Has anyone managed to train cats to stay off the kitchen counter?

[IDontMindMarmite]

It's a lost cause isn't it?

Yesterday I was cooking and removed one particular cat from the side 7 times. I say "no" but this is completely meaningless to the two yobs.

Arthur eats all his meals on the work surface in the utility, he's a part Bengal so that's where he is most happy. He will sit up there waiting to be fed. He doesn't go on the tops in the main kitchen though. Maybe I have a particularly shrieky voice 😂 I am definitely top dog.

Submit now.
Assume that shitty bums and feet have contaminated everything and no meal will be fur free.

I recommend this so often they should give me commission.

www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-Deterrent-Effective-Avoidance-Training/dp/B075GMTYQS?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Have used successfully with multiple cats - completely harmless and they learn for life. Even better they learn not to do it When You Are Not There.

Set it up overnight - cat jumps up - one puff of air - cat hastily jumps down again. Usually cat will do a second try just to make sure and that is it FOREVER. Problem solved in 2 puffs of air. It's a miracle.

Mine doesn't go up there because she's too lazy to jump (British shorthair, not known for their athleticism).

So Short of getting a different cat I don't know how to fix thjngs for you, sorry!

You need to get a really lazy arse cat like mine. She couldn’t be bothered to jump that high. She probably realises that she would crack the floor tiles jumping down.

A water pistol definitely helps (party bag sized not super soaker), but nothing actually works.

My first 2 cats never went in the kitchen worktops, never any footprints and we had white counters when they were both around. Latest pair only jump up in the utility if we are slow at preparing their tea and never in the kitchen when we are around, didn’t train them they just don’t.

However if we shut the door to our dining room so the can’t look out of the patio doors then they get up on the worktop at dawn to stare at the birds, we just clean the worktops every morning or remember to leave the door open.

Mine is too old now and fat.
But I think he learned not to do it when I was around.
I recommend a firm voice and possibly a water spray.
Also, it's possible my counter is usually too full to have a proper landing area, and I keep all chairs well away.

Nope. Mine know full well they are not allowed. So they sneakily go up there behind our backs. When they get caught they jump straight down.

I thought we had managed this (we've had the cat for 1 year) and trained Her Highness to not be on the counters.... last night I surprised her walking on the main counter as bold as brass when I went down for a drink in the dark.

Cat wins. Again.

My cats over the years have never went on the counter top or the table?i guess it has to start from day 1 Maybe?

I can live with them doing it while i'm not there! It's while i'm preparing food, having washed my hands and the side etc. that I really object to.

Ok, several suggestions, thank you! I will first try the kitchen foil then the water pistol, unless of course I don't need it because the foil worked first time. Inevitably, i'll report back after i've tried every suggestion

Our first 3 understood the "rules": that anything left out on the counter when we went to bed was fair game

It was a shock when our 4th one didn't abide by that rule and we had to remember to shut the kitchen door if we were leaving meat out on the side and check he hadn't sneaked in when our back was turned .

Current pair are somewhere between the two - but probably closer to the "Rule breaker". We've had to start putting the butter dish into a cupboard as they'll jump up onto the counter and lick it

Mine doesn't bother. If he does ever get up, he panics and screams until I rescue him

It just takes time and patience

(Ie, you have to wait until they’re 19 years old and can’t jump that high anymore)

I have a cute but clumsy little Persian who thankfully can't jump that high and shes going on 3 years old!

I never had a problem with cats on the work surfaces until I got these two Bengals on springs.

One of them is very persistent, the other doesn’t bother. I even resorted to putting a tall cat tree in the kitchen, but it hasn’t solved the problem.
They also like to jump on top of my American style fridge freezer - they can leap onto it from the floor in a single bound.

Yeah you won’t keep a good Bengal down 😺.

Here they are sitting on a kitchen stool for a change. Note the claw marks riddling the seat. Ignored cat tree in the background
This is why we can’t have nice things ...

We often find Arthur on the top of the bathroom cabinets!

Mostly yes, they know to stay off. Scolding & hissing works.

My two are banned from the bathroom or they shred the loo roll

Mine won't go on the actual kitchen counters (in my sight at least & I've never found footprints). They like the one on the other side of the kitchen though as the washing machine & tumble dryer are under it so it's nice & warm.

You can train them to not do it while you're watching. As soon as they think you're not looking, they'll be up there.

Mine knows she’s not allowed on the worktop but I hear her jump down every time she hears me heading towards the kitchen 🤷‍♀️