Product to stop cat jumping on kitchen counter

kimmi_b

I have got a problem with my 10 year old moggie jupming up onto the kitchen counters and from there onto the kitchen cupboards. He has recently been displaying this behaviour for the first time, in response (I think) to my 2 year old daughter chasing him around the house to 'play'. The top of the cupboards is the one place he can escape to! Obviously it's not acceptable, especially when he leaps up or down while we are trying to prepare food. We have tried double sided tape on certain areas where he is not allowed, which has worked so far, but cannot tape the kitchen worktops as we need to use them! I've tried orange peel but that hasn't worked either.

A colleague has been telling me about a product he used to use, he thinks it was called 'Puss Off'. It was a green gel-like crystal which had an odour offensive to cats. Apprarently this product worked a treat, but I cannot find it on the web.

Has anyone heard of this, or know of an alternative I can try?

Thanks in advance.

gettingready

kimmi_b wrote: »

I have got a problem with my 10 year old moggie jupming up onto the kitchen counters and from there onto the kitchen cupboards. He has recently been displaying this behaviour for the first time, in response (I think) to my 2 year old daughter chasing him around the house to 'play'. The top of the cupboards is the one place he can escape to! Obviously it's not acceptable,

Of course not,this is not acceptable, poor moggie - is quite frightening to the cat when (as you say) the only place he can escape to is the top of kitchen cupboard and he/she is 10 yo so double bad for the cat due to its age.

You need to somehow explain to your daughter not to chase and upset the cat so he/she does not have to resort to that.

Good luck.

kimmi_b

I tell her every time it happens to not do it, but reasoning with a 2 year old isn't the easiest thing to do in the world, also this is still being reactive to the situation whereas I am hoping to be pro-active with putting something on the sides to deter him from jumping.

Colleague has advised that the product was bought in a pound shop rather than specialist pet store. I'm stumped as I can't find it on the web anywhere.

gettingready

reasoning with a 2 year old isn't the easiest thing to do in the world

reasoning with a cat who is 10 may be even worse.....

To be honest, my cat walks all over the place - I do nto know a cat that does not....

Good luck reasoning with your daughter.

cyberbob

The problem is with your daughter not the your cat. So you addressing the wrong problem. If the the cat is chased or distresses no magic product will keep him fom on top of the counter. Your trying to address the consequences not the action

As much as teaching a 2 year old isn't easy you need to be proactive with that. Try and get her to play with the cat (supervised) in a nice calm way so she starts to understand how animals should be treated. It won't solve it overnight but it will eventually.

Fire_Fox

kimmi_b wrote: »

I tell her every time it happens to not do it, but reasoning with a 2 year old isn't the easiest thing to do in the world, also this is still being reactive to the situation whereas I am hoping to be pro-active with putting something on the sides to deter him from jumping.

Colleague has advised that the product was bought in a pound shop rather than specialist pet store. I'm stumped as I can't find it on the web anywhere.

Putting something on the sides is reacting to the final stage in a series of events, where will the cat escape to then? Being proactive is addressing the source of the problem - if your two year old cannot be reasoned with (fair enough) then put in a couple of babygates so that the cat has somewhere to go your daughter can't.

Buttonmoons

Could you not just keep the kitchen door closed? Maybe make a spot in another room for the cat to go too when it wants some peace?

My daughter (3) likes to play with my two cats, they are really easy going though and enjoy being chased, normally she has a piece of string/tinsel/toy of theirs so they enjoy the game as much as she loves having the cats running after her.

1 of the cats likes to sleep a lot though, so when she wants peace, I just let her in my bedroom and she settles down and snoozes on my pillow, and I just listen out for her scratching at the door to be let out when she's had enough kip.

I *try* not to let the cats in the kitchen, as 1 of them pinches food, but OH forever leaves the door open in the morning, but they both know not to go on my counters (though 1 of them chances it when he can, and he promptly gets squirted, not that he minds, he comes back 2 seconds later looking for it again, thinks it's a game:rolleyes:)

Princess_kate

Im sure i have seen this product in home bargains. Not sure ofthe price, but its deffo a product to keeps cats out of gardens etc & it was deffo green!!
HTH

Buttonmoons

I know Poundland had something like that, apparently deterred cats. Was crystals and stunk to high heavens.

paddypaws101

It's probably some kind of citronella gel/crystal. Ok to put in the garden but I don't think I would want it in my kitchen.
Cats DO need to be able to escape to a safe hidey hole sometimes and have been known to move houses to get that peace and quiet! one of mine used to love getting up on top of the cupboards and I just got used to wiping down kitchen surfaces before I used them. sigh

kimmi_b

I'd quite happily 'supervise' and play with my daughter and son for every single hour that they are awake. However, if I did do that then they wouldn't have food in their bellies or clean clothes on their backs. When I am in the kitchen preparing food, my daughter likes to come in and 'help' me wash up. Then the cat comes running in the house and goes to his food bowl. It literally takes seconds for her to get down off a chair and run over to him. She doesn't entertain herself with him, but is happy and excited to see him and wants to show him that. Unfortunately he isn't interested in her and runs away as soon as she comes over, straight onto my cupboards. In all this time I am trying desperately to wash my hands because I've just been preparing meat or chopping garlic or whatever it is I have been doing. It's like a scene from a carry on film, I swear.

As for you never having trouble with your children, I suggest you take a step back and think about whether or not they left your line of sight for a single second when in your home. Because if you can honestly say that your children were unable to do anything without you looking over and watching them, then I would say that maybe you need the parenting lessons, and not me.