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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.

Original poster

Cats on kitchen worktops

60 replies

Sunshine49 · 26/01/2018 13:29

Hi everyone, my two extremely timid rescue cats have now been with me a week and seem to be getting a little bolder every day, which is great to see. Because they've only been here a week and are extremely nervous around people, they're currently confined to the kitchen/diner only. Over the coming weeks/months we will slowly introduce them to the rest of the house and ultimately the garden.

However, this morning they have been jumping up onto the kitchen work surfaces. They seem to enjoy exploring and looking through the window into the garden.

I know it's not hygienic to allow cats on work surfaces, and obviously I do clean them all down with anti-bac wipes before preparing food. I'm just wondering - is there even any point in telling them to get down when they're up there? Obviously I'd prefer them not to be there, but I'm sure that even if I do tell them to get down, they'll be up again as soon as my back is turned anyway!

OP posts:
GinGeum · 26/01/2018 16:52

We live in a working farmhouse with two dogs. The cat on the kitchen surface is the least of our hygiene worries Grin

GinGeum · 26/01/2018 16:53

I’d also hate it if my cat didn’t come on the sofa with me! He’s not an ornament to be looked at from afar, I want him snuggled on my lap!

LizB62A · 26/01/2018 16:55

One of our cats jumped up onto the counter when he was fairly young and still exploring. The other one has never tried and now that they're not kittens any more, they don't bother trying

To be fair, cats are very inquisitive and if you don't want them on the worktops, keep them out of the kitchen

Taffeta · 26/01/2018 16:57

Blimey I thought I was precious telling the DC not to let the cat lick their faces....Grin

Dazedandconfuzzled · 26/01/2018 16:58

I caught my dd sharing her pancake with the cat once. One bite for her one bite for him..... she also tried to wash him once...with her tongue.

Bluelonerose · 26/01/2018 16:58

My 2 aren't allowed and when told to get down just look at me/carry on grooming. Grin

Well often hear them jump up from the other room. Despite repeatedly telling them Hmm

Tbf I new what I was letting myself in for and just antibac the sides before I start anything in the kitchen.

caoraich · 26/01/2018 17:00

Mine don't do it when I'm there. But going I'm sure they go up there at other times. I just wash the worktops before preparing food and don't have much out beyond the kettle. They like to sit in the sink and drink from the tap which I admit doesn't bother me at all.

Taffeta · 26/01/2018 17:03

GrinGrin @ Dazed’s DD

IWillSurviveHeyHey · 26/01/2018 17:04

I am absolutely appalled disgusted and outraged that no one NO ONE has thought of asking the OP for the obligatory photographs.

Original poster
Sunshine49 · 26/01/2018 17:08

Thanks for your replies everyone! To those who've suggested we should let them explore more rooms: when we adopted the cats a week ago the shelter advised us that because they're extremely nervous around people (they are ex-strays) we should introduce them to the house at a snail's pace. They actually advised the cats should be kept in their crate for the first week, but I accidentally didn't close the door properly on the second night and they've been enjoying exploring the dining room and tiny kitchen (two separate rooms linked by an archway) ever since!

They are showing definite signs of wanting to explore further rooms - gazing through the glass in the dining room door into the hallway for example, and through the windows into the garden.

They'll happily explore the kitchen and dining room during the day and play with their toys while I'm sat at the dining room table on Mumsnet working, but when I get up they'll tend to dash back to their crate. As a result I'm thinking that maybe it's better to keep them in the kitchen/dining room for a couple of weeks until they're much more used to DH and me.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 26/01/2018 17:09

You can stop them. You can enforce the rules but the cats just learn not to do it when you are looking.

However a Cat Sscat will usually solve it in two squirts of compressed air.

Set ours up over the dinner table last night after getting fed up of the kittens 'helping' me with my sewing and trying to eat pins. First squirt - v surprised kitten on the floor. 10 minutes later kitten had another go - back on the floor. Kitten spent the evening eyeing up the table with suspicion but no more squirts.

We've left the Sscat up since but no more squirts heard, no more kitten on table and problem solved.

Was similar effective for older cat and kitchen worktop - one squirt to make the point, another squirt when she checked it out again and then our kitchen worktop was cat free for evermore.

Taffeta · 26/01/2018 17:10

Anti bac wipes are hideous for the environment aren’t they?

Original poster
Sunshine49 · 26/01/2018 17:14

I read somewhere that one way to deter them from jumping onto the worktops is to attach foil to the edges - but since these cats are rescues and have had a pretty miserable life until now, I don't really want to upset or scare them just as they're getting used to me and their new home! I can't pick them up and place them on the floor unfortunately, as they would flee in terror if I approached (I've only just managed to stroke one of them yesterday and that was through bribing him with Dreamies!) I'm hoping that when they do eventually have access to the whole house and garden, they'll be less bothered about jumping on the work surfaces, as they'll have so much more room to explore. In the meantime, I'm stocking up on wipes!

Photos to follow soon! Grin

OP posts:
RowenasDiadem · 26/01/2018 17:17

I've told my cat master not to go on the countertops and she doesn't. Or if she does it's extremely rare and she's chased off immediately. She knows full well she's not allowed because like a nighty child she will check to see if you're watching.
Don't let your cats get used to doing it.

Original poster
Sunshine49 · 26/01/2018 17:17

Anna - thanks very much for the tip about the Cat Sscat - I haven't heard of those before! I think once they're introduced to the whole house and garden then I might think about getting one of those for the work surfaces. But I'm hoping that once they have a lot more space they'll be less inclined to jump on the surfaces anyway!

OP posts:
AuntFidgetWonkhamStrongNajork · 26/01/2018 17:24

I use a squirrel of pet behave spray on the bit they use to jump up. It's very citrussy. And a squirt on each corner of the kitchen table. It makes some difference - at least I know that they know that they are not supposed to be up there, even if it doesn't actually stop them going up there. It means when if I catch them on the worktop they scramble to get off rather than carry on licking their arse on there.

user1483390742 · 26/01/2018 17:30

Mine sits on the worktop and watches me chopping the veg for dinner..😂😂

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 26/01/2018 17:39

My cat is fast asleep on the bed as we speak. He’s got the full run of the house and can sleep where he likes - as someone else said he’s not an ornament. As far as I’m concerned if anyone has a problem with him or his fur on the furniture then they needn’t come round.

AccidentallyRunToWindsor · 26/01/2018 17:45

Give up. I have.

laurzj82 · 26/01/2018 18:02

Just don't ever clean up after cooking, leave every pot and pan out and don't wash up. No room for a cat then Wink

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 26/01/2018 18:08

When we were adopted by some strays they would jump onto the worksurfaces, even before they were actually ours and still starving. They don't now as they have been more confident that they will be fed and that it is preferable to meow at the slaves for proper food rather than go to the effort of jumping onto a worksurface and sourcing substandard human food. Took about 6 months I guess. They will even ignore a roast carcus unless it is duck or goose left out on the table. I would see how they are once they have more space to expand into, more windowsills to look out of and have fully trained the slaves to efficiently provide food.

Fluffycloudland77 · 26/01/2018 18:14

I gave up too. His bed & litter tray is on the worktop in the utility, no room on the floor, so it would be confusing to say no going up on the worktops.

I just use a lot of multi surface cleaner.

DwangelaForever · 26/01/2018 18:16

Invest in some detail wipes and be done with it.

AnnaMagnani · 26/01/2018 22:02

www.vetuk.co.uk/cat-accessories-ssscat-deterrent-c-626_812

Link to Cat Sscat. Apparently you can get refill cylinders but we are still on our original one as apart from when we have set it off by mistake the cats have only ever let it off 4 times - that's been all it took to teach the offenders permanently not to go on the forbidden surfaces.

JustAnIdiot · 26/01/2018 23:31

Mine do not jump onto the surfaces if I am in the same room, as they know they are not allowed.

If I'm not in the room, then they ignore the rules.

Hmm Grin

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