Keeping the Cat off the Kitchen Side

April 8th, 2019

Probably one of the most common issues that cat owners find is not being able to keep their cat off the kitchen counter. No matter how much we love our cats, we don’t want to find their fur in our food. So we try and try to keep them off, to no success.

So can we train our cats to stay off the counter? Of course we can.

Cats are driven by their natural instincts. Meaning many habits that they have are a result of natural environments as predators and prey. In the wild, cats learn to jump to high places to protect themselves from predators. So, naturally our house cat will jump to the highest spaces they can find, in order to feel safe.

So what can we do to keep them away from the counter? We need to provide them with another safe space. We can do this by introducing new climbing obstacles such as an empty shelf, or specially designed cat posts or cat climbing trees.

Training your cat to jump to the new alternative may take time, but persistence is key. Persuade your cat to stay off the counter by leaving treats and toys for them to go to, making the new spot more preferable for them.

Each time your cat jumps on the counter, calmly move them to the new spot and they will eventually learn to go straight to there.

Giving your cat an alternative place to go to will avoid suppressing your cat’s natural instincts whilst keeping your home intact. Remember to avoid punishing your cat for jumping to the wrong place as they will not understand this.



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