Naughty kitty cats....

[Kekka]

Any tips for keepings cats off the kitchen benches? They jump up there in search of food and it drives me mental.

Also why is it that their little faces appear pressed into the wire mesh (they are outside 99% of the time) whenever I am preparing for a dinner party? Once they got in and started licking the butter!! Naughty darlings!@#$@#!

[Naomi]

Yes, this is my sure-fire way to ensure the cats never get on the bench tops.

Close your eyes. What you can't see, won't bother you. Unless you come home and find cat foot prints going down the dishwasher ... it's hard to maintain realistic denial then.

(Oh, and don't post photos of the cats playing on the kitchen table on your blog when your mother/mother in law reads it ... it's hard to do that "Oh I'm so shocked! They don't normally jump on the benches/table" thing realistically when the mother/MIL visits, when she's seen the photographic evidence on the internet).

[sehyang]

Kekka,
Do you have a water spray bottle? If you do spray them when ever you see them on the bench. Dr Harry (the vet) even suggest you put a little lemon juice in the water, as they don't like it. Maybe if you hiss at them when you are unable to reach the spray bottle, I know that works with my cat. Good luck.

[Naomi]

Please don't put lemon juice in the water, it can hurt their eyes.

[Kekka]

Thanks ladies. A tiny bit of lemon juice would be ok. I've seen how a cat reacts when I eat a mandarine and they sniff the peel.

[Heather]

You're not there 100% of the time....so I don't think you will ever stop them.
Lewis will jump up onto the counter in the kitchen and walk over the bench to jump into the breakfast room (my benches are just an isand between both rooms) rather than walk around. Why does he do it? Because he can.

[Kekka]

Thanks Heather Ann.

...err...do you ever sleep out of interest?? (just stirring you 'cause I can!)

[Teeka]

I just use the spray bottle with water as well I find you dont need to add any thing else as its the water they dont like.

[Telori]

I was going to say good luck...but apparently you can keep them off the benches...will have to try a this with Pink...

She never gets on the bench when I'm cooking though...so she must have learnt something...somehow...

I dont really care 'cause I'm one of those fanatical kitchen bench cleaners...my bench tops get wiped everytime I go into the kitchen...and after everything I prepare...a bit of a habit but at least it's a good habit...

[Mad Old Cow]

Have to say i don't mind cats on furniture or beds or anything at all like that but i could'nt have them on a surface where i eat or prepare food but hey thats just me lol

[BrissyGal]

One of my cats is notorious for doing this at night, mostly after dinner or when we're in bed.

I had an embarressing thing happen once. My in-laws had come to visit for the first time and I had laid out all the cups and saucers and put milk in the cups and while I was waiting for the jug to boil, I showed them around the house. When we got back to the kitchen my cat Charlie was just finishing off the milk in the last cup...lol Luckily my MIL was a cat lover and just thought it was funny.

[Stormy]

I've simply given up. Not a problem with Rosie, as she doesn't appear to be able to jump that high but Mojo gets everywhere because he's a born jumper. Even if he doesn't do it when I'm looking, I know he does it when I'm not. :yes: So I just spray the counter before I prepare anything and the same with the table before we eat so that it is hygenic.

But I've always maintained that if you want a pet to do what you want all the time without question, then get a dog. Don't get a cat. :hehe:

[Telori]

But I've always maintained that if you want a pet to do what you want all the time without question, then get a dog. Don't get a cat. :hehe:

That is just too true :)

[Old_liz]

Coming in a bit late here - but I see no-one's mentioned the one thing I found worked to keep them off "surfaces" in general - and that's aluminum foil. Just the cheapest sort; when I had long-hairs and I'd just cleaned, I'd pull out lengths of foil and drape them along the lounge seat and arms, the back of the lounge, and armchairs, and on the kitchen benches. They don't like the feeling on their feet or the noise or the reflections. They would still jump up anywhere the foil was NOT of course ... and a wee bit of blutack or double-sided tape or something stops clever kitties from swiping it away.

Well, it worked for me and it's worth trying!

[Supa]

With Stitches I just clap my hands loudly & she knows she has to get off. I only do it for the table & the benches. Now she only jumps on them when she is in a mood & runs flat chat to the other end & jumps off before I have a chance to clap