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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Kittens On Kitchen Work Tops!!!!

22 replies

TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking · 05/10/2013 20:43

Hiya!

I do not think I have posted on here since my poor Cat went missing 18 month ago and it was not a good outcome. However I had so much support then and have still stayed on the boards reading.

I have a BIG problem now. After 18 months of no cat in the house I persuaded my dp we needed another, I ended up getting 2 (twins )!!

They are a pain, they will NOT stop jumping on the kitchen worktops, I have never had this problem before and do not know how to stop it.

I have shouted, growled, kicked them out to the utility room, tapped their nose etc..

They were both castrated 4 days ago and within 5 mins of being home from the op one of them was on my kitchen top, I was shocked that he even had the energy to do it after ga!

I have been locking them in the utility room at night for the last 2 nights as I think if they cant do it through the night while we are asleep it may deter them from doing it through the day. but this morning after letting them out within 5 mins one was on the top again.

What can i do to stop this? Any advice is welcome.

My dp is getting pretty cross with the situation now.

Disclaimer: There is no food or dirty dishes on side, they have plenty food and water and have been wormed

OP posts:

LittleTulip · 05/10/2013 20:46

No advice but your post made me chuckle

usualsuspect · 05/10/2013 20:48

Water pistol?

LamaDrama · 05/10/2013 20:50

Cover the work tops in olive oil

I dont know really what you could do, apart from keep getting them off.

Original poster

TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking · 05/10/2013 20:51

usual I will try that thank you!

OP posts:

Original poster

TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking · 05/10/2013 20:53

LamaDrama That is hilarious, I would love to set up a camera just to see the outcome!

OP posts:

Karbea · 05/10/2013 21:05

I have 4 cats, 2 of which never walk on the floor, they bounce from work surface, to island to kitchen table, it drives me nuts, I don't know how many times I wipe the sides and wipe up mud! The Bengal will only drink out of the sinks :/

Welcome to my world!

parabelle · 05/10/2013 21:13

Is it Bengals Karbea? Our insist on sleeping on the work surfaces and also like to drink out of the sink, preferably from a running tap.
OP invest in actibacterial spray and start wiping. Ours are 9 and 8 and still haven't learnt!

Karbea · 05/10/2013 21:16

Just went into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea and the Bengal was asleep in the fruit bowl ;)
Yes one Bengal, three Persians. One of the older Persians will also walk on the kitchen table if chairs aren't pushed right in. The other older one is just a sofa cat. But the younger P (10) and the B, live on the work surfaces or are out catching mince, they average 4 a day, as you can imagine, living with them is a joy ;)

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/10/2013 21:41

Never managed it with mine.

thecatneuterer · 05/10/2013 22:21

No advice really except to ask if it really matters? My cats seem to live on my worktops (see my profile pics for evidence!) and it hasn't done me any harm.

1chocolatetart · 05/10/2013 22:23

You need a Motion sensored deterrent from amazon called ssscat. It will do the trick!

thecatneuterer · 05/10/2013 22:34

Oh and I had missed the bit about growling, kicking and nose rubbing. Please don't do any of that. Cats don't understand the concept of being told off for specific actions and will just think you're being nasty to them and will become very nervous around you and unhappy.

thecatneuterer · 05/10/2013 22:36

Sorry - 'kicking out' not 'kicking' - not so bad obviously! But the rest still stands

Devora · 05/10/2013 22:42

Well, they're cats. My experience is that even if you train them not to get on the worktops in front of you, they'll do whatever they damn well please behind your back.

So you may just have to resign yourself to wiping down before use.

chickydoo · 05/10/2013 22:54

I have 4 bengals 2 of them are 7 years old, the other 2 are 3 years.
All 4 just see every surface as an extension of the floor, in fact they are never on the floor!
I clean the kitchen surfaces several times a day. This is just how it is

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/10/2013 23:15

chickydoo How on earth do you cope? I've only got one and he's a handful.

MooseyMouse · 06/10/2013 03:41

Buy some tin foil and lay it over the surfaces (you might need to secure it with Sellotape). Cats tend to hate the sound of tin foil, so landing on it might put them off. Obviously it'll be a hassle to do this each evening but it might discourage them permanently after a little while.

Good luck!

NettoSuperstar · 06/10/2013 04:21

Tell them they must never go on the kitchen benches, then follow all advice to getting them to stay off the benches.
Then, give up!

I have four cats, I am not their owner, I am their slave, and they know it, horrid things

sashh · 06/10/2013 07:04

I have to keep the kitchen door closed. I've trained every other cat not to go on worktops but madame has other ideas.

I have heard that covering them with foil (work tops not cats) works because they don't like to walk on it.

chickydoo · 06/10/2013 08:06

Fluffycloud77

Lots of deep breathing and a sense of humour
Bengals are quite a handful! One of mine adores crisps, if she hears a bag opening, she will jump on your knees & help herself, she literally waits for you to take the crisp out the bag & put it in your mouth, and she tries to snatch it before you manage to eat it.
This is not great if you have visitors. She also likes tea ( the drink)
If your cup starts to cool down, she's there nose in mug. It can be very irritating. The other 3 have equally weird habits, from chewing your hair, jumping on your head from high shelves, and we have fun with the Christmas tree, they either sleep in it, or pull all the decorations off.
I still love them though, it is like have naughty toddlers around.

ClaraOswald · 06/10/2013 08:19

I just used to pick mine up and drop them on the floor with a sharp "No!" it didn't work.

One day I filled the sink with water and when I caught boycat on the countertop I picked him up and gave him a bath. They stopped getting on the counters after that, both of them.

She actually came in to see why her brother was yowling, and bolted when I asked if she wanted a bath? :)

I miss their kitten days.

bonzo77 · 06/10/2013 08:29

Get used to it. And enjoy the better view you get of their bum holes as they saunter around, wafting their tails in the air.

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