How to keep cats off counters naturally. If this behavior continues, how can we discourage them? In our article, In our article, we will learn why cats jump on the kitchen counter, and we will try to train them to stay off the counter and mess around again.
One of the situations that many cat owners worry about is when their cat appears on the kitchen counter, as they often behave independently, making training them more difficult.
Many cat owners believe it is impossible to train them, as they think that the methods used for dogs never work for cats.
Training cats is quite possible. The method targets behaviors you don’t want your little friends to do, and it even covers more.
One concern with the training methods we’ve planned for our pet is that they may not always produce positive results. Since cats act according to their wants and needs and make the final decision, they are known as defectors and are considered untrained pets.
For example, people who want to adopt a cat do not want to approach this step in order to avoid undesirable situations like falling over the furniture in the house or climbing on the kitchen countertop.
However, if you’re not too keen on adopting a cat just because you’re worried that the cats will knock over the furniture in your house or stand on the kitchen counter, there’s no need to worry.
It’s essential to be patient and realistic in situations like when cats appear on the kitchen counter.
If your cat does not respond positively to your expectations despite your efforts, you should not punish him. While the punishment does not affect your pet, you are inviting it to stay away from you.
Why Do Cats Climb on the Kitchen Counter?
Cats love to jump on the kitchen counter, One study mentioned that one reason why cats show this behavior is because they likes resting in high areas. Surprising but real!
Cats are creatures that naturally love to explore. When you close the door and leave the house, or when your cat suddenly disappears, it may have gone on an expedition to find out what’s going on around, what’s on the counter.
Additionally, when we examine cats that live in nature, we see that they generally like to hunt in high places. for all these reasons, cats instinctively climb to the kitchen countertop, which is one of the upper parts of the house.
They want to check this area for food or fresh water. You should be careful not to put food on an open plate or bowl of water on the counter.
Preventing Cats From Climbing On The Kitchen Counter
You can enjoy spending time with a pet, but sometimes you don’t want them to be near certain house parts. One of these areas is the kitchen, which has risk factors.
The kitchen counter almost acts as a social spaces for cats. They want to know what is on the counter and try to get to it. It is normal for a cat to jump on the counter. Because there are various things they can do there.
It’s almost impossible to avoid them, especially if you cook on the counter or wash a few dishes or glasses. However, your cat won’t bother you while you’re cooking on the stove.
Of course, if you have other people or guests in your home who are extremely sensitive to this situation, they may be upset by this situation. Your guests may choose not to eat the food you serve them, thinking that it’s unhealthy.
To avoid these and similar situations, you should teach your cat not to climb on the counter whenever possible, and not to use dishes, water, etc.
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Can I prevent my adult cats from climbing on the kitchen counter naturally?
One way to prevent cats from climbing onto the kitchen counter is to create another ‘high area’ for them.
If your cat can find a raised area to look around, it may give up on the kitchen counter. A good way to prevent this is to place a scratching board next to windows.
aluminum foil, bags or double-sided tape can also prevent cats from getting on the counter.
Another suggestion is the citrus scent. Generally, cats don’t like the strong smell of citrus. You might consider placing such items on your kitchen counter to keep them out of the kitchen.
How to keep cats off counters naturally
There are several other ways to prevent cats from reaching the kitchen counter, besides these.
Do not apply the method of punishing pets
It may not be possible to stop your cat from climbing on the kitchen counter within one day, but if there is a constant love to satisfy their needs and desires, the result will be more positive. Let’s not forget that training a happy cat is very easy.
We must be extremely patient, understanding, and compassionate as we train them not to step on the kitchen counter. Losing your temper and shouting at a cat because it jumped on the kitchen counter is not the solution.
Being indifferent and angry with cats can lead to other unwanted behaviours. However, your reactions can also cause your cat to become stressed, which in turn can lead to disease.[1]
Treating the situation with patience is the key to success. Using your creativity and offering them a better space option will help your little friend break this habit.
In addition, there are different ways that you can apply….
Cat Treats
Rewards are a great way to train cats. When your cats aren’t in the kitchen, you can give them treats. It is more effective to train cats with rewards than punishment because you have to respect their needs and make them feel that you understand them.
Audible Warning
We know that you are looking for a solution to keep your cute friend away from the kitchen counter. Another thing you could do is to warn them audibly.
If you warn your cat every time it jumps to the countertops by saying “no”, this behavior can be resolved. You can even attach this warning to a round of applause in response to your “no” statement.
If you do this regularly, your little friend will understand that the sounds you make are related to going up to the kitchen counter. This method is known as classical conditioning.
In contrast, some cat owners also utilize water spray guns to keep cats off the kitchen counter. In this way, you may be able to keep your cat off the counter. However, this does not entirely eliminate the behavior.
Cats will still focus on the spray you’re using. Therefore, they’ll be more likely to repeat the same behavior when there’s no one around the counter.
Let’s discuss what additional steps we can take to keep cats off the kitchen counter…
Creating a Playground
Cats’ constant hopping on the kitchen counter is related to their instincts to complete something they need. They tend to hop, jump and scratch things.
In this situation, you should create a new playground space for your cat to meet his jumping and climbing needs. Cats are creatures that are used to climbing[2], so they don’t jump up on counter surface to stress us out.
Cat trees
A cat tree is a great way for your cat to meet his climbing needs. Placing the tree in your cat’s favorite spot is helpful. This way, your cat can climb trees in a controlled manner, and this will meet its needs.
If your cat is now climbing a tree instead of the kitchen counter, reward them for continuing this behavior.
Cats can sometimes need attention if they’re roaming the kitchen countertops. If you see that your feline is starting to get bored, you can spend time with it and play games.
Therefore, the more time you spend interacting with your cat and playing with it, the less attention it will need.
Double-Sided Tape
You can use double-sided tape in order to stop your kitty climbing into the kitchen counter edge because cats don’t like anything sticking to their skin.
If they come across something they don’t like, they may lose interest in it. So that your little friend won’t care about the kitchen countertops.
The next time your puss jumps on the kitchen counter, it will be uncomfortable due to the sticky tapes to its feet paws and will come back down from the counter.
Also, double-sided tape can be very effective at keeping your cat away from potential dangerous places. However, it’s best to keep the tape in these areas for at least two weeks. During this time, cats won’t feel comfortable in these areas and will stop jumping.
You can also use aluminum foil to prevent cats from entering the kitchen. This method is not as effective as double-sided tape. Some cats have been known to touch and fun with it.
Use of Cat Repellent Spray
Cat repellent spray may be the ultimate solution to prevent cats from climbing on the kitchen counter. These sprays contain an odor, they can be used to keep cats away from unwanted areas.
You can buy cat repellent spray and apply it on the counter at regular intervals until you are sure that your cat is not on the counter at all.
You should ask your veterinarian advice before you start to using this method to make sure that it dose not harm your cat.
You can also use household items as cat deterrent for counters, for example, while you clean the counter with white vinegar, add peppermint oil, lavender oil or citronella oil on it. Your cat will not like this practice and will immediately stop jumping on countertops.
You can also leave lemon and orange peels on the counter to keep your cat away. Cats are creatures that hate citrus fruits.
I’m wondering if you’ve ever faced a situation like this before. If so, how did you keep your cat from stepping up on the kitchen counter? Please feel free to share your experiences with us in the comments section below.
also read: ice cream for cats safe or dangerous
Author
Ryan Colon started out as a freelance writer four years ago. This was a great move for me because I got to write about the topics I was passionate about and I got to connect with pet owners in a new way. My current focus is on pet-related lifestyle and home products.
