Do you let your cat(s) lick your bowls or plates?

[AllAroundTheWorldYeah]

One of mine will often dive on an unattended bowl or plate, & if it's done with and something safe for her (no onions etc) then I let her lick it before I put it in the dishwasher. My other cat has never shown any interest in human food.

If you have a cat that wants to lick your plate, do you let them?

Yup, but only after Ive finished!, have done all my life and have a fairly robust immune system

I'm glad to see most of you do this too! The comments on that thread about the woman who lets her dog finish her tea had me worried

I let them
Lock the plate if it's their favourite food. Cheddar gives me the big eyes and they are impossible to ignore.

I don't let them but it doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

The Ballet Cats are not allowed to lick crockery. They’ll do it if they get the chance though, in the same way they are absolute holy terrors for trying to steal my food. Which is vegan, they’re utterly unconvinced about the whole “obligate carnivore” thing - faintly reassuring @Bythemillpond has experienced cats going mad for vegan food too, there’s something v disconcerting about them being fixated on something they should have no interest in…

I don't encourage it but if she's decided it needs licking, I don't get much say. Can't say it bothers me though since it goes in the dishwasher. 🤷‍♀️

I put mine out of the room when I eat, but it doesn't bother me if they lick plates or pans or whatever when they are stacked next to the sink.

No, and I'm not a hugely fussy cat owner. No going on the kitchen surfaces, no eating our things, no licking bowls. It might not be hugely risky from a health point of view, but there's no need for it and it's very easy to stop them. Cats do learn what will get them told off, and they don't like being told off so they soon stop.

As a cat owner I've just assumed and accepted that every surface in my house has been touched by a cat butt at some point in time

Ive had this argument before on MN and people don't believe my cats don't jump on worktops but I can guarantee 100% they really don't.

Does no-one train their cats with house rules? It baffles me tbh.

My Cat is the most pampered boy, Yes he sleeps on beds and on the sofa or anywhere else he chooses but he has blankets down which are his and he uses them. Worktops or licking off plates never! He doesn't beg when we are at the table eating but whenever we have steak he will sit by DP's leg as he knows he gets the fat. He has a sunday dinner every week but it is made and goes in his bowl where it belongs, he would never jump up and try to get food or lick a plate.

Cats are like kids and dogs, they need training from a young age as to what is acceptable in a home/family environment.

If I went to someones house for a meal and seen a cat on their worktops or licking a plate I would honestly refuse the food, same as walking in a restaurant with a dog present, I would turn round and walk out.

@MilduraS

My cat always drinks the last of the milk from my bowl of cereal. It was a compromise. She used to dive at me to get to the milk while I was eating but now she knows she can have it if she waits.

Cats are lactose intolerant. Perhaps you could serve her a small bowl of pet milk (which is lactose free) in the mornings while you have your breakfast?

@LubaLuca

No, and I'm not a hugely fussy cat owner. No going on the kitchen surfaces, no eating our things, no licking bowls. It might not be hugely risky from a health point of view, but there's no need for it and it's very easy to stop them. Cats do learn what will get them told off, and they don't like being told off so they soon stop.

This :)

My cat gets excited over salad cream and chicken from the top of a pizza. I'm lucky that I can leave a plate or a dish and she won't touch it.
I'm still trying to understand why salad cream, never mind licking a plate.

no.
I think it is pretty disgusting, and I speak as a long time cat owner and lover, who is really relaxed about cleaning!

No cats or dogs tongues on my plate thanks.
I remember visiting a BF family and his parents cats were allowed to walk over the kitchen table and eat from their plates. Yuck.

What we do is that if they can have something it goes into their bowl. Our cats used to sit on the pare chair at the table when we had a roast waiting, as soon as we stood up they raced for their bowls, where we gave them some bits of meat.

Do the same now for cat and dog.

Our cat does not go on kitchen table or worksurfaces, because he has never been allowed to. It really isn't that difficult to train them.

By the way, you shouldn't be giving your cat cow's milk from your cereal anywway, very bad for them

My current cat never goes onto the worktops or touches human food. no idea why, the previous cats were sods for it.

Cats are lactose intolerant.

Well yes, as a species they are, but only in the same way humans are. Small amounts of dairy are tolerated by most cats, but yes obviously if you notice adverse symptoms you should stop giving them it.

@Shehasadiamondinthesky

My current cat never goes onto the worktops or touches human food. no idea why, the previous cats were sods for it.

Thanks for not taking credit for it. Far too many cats owners take credit for "training" their cats not to do undesirable things, when in reality they just got lucky with cats that weren't interested anyway!

Far too many cats owners take credit for "training" their cats not to do undesirable things, when in reality they just got lucky with cats that weren't interested anyway!

bollocks.
Had loads of cats over the years. All loved their food and would love to lick my plate.
They were not allowed and taught no to kitchen work surfaces and kitchen table. Scraps and leftovers went in their bowls

It's not bloody rocket science.

Far too many cats owners take credit for "training" their cats not to do undesirable things, when in reality they just got lucky with cats that weren't interested anyway!

Nope, it's not just luck. I've taken on loads of cats over the years, everything from brand new kittens to aged fleabags in need of a retirement home. I've never had one that has persisted in eating human food, going on surfaces, licking crockery etc. You can train cats to not do the things that will get them told off.

@LubaLuca

No, and I'm not a hugely fussy cat owner. No going on the kitchen surfaces, no eating our things, no licking bowls. It might not be hugely risky from a health point of view, but there's no need for it and it's very easy to stop them. Cats do learn what will get them told off, and they don't like being told off so they soon stop.

Don't like being told off is putting it mildly! I bought new sofas a few years back and my cat decided they were far better than her gigantic bloody scratching post for keeping her claws in shape. 🤬

I caught her at it and told her off.
Her response was to look me in the eye, lift her front paws up on the side of the sofa, hook her claws into the leather and do a long, slow stretch backwards, maintaing eye contact all the way.

I interpreted that as a giant fuck you.

@violetbunny I have cat milk too which she will drink but she gets bored after a few sips. Theres something about the dregs from my cereal bowl that make her crazy. It hasn't upset her stomach in the last 5 years but it's only a small amount and I don't eat cereal often.

No - my cats have never shown the slightest interest in what we eat.

No - they don't jump up onto the kitchen worktop - we trained that out of them when they were kittens
(It was much harder to train them not to climb into the conservatory blinds but as they got bigger and heavier they worked it out for themselves !!)

I do. No point in worrying about whether his saliva bacteria is killed in the dishwasher as he drools on my face while I sleep. But he is very old and I love him.

Far too many cats owners take credit for "training" their cats not to do undesirable things, when in reality they just got lucky with cats that weren't interested anyway!

Utter Crap.

I have had many cats for many years.

Just admit You haven't trained your cat or like to let them lick off your plate. Cats are trainable.

Just admit You haven't trained your cat or like to let them lick off your plate. Cats are trainable.

As I said in my OP I have two cats. They're the same age and I've had them both from 8 weeks. Both have experienced the exact same training, yet one jumps on the counters and eats our food, & the other doesn't.

It's basically a damn good science experiment which shows that cats' personality is more dominant than training.

I don't let them. Silky cat does it anyway.

Desert cat is an odd beast who doesn't recognise things as cat food unless they are actual cat food, preferably strongly smelling as well.

He even ignores cat treats as he doesn't understand they are edible.