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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

Cats on surfaces-please help!

20 replies

Dogmatix34 · 19/12/2013 14:32

Both our kittens jump up consistently on the kitchen surfaces and table and its driving us mad. We have tried spraying them with water but they don't seem bothered and was wondering if anyone had any other advice? They are locked in the kitchen at night so I think they go up on the surfaces all the time when we're not there as well

OP posts:

thecatneuterer · 19/12/2013 14:55

This comes up regularly. I'm sure other people will have practical advice. But I always say the same thing, which is 'does it really matter?'

As long as you wipe the top before you prepare food directly on it that's fine. Mine practically live on my worktops (photos on my profile to prove it) and it's never done me any harm.

Catsmamma · 19/12/2013 14:58

Are you my MIL???

this is what cats do....they like to be high up. Wipe down as already suggested and give up this battle!

GemmaTeller · 19/12/2013 14:59

DH didn't shout at Boy cat (aged 2) when he jumped on the work surfaces when he was younger, he said his name sharply and did a low growl at him = boy cat never attempts to jump up in the kitchen now (I have to admit he is the most well behaved cat we've ever had ) :)

patienceisvirtuous · 19/12/2013 14:59

Advice. Let them. And wipe benches regularly.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 19/12/2013 15:04

Thanks! The cat we had when I was a child never jumped up so this has come as quite a surprise and is really bugging my DH. I could easily get used to it though and looks like I'll have to!

OP posts:

TalkinPeace · 19/12/2013 22:29

no cat of mine has EVER been allowed on work surfaces or tables

plant misters set to jet - aim for the back of their head or their bum
they learn
just squeezing the trigger usually works after a few weeks

pigsDOfly · 20/12/2013 00:57

Right from the start I never allowed my two on the worktops. If they jumped up I would lift them off, say no and put them back on the floor (don't think they knew what no mean't but it gave me something to say).

After a few weeks they just stopped jumping up there, at least when I was in the room. I think they just got fed up with being moved every time and gave up.

However, if you're shutting them in the kitchen on their own they'll be up on the worktops all the time and there's no way you can train them not to.

Preciousbane · 20/12/2013 01:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sashh · 20/12/2013 06:36

no cat of mine has EVER been allowed on work surfaces or tables

I said that until I got my latest (and I fostered for 10 years so had a lot of cats in the house).

Madam has other ideas, I now keep the kitchen door closed.

Nojustalurker · 20/12/2013 06:47

I used to shout at my cat when I first got him and he did this. I also tried putting metal utensils along the the edges of the work surfaces so if he jumped up they would fall down and make a noise.

To be honest if you are keeping them in the kitchen on a night time which is a very small space for a cat I think you will just have to put up with it. We have had to keep our cat in the flat for the last week (vet's advice) and he has been really naughty in ways he is not normally when he was free to roam. I think we may have to start again with some things.

Nojustalurker · 20/12/2013 06:49

I used to shout at my cat when I first got him and he did this. I also tried putting metal utensils along the the edges of the work surfaces so if he jumped up they would fall down and make a noise.

CoffeeandCakes · 20/12/2013 06:56

When I got my cat she liked jumping on the work surfaces too. I read somewhere that putting tin foil on them for about a month would work, and it did. She has never jumped up on them since. But it didn't work so well for the bath!

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 10:15

Not going onto kitchen surfaces is one of our few house rules and none of our cats have ever done it after learning their rules. (With the very occasional exception of The Lodger who came to us after a long time on the streets and would sometimes just clean forget while in hot pursuit -and then would realize, with appalled horror, what he'd done and scuttle down and away.)

It's not a hygiene thing for us - indeed we live so closely with our cats (eg they mostly sleep in bed with us) that that idea would be daft for the family. More of a safety thing. There are a lot of potentially burny, scaldy, cutty things going on in our kitchen from time to time and I'd rather not have to worry about cats being injured.

(Although I do put eg cold roasts in the cold cupboard/fridge once plated. No sense in upping the temptation stakes too much.)

Preciousbane · 20/12/2013 10:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 10:24

Many years ago, Darling Twoago decided to jump onto me and join me in the bath without realizing that it was full of water. (He was used to investigating it while it was empty.) It was complete mayhem for 5 minutes.

Nowadays, any cat that comes into the bathroom while I'm in the bath has a few drops of water directed onto their nose from my fingertips. They soon learn.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 20/12/2013 16:51

Thanks for all the advice, may try the kitchen foil trick. They aren't allowed out yet but were "done" last week and will be allowed out once wound heals (the girl got her collar off and ripped all her stitches off after two days). What do people do at night? Do you allow cats free rein of the house or do you lock them out. I am concerned about them waking DCs (and us!)

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 17:19

I'm guessing you mean lock them out of the rest of the house and not out off the house altogether? It's extra dangerous for cats to roam at night and they should really be kept in somewhere.

My Siamese have always slept with me and have adopted the humans' schedule completely. The non-Siamese, not being allowed out at night, have adopted the schedule also but have found themselves somewhere t sleep out of choice - usually a sofa or the laundry cupboard. You could always get them a comfy bed or make one up with a large cardboard bed and eg an old fleece or two.

If you're worried about them roaming through the house, maybe find a room that they can use as a bedroom and shut them in there with their bed(s) and a tray in case they're caught short?

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 17:20

cardboard box.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 20/12/2013 17:36

Thanks cozie. I may need to do that. Having two cats has been harder than I thought but so, so worth it!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 17:39

They're kittens still. And that can be hard work!

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