How to Keep Cats from Jumping on Counters

Cats and Counters – Keep off!

Whether you’re a new cat owner or a cat-owning veteran, keeping your cats from jumping on counters is a huge challenge. It’s in a cat’s nature to be up high, to play, and to treat your house as a jungle gym. However, we don’t always want our cats jumping up on our furniture, especially counters and tables where we eat or keep food. If you’re wondering how to keep cats from jumping on counters, look no further! The Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill has a few tips and tricks to prevent your cats from having free range of counters, tables, and other places you don’t want them jumping.

Tips and Tricks on How to Keep Cats from Jumping on Counters

Your cat may think they own the place, but that doesn’t mean you can’t set some boundaries on places they’re allowed to go. Here are a few ways on how to keep cats from jumping on counters:

1. First, give your cat another outlet for their desire to climb and be up high. Cats love cat trees! If you provide a cat tree or other high-up place (such as a designated shelf), your cat may become so fond of it that they don’t bother with your counters. Make the cat tree comfortable and attractive – leave a soft bed, toys, and treats there for your cat to find.
2. As a backup or if your cat doesn’t take to a cat tree right away, try making your counter an unattractive place for your kitty. Remove food, small objects, and anything else that may be attracting your cat’s curiosity.
3. You can also try putting (mildly) sticky tape up on your counter. When they try to jump up, they won’t like the feeling of the tape on their paws and eventually your cat likely won’t want to jump up anymore.
4. Another product cats don’t like the feeling or sound of is aluminum foil. If sticky tape doesn’t work, try tin foil.
5. When your cat jumps on a place that you deem acceptable, it’s important to let your cat know they’re doing a great job so they can tell the difference between good places to jump and bad. Treats, pets, and positive tone-inflection in your voice will help your cat learn what places are good for jumping.

Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill and Your Kitty

If you’re still having behavioral issues with your kitty, it might help to talk to a vet. They can offer ideas or refer you to a cat trainer who can help. For more information on how to keep cats from jumping on counters, or to schedule an appointment with us, call the Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill at 856-662-2662.