other direction for it to chase, thus distracting its attention away from the worktop.

If your cat responds to you and abandons its attempt to jump on to the worktop, you should give it a treat to reward it for its good behaviour or play with him.

Use a pet deterrent

Another way of keeping your cats off the kitchen countertops is to use a pet deterrent.  These devices sit on your worktop or other areas you wish to keep free from cats and work by letting off a burst of steam each time it detects any movement, thus convincing your cat to leave the area.

Your cat will begin to associate being sprayed with being on the worktop, gradually learning to leave these surfaces alone.

The one major drawback with an item such as a pet deterrent is that they can be very expensive, and depending on how much you use it, may not last very long.  It could last for approximately 2 months if used only at night.

Do not shout at your cat to jump down or push them off

As tempting as it is to shout at your cat to jump down from the countertop, it is best to avoid following this course of action because it may scare it.

It could also become aware that performing this action means it is granted attention, and so it may have the opposite effect to what you are seeking.  You should also avoid pushing your cat off the worktop because it could injure itself when it hits the ground because it may not have a chance to right itself.

Discipline your cat – no means no (no shouting)

If you wish to try to train your cat not to jump on the surface, you should clap your hands and say words such as ‘no’ and ‘off’ in a determined and confident tone. 

You should refrain from shouting as this might scare your cat, but you must have no fear in your voice, or your cat will simply ignore you and will know that you are in fear of him as cats can smell fear.

If you then physically remove it from the worktop, gently placing it in a more appropriate place such as a cat tree, or by placing it on the floor, you should slowly move away from it so it does not think it will be rewarded for bad behaviour.

It will eventually get the message and will no longer climb up on your surfaces.

Please do not ever hit your cat – this will definitely do more harm than good as your cat will become petrified of you, and it will not have the desired effect.

Clean your surfaces

Cats do not like the smell of citrus fruit, so if you clean your surfaces with a cleaner containing an ingredient such as lemon or orange, it could deter your cat from jumping on the surface because it does not like the smell.

Some cats dislike of this smell is so acute that they will generally avoid any area sprayed or cleaned with this scent.  You could also try leaving orange or lemon peel on your surfaces; the smell could deter your cat.

This can depend on the cat, however, because whilst some hate the smell such as my cat, Bess, some other cats do not mind and will continue to perform the action anyway.  It really depends on the cat.

If you are unsure whether your cat has been on the worktop or not, it is prudent to clean all surfaces with anti-bacterial wipes, following up with a cleaner such as Dettox to ensure all surfaces are clean before you begin preparing food.

Plates should not be left on the counter, but if they are, it is prudent to clean them thoroughly before use just in case.

Cover areas with foil?

You could make your surfaces less appealing by covering them with foil during the night and times when you go out because cats dislike the noise it makes when they jump on it, thus quickly jumping down again.

This is a time-consuming process, however, and could become tiresome after a time, especially if you are busy.

Squirt your cat with water

If all else has been tried, and you are still having difficulty keeping your cat off the worktops, an additional method you could utilise is to squirt them with water, but please exercise caution when using this method.

You have to ensure that your cat does not realise that the water came from you or this action could not only make the cat stay away from your surfaces, it could also stay away from you because it does not associate the ‘punishment’ with the ‘crime’, and has become scared of you.

It could also be counter-productive because your cat will begin to realise that the only time this happens is when it is caught, thus it will only do it whilst you are not around and unable to catch it in the act.