Cat on kitchen worktops

BambiOnIce

Now that our little Chaos is settling in nicely in her new home, she is driving me slightly mad with jumping on the kitchen worktops. Whenever I go into the kitchen she jumps up to see what's going on. Apart from the fact I keep finding cat hair all over the hob etc, it's really not ideal as I don't want her to burn herself when we cook. I started just lifting her down whenever she does it in the hope she'll learn, but so far all she does is leap back up and I spend all my time watching her like a hawk and not keeping an eye on the overboiling veg (or whatever I'm cooking at the time!).
Should I just be patient and keep lifting her down, or is there something better anyone can recommend? We did close the kitchen door on her the first time but apart from the fact her food is in there, she seems to just want to come in cos she can't so she then spends all her time miaowing and scratching outside the door!

hp3

Our girl cat does this all the time. I think she likes being at eye level with us and being a nosey madam! She doesn't come near the hob when cooking, they will be cautious of things like that so I wouldn't worry too much about that. We lift her down and it does feel like an endless game. Eventually she will accept it and go and sit on the fridge or somewhere else. We just stock up on detol and wipe the sides regular. Not much you can do to stop cats doing as they please. Some people may use water spray. I personally don't like using it but find what works for you both.

Revel

We continually scoot our 2 cats off the kitchen surfaces. They don't tend to come near the hob when I'm cooking but I always put the empty pan back on the hob with some water in it, so they can't walk on the hot areas. Like you I know they walk on the hob, as there's often grubby paw marks and hair. I have no answer to it. We can't leave milk in a cup ready for making a cup of tea without one of them thinking we've poured it out especially for her. And they think a cat tongue makes for a good plate washer.

kerri_gt

Ours used to come in through the kitchen window in our old flat, I also had a fear of her walking on a hot hob so would leave a pan of water if I'd been cooking. The muddy paw prints (white surface) used to drive me mad but a quick wipe with dettol or bleach and they were gone.

Tbh she doesn't get on the surfaces so much where we are now, sometimes right up on top of the units but that's not often.

Sorry, no answer about the cat fur, just keep some wipes handy, and don't leave plates about. Not much else you can do really. I know some people are aghast about cats on the work surface, but I tend not to lick mine myself and clean it regularly, guess maybe they don't

GobbledyGook

Is there a spot in the kitchen that could become hers?

We have a window ledge and when we first moved in we gave the cats a treat on the window ledge when we were cooking. If they jumped up near the cooker we just put them down and didn't give them a treat.

Maybe it only works because I've got greedy cats, but they don't bother with the cooker now and if there's a person in the kitchen there's a cat on the window ledge

danih

My boys do that. Just keep disinfecting - cats are persistent wee monsters!

My ginger boy likes to lie in the middle of the kitchen floor, right in the middle between the cooker, sink and fridge, exactly where we can't see him when we are busy. I don't really know why - no rugs, hardly comfy.

We have stood on him ssoooo many times over the past 3 years - yet he persists!!! (Luckily no damage done yet)

gettingready

My 4 cats all allowed ANYWHERE in my flat (so is the dog) - that includes my bed, kitchen worktops, bath etc etc.

The live here

Dettol wipes handy and I do not see a problem

BambiOnIce

GobbledyGook wrote: »

Is there a spot in the kitchen that could become hers?

We have a window ledge and when we first moved in we gave the cats a treat on the window ledge when we were cooking. If they jumped up near the cooker we just put them down and didn't give them a treat.

Ooh that's a good idea. She likes the windowsill in there anyway, I had worried because when we cook we also have the window open but the theory was that as we get her down from the tops as soon as she jumps up, there's no way she can then get to the window and leap out without being seen! Maybe we'll start to use the treat idea and hope that works.

I'm more worried because out hob is electric so stays hot for quite a while after we're finished, but maybe if I let her get near and keep a close eye she'll figure out it's dangerous all by herself! And the pan of water might serve as a deterrent too Thanks for all your replies everyone, the hair and stuff doesn't bother me per se, and to a certain extent I don't mind what she does when we're out, just don't want her to get into the habit of being up there and in the way when we cook!! I just took a couple of photos of her playing with her wand toy so thought it only right to share with all you lovely people

monty-doggy

Some people don't like them but a water spray is invaluable. My asbo cat was obsessed with climbing up the Xmas tree. We only used the water spray twice and he never went near it again!

Gavin83

Surely there has to be something that cats don't like the smell of?

WeAreGhosts

Our cat did this when we first got her. I just kept telling her to "get down" in a firm voice [no shouting] and after about a fortnight of this she got the message and hasnt been on the worktops since.

p.s that fish wand thing in your piccies is my cat's absolute favourite! i swish it round the carpet and she goes crazy for it.