Keep cats off dining table

malcindebt

We've recently had the dining room done up and now have a dining table. Unfortunately the cats seem to think it is their new bed.

No matter how many timesw we take them off the table or shout at them they still get on it.

What can we do to keep the cats away from the dining table?

Thanks

puddy

a tip: stop wasting your breath and invest in some anti bac wipes

problem solved

Beckyy

If you find a good answer please tell us!

I have the same trouble with our cats and the worktop. They are forever jumping onto it and it drives me crazy.

The majority of the time I keep a lucozade sports bottle of water handy, and will try and squirt them with water if I see them jump up. It gets them off, and they'll run off if come in and they're there - but as soon as I turn my back they're up there again!

lostinrates

have you tried tin foil? Unrolled and spread over the surface? Some don'tlike the noise it makes as they walk over it.

Some think its the best game ever mind you....

Owain_Moneysaver

Hiss at them. They're territorial and will soon learn that's your territory.

Mama_Cat

Take the table away? Close the door to the dining room?

Sorry - not terribly helpful answers! But I'm afraid when it comes to cats, as I'm sure you know, they will do whatever they please and not necessarily what you want.

Take away anything that may tempt them onto the table in the first place to sleep, e.g. soft table cloth or shutting the curtains if the sun is shining on to it. Then put something onto the table they don't like (tin foil was a good suggestion) to discourage them. If they do go into the dining room, keep a close eye on them and stop them from jumping before they've actually made the leap but when they get that pre-pounce 'gleam' in their eye.

And good luck!

pleasedelete

Close the dining room door?

My cats have access to less than half of our house- they dont seem to notice! They don't go in the kitchen either.

Mama_Cat

The only time my cats go in the kitchen is when they are being fed. The door is usually open when I'm home, but they tend not to go in there because:
1. there's no reason to go in there, i.e. they're not being fed
2. they are inevitably asleep!

When I leave the house I shut the kitchen door as I can't bear the thought they might be walking on the worktops!

tizerbelle

It's a new piece of furniture - it currently has novelty value for them, this may wear off or you may have to force the issue - I find the best way is to put freshly laundered white sheets/towels/shirts on the bed*

With cats, the one thing to learn is pick your battles - there is no point on this earth trying to permanently stop them getting onto a particular surface (be it dining table / worktop) unless you are going to set up a rota for all the household to provide a 24 hour guard to enforce the rule.

As for me, dining tables are only a cat free zone if they are being used for eating - at any other time if they want to sit on it, that's fine. TBH it only took a couple of times removing them from the table as it was being set for a meal for them to get the idea - granted demon cat did have to be side-swiped with a swing of the arm to sweep him off in a most undignified manner before he twigged but the other two cottoned on pretty much straight off. Now if we're eating and one looks like they've forgotten the rules, a sharp "No" or even an "Errrr!" is all it takes to make them remember themselves.


*Can anyone can explain how a cat can walk into a kitchen across a door mat then across a rug on a tiled floor then up carpeted hall, stairs, landing and bedroom floor without leaving any muddy prints and only leave prints when they hit the freshly laundered white textiles?

spike7451

Mama_Cat wrote: »

The only time my cats go in the kitchen is when they are being fed. The door is usually open when I'm home, but they tend not to go in there because:
1. there's no reason to go in there, i.e. they're not being fed
2. they are inevitably asleep!

Same as my Daisy,she never goes on the kitchen counters or dinner table & only goes into the kitchen when I go in there or she need to use the litter tray.
She knows where she can go & where she cant go in the house.

Mama_Cat

tizerbelle wrote: »

*Can anyone can explain how a cat can walk into a kitchen across a door mat then across a rug on a tiled floor then up carpeted hall, stairs, landing and bedroom floor without leaving any muddy prints and only leave prints when they hit the freshly laundered white textiles?

Can't explain this particular phenomenon, but I've also found my cats love the clean laundry. They especially seem to know when it belongs to my OH (who's not a great cat lover) and make a bee-line for his clothes