Do you often find your cat sitting on the countertop? 

Mine not only likes to sit on the countertop but also enjoys knocking anything and everything off of it. There is sone thing about cats and countertops that I can’t seem to get. Now, the thing is that I wouldn’t mind my cat sitting on the kitchen countertop if she were not fresh out of her litter box. This is something I don’t find hygienic at all!

So, how can you keep your cat out of the countertop?

In this blog post, I will teach you how to keep your cat off the countertop once and for all. So, let’s get started!

Cats and Counters, What’s the Deal?

So, we all know how cats like the countertops. But why do they like the countertops? 

Well, it has to do everything with how a cat is “programmed.” Cats like to be at elevation points to be able to find the prey easily. So, domestic cats love to stay at their elevated point to see everything that’s going on in the room.

Counters provide that.

They like to seek vantage points such as shelves and countertops to survey the territory. They love to hang out and bookshelves or even scale the drapes! Tabletops are fantastic because they provide a sunny and warm place for a kitty to sleep. They’re amazing to keep an eye out for exciting things–like a cat toy!

Now, all cat owners have one problem. Their cats just love to knock things over from the countertop. 

This could be something like a showpiece or a coaster or, it would be something expensive like a TV. So, it’s a good thing to teach your cat to stay away from how to top to make sure that she does not throw anything important to you. Or break a favorite kitty mug!

Keep Your Cat Off the Countertop With These Tips

Some breeds like the Ragdoll do not like to climb the countertop, so if you have a Ragdoll cat, you are one of the lucky ones.

Seek New Alternatives 

First and foremost, we should provide your cat with new places you would like to climb on. 

I prefer using a cat tree like the Rabbitgoo Cat Tree Cat Tower. A cat tree is an excellent substitute to distract your cat from climbing counters and tabletops. It is abundant with sleeping and playing areas and is hugely appealing to cats. 

And, if your kitty doesn’t care for it and prefers the box that it came in, what you need to do is to sprinkle some catnip on the cat tree and let it work its magic! 

There are several types of cat trees available on the market. Some even come with amazing cat toys on it to keep the kitty interested. 

Providing a cat with something that she prefers more than tabletops is one way to keep her off of them.

Feed Thy Cat

Some cats love to explore the tabletops because they are hungry, and they want something to eat. 

The kitchen smells of yummy food, and the countertop probably smells of chicken! So, one way to keep the cat off is to keep the smell of the food off the counter. You can use a solution of one part vinegar and one part water to keep the smell out. 

You can do another thing too; you can make sure that your cat is well fed! For that, talk to your vet, and see the number of calories you cat needs in a day. If you’re not able to meet them, make the needed changes to your cat’s diet. 

An Environmental Punisher

You can add an environmental punisher to the countertops to discourage your cat from jumping on them. 

• You can scare your cat by making a loud noise whenever she jumps on the come to the top.
• Threaten her with a spray bottle if she does not budge. 
• Add a deterrent like a tablecloth that your cat won’t like.
• Use a sheet of plastic to keep your cat off the countertop. 

If you’re not home all day, you can use a cat repellent device such as a motion-activated system that triggers a blast to compress the air on the cat will come within us within a certain distance. 

I prefer using a ScatMat as it has worked well for me in the past. Ashita plastic, et cetera.

Summing Up

Here are some things that can work for you as well! Take a look:  

• Putting some sticky tape on the counter: Cats don’t like tape, and they don’t like it when it sticks to their paws, so this will work like magic. You can apply the sticky tape at the edge of the counter, and after one or two tries, the cat will get discouraged as they don’t like holistically they feel. 
• You can also tape some aluminum foil along the counter, and the cat won’t like how it feels on its toes. 
• If you have a lot of time, you can try clicker training and use positive reinforcement when your cat is off the countertop.

How do you keep your cat off the counter? Share your tips with us in the comments!