How To Keep My Cat Off My Counters
Cats are oft seen perched in places high upward, such as counters, surveying the goings-on below. But why do cats love hanging out up there? And how tin we keep them off our counters?
Speaking to Newsweek, Vicki Jo Harrison, the president of The International Cat Clan (TICA), explained cats like countertops because they smell good and they assist satisfy some of their natural instincts, like climbing and jumping.
"Cats climb copse and leap long distances to motility through their territory, avoid danger, and find food," Harrison said. So many domesticated cats effort to maintain these instincts, fifty-fifty when living indoors.
Merely this desire to act on their instincts can often exist a nightmare for many households, especially during mealtimes or when hosting dinners and other events where all the action may be taking place effectually the kitchen area.
Cat counter surfing presents a number of potential hazards, such as the risk of your cat landing on a hot stove or your true cat spreading bacteria from their paws onto your food prep area, Harrison added.
Speaking to Newsweek, Pam Johnson-Bennett, the author of several books on cat behavior and training who is the erstwhile vice president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants said in guild to railroad train a cat not to jump on counters it's important to know what specifically is appealing about that location. Not all cats want to be on the counter for the same reason.
It is important to effigy out the reason for the behavior so y'all tin provide a better alternative, and besides not to punish cats to keep them off counters. Johnson-Bennett told Newsweek: "Punishment damages the human relationship and can cause a cat to get fearful."
Speaking to Newsweek, Zazie Todd, the author of the forthcoming book Purr: The Scientific discipline of Making Your Cat Happy, warned owners should not use a eject bottle, loud noise or other grade of penalty to deter cats from jumping onto counters as the true cat will find this stressful and may become fearful of you.
Here nosotros look at some ways to keep your cats off counters.
Don't Leave Food Nearby
The well-nigh common reason why your cat may honey counter surfing is the availability of food there, Johnson-Bennett said. Food aromas are extremely enticing for cats, whether that be leftovers from their owner's dinner or their own food being prepared at the countertop. Be certain no food is left out uncovered and don't leave dirty dishes in the sink or unwashed pans on the stove.
Todd told Newsweek: "Changing your ain behaviour is hard, but information technology makes a difference. If your cat finds some chicken chest or tuna or other tasty food on the kitchen counter, they are going to keep going there in the hope of finding something overnice to swallow."
If your cat appears to exist perpetually hungry, only feeding them more than may help discourage them from frequenting countertops in search of nutrient, says the Humane Society of Huron Valley, an animal shelter in Michigan.
Cats beloved routine, so feeding them several small meals throughout the twenty-four hour period on a regular schedule not only helps to decrease their need for food merely also keeps them glued to the floor, where they know their side by side meal will be served.
Distract Them Before They Pounce
If you sense your true cat is on the movement and about to spring onto the counter, lure them abroad from doing then with their favorite nutrient or toy.
Harrison said owners can use a "hunting" toy that contains small amounts of kibble to cater to cats' natural instincts for going in search of more than nutrient.
California's Animal Behavior College (ABC) warns "timing is disquisitional" when information technology comes to using a distraction to keep your cat off a counter, equally yous could inadvertently reward your cat for climbing onto the counter.
"It can be tricky and it might accept several months of treating practiced behavior, but your cat volition eventually sympathise that it's to her benefit to stay off the countertops," the ABC said.
Provide Plenty of Alternatives
TICA president Harrison told Newsweek the easiest way to keep your true cat off counters is to give them another outlet for climbing and hiding, such as a true cat tree or belfry. These are great ways for cats to nurture their natural instinct to climb.
Some cats may prefer being on the counter to experience more than condom. "Being in an elevated location is natural for cats considering it gives them more ability to see around them and it prevents beingness ambushed from backside," Johnson-Bennett told Newsweek.
The counter may be seen past cats as the only safe place often in households with multiple cats, pocket-sized children or a dog, the author explained. "Cats oftentimes feel safer upward high so the more than allowable options you provide, the less the counter will be needed," she said.
Todd noted it's a good idea to place the cat tree next to or nigh the counter, encouraging them to apply it past leaving treats in the cat tree for them to find.
"Y'all could even train your cat to practise a downwards-stay in the cat tree if you'd similar. To practise so, advantage them with treats for gradually increasing lengths of fourth dimension on the tree, ever including plenty of short, easy times too so they don't get bored. Utilize small treats or pieces of tuna or prawn as rewards and go on preparation sessions brusque," Todd told Newsweek.
Prepare Another Window View Expanse
Cats love watching the world go by and some may be attracted to the window view from the kitchen counter.
Setting up a window perch or cat tree by another window can provide a more than comfortable place for the cat to watch outdoor activities, Johnson-Bennett said.
In that location are also kitty shelves that attach to window sills available at many pet stores.
Go a Cat Water Fountain
Kitchen and bathroom counters are frequent hangout spots for cats considering they like drinking running water from faucets. Getting a cat h2o fountain and placing it on the flooring will provide the same appeal, Johnson-Bennett said.
Don't Reward Them for Jumping Off Counter
Counter surfing could also be a cry for attending from your true cat and the countertop positions them closer to yous. In many cases, we reinforce that behavior by giving attending to the cat at that moment.
However, when a cat is displaying attention-getting beliefs, owners should just pick the cat upward without petting, kissing, making middle contact or talking and gently place them back downwardly on the floor, Johnson-Bennett told Newsweek.
The ABC says: "Don't forget that negative attention can often exist positive to a true cat who doesn't become enough attention overall. If your cat only receives attention when she climbs up on a counter—by you yelling at her or picking her up and placing her on the flooring— it'due south still attention in the mind of an animal (or man) who is constantly ignored."
Do Show Them Regular TLC
It's important to make certain y'all have plenty of interactive play fourth dimension with your cat on a regular ground to fill their need for engagement and attention that may be causing them to jump onto counters.
Johnson-Bennett said: "To occupy the true cat's solo time, set up out things such as food-dispensing toys, or set up an exterior bird feeder for your kitty'south viewing pleasure. Information technology may be fourth dimension to tweak the environmental enrichment in the habitation for your cat."
Make the Counter Less Attractive
The counter height can be made undesirable to the cat by using "environmental aversives" to deter them from jumping onto the surface.
For example, placing some baking sheets at the edge of the counter may cause them to topple over as they leap onto the counter and cause them to jump dorsum onto the floor. "Your cat shouldn't be harmed past this feel, but she'll be unlikely to risk jumping on the counter once more," says the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
Placing double-sided record, aluminum foil or chimera wrap on the counter tin also create an unpleasant texture on the surface that may deter cats from climbing onto it.
The Humane Society of Huron Valley explains: "The main advantage to using an environmental aversive is that it happens whether you're present or not." Your cat will learn it's never safe to become on counters, rather than learning it's safe when you're non there and waiting until you're not effectually to become on the counter.
"Since you won't always be there when the aversive works, she won't associate the incident with you. You don't want her to determine that you're the scary thing," the shelter explains.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/how-keep-cats-off-counters-tips-advice-1634309
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