WIBU - Cats on Table

[cuppaandabiscuit]

I have 2 cats. They like to sleep on the dining table out of reach of the dog.
DP hates this and keeps complaining that it's unhygienic.
I feel that, as long as the table is cleaned properly before each use there's no problem.

WIBU?

(NB I've bought the cats hanging beds, cat trees etc and they still sleep on the table. Plus DP doesn't like them sleeping on sofa, beds or anywhere else really but the dog is encouraged onto sofa, beds etc. TBH DP doesn't really like the cats full stop. They've been mine for 10 years, DP been around for 8)

I don't like to see cats, dogs and especially not shoes, on a surface where we put food. If you'd eat from the floor then it makes sense. Otherwise no, I think a food surface needs to be kept clean. So things that live on the floor shouldn't go there.

@PinkWaferBiscuit

For those saying it's disgusting do you have pets?

Yes. They stay on the floor.

Yanbu. I've 6 cats, and because of the layout of my homes since I've had them, it's not been possible to keep them out of kitchen spaces and off tables. None of us have died of cat poisoning. I just clean surfaces before I use them. Which you should anyway, cats or no cats.

Our cats are kind enough to let us eat on their dining table. Sometimes they come and join us, just to remind us who's in charge.

People saying you train your cats - HOW? Current cat gives zero fucks and has resisted all attempts at training. Even a water pistol.

Still - it gets people to the table quickly at dinner (if you leave your plate unattended the cat will have it).

I’d hate any animals to be on the table. I know the dog is on the furniture, but as you eat from the table, might it be an idea to have a table cover, which is removed for meal time? I’d still clean the table after removing it, and clean the cover too.

To all those people saying ah ha but you don''t know what your cat does when you're not there, do none of you have doors in your house?

We have a cat but she drops shedloads of hair plus pukes up hairballs and whatever else she's decided to kill and eat so I try to keep her out of the kitchen completely. She does have the run of downstairs sofas, chairs and windowsills.

So I don't think that your DP is BU about the table thing but he's a complete hypocrite if he thinks it's fine for dogs to go on sofas but not cats. That shows that the issue isn't about hygiene.

Yeah the cats win. As long as you antibac before you eat I can't see what the problem is.

Yes. They stay on the floor.

As far as you know. 😂 Trust me unless it's a tortoise or something I bet it's been somewhere other than the floor when you were ot looking.

@CrumpledCrumpet

People saying you train your cats - HOW? Current cat gives zero fucks and has resisted all attempts at training. Even a water pistol.

Still - it gets people to the table quickly at dinner (if you leave your plate unattended the cat will have it).

The easiest and quickest way to stop cats going on surfaces, is to cover the surfaces in kitchen foil for a couple of days.

After the first couple of attempts at jumping up, they soon learn that the surfaces have changed and will stop.

@jetadore

Cat and/or dogs on tables, on sofas, in beds, on kitchen surfaces, (on carpets too, tbh), all unhygienic. 🤮

It does depend on the individual animal, I think.. A wormed, flea~free short coated, well groomed clean dog or cat isn't too onerous to have in a house.

Nope, I think is gross.

@Peas252 tried that. Boy cat loves playing with the til foil. Also loves water and likes to jump to catch the water pistol jets.

The easiest and quickest way to stop cats going on surfaces, is to cover the surfaces in kitchen foil for a couple of days.

After the first couple of attempts at jumping up, they soon learn that the surfaces have changed and will stop.

See we tried this tactic on areas we didn't want the cats to go, it didn't work at all. One of them wasn't even remotely bothered by the foil and the other didn't like it but he liked the end result of getting where he wanted to be more than he didn't like the foil.

Now I'm not saying my cats are super intelligent bur I doubt they are alone in foiling such grand plans so I gave up and decided it was futile.

If it's washed every tiome before use I don't see an issue - but you could see if lemon spray on table top keeps them off just to keep the peace.

Cat shelves - high up on walls possible all around one room or would that still be unacceptable to your DP.

@PinkWaferBiscuit

Yes. They stay on the floor.

As far as you know. 😂 Trust me unless it's a tortoise or something I bet it's been somewhere other than the floor when you were ot looking.

HaHa yes! When the owner's away, the dog/s do play Things I left on a table were ''Missing'' to be found in dog's bed, or on the floor.. Rolls of sellotape, pens, &c..They clearly have the ability to reach if they want to , and there is no human around. Cats are incredibly good at climbing, impossible to keep a determined cat off the top of the freezer {Mum's house} where he'd sit and survey the minions below.

It's mean to not let them on sofa or beds! I don't like mine going on table but they are hard to control so I just shoo them when I catch them

I'm old. I've had lots of cats of my own over the years and now foster. Some cats are trainable (to a certain extent, in some things, just like husbands / partners really... ) and some quite simply are not. I live in a flat and since there is only me, I eat on a lap tray on the sofa. My current foster has to come and have a look what's on my plate and then wanders off. Not something I'd ever tolerate from my own cats, but hey, this one is a sharer and she's oh so cute. Unless you actually eat directly off your table (in which case it you that is grim, not your cat!) you'll be absolutely fine.

OP, keep the cats and the dog on the sofa and tables, and ban DP to the garage until he learns to share!

I’d hate it.

Why not put a cover on the table when it isn’t in use?

My 3 cats like to sit on the dining table. They never attempt to get on kitchen worktops and sleep where they choose, usually on the back of the sofa. I don’t know anyone who minds 🙂

Growing up the cats were never allowed on the (white) worktops in the kitchen, or on the kitchen table. We never ever saw one of them up there.

However.... every single morning, when we came down to breakfast, there was a single track of pawprints all the way round the kitchen on said white worktop, jumping over onto the table, and then onto the floor. We never ever saw the culprit(s?) up there to tell them off.

From a practical perspective, how will you stop the cat from being up there? Despite having had cats all my life I've never managed to stop them from getting up there, I just make sure I don't lick the table directly (or my children when young, this was probably more of an issue....) and I wipe down the sides every now and then.

Builds a good immune system, look at it that way!

But if his dog is allowed on the sofa etc, then complete double standards.

Could you prop up two of the table legs on blocks when not using! They might not want to sleep on a slope. Slightly mean but might correct the problem.

Cats on table isn't hygienic, no. Neither are children though and they use the table too.

So we just always give it a spray and a wipe before meal times.

We've just got a new dining table and the wretched cat sat very plainly on it whilst my parents were here. Can't deny it as they got a photo of her sitting smugly on it. Had to make it look as I could clean the wood - can't use bleach on that!

DP hates this and keeps complaining that it's unhygienic.

No, he doesn't think it's unhygienic as he is happy for the dog to be on beds. It's called being a hypocrite.

Offer to get rid of the dog so that they don't need to get away by going on the table?

Ok, pipe down then!