Kitchen counters and early mornings :(

[Apocrypha428]

Hey all,

I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions for my kitties.

First off, they love to be on the kitchen counter (yuck!). We have tried putting duct tape sticky side up to discourage them, but they just lick it off no problems. We never keep food on the counter anymore, but they drive us nuts always jumping on the counter, especially right after using the litter box.

Second, my kitten, Sam (8 months) doesn't seem to know how to let me sleep in the morning. We used to let them sleep with us, but starting at 5am, he and Kira (3 years) begin playing tag- on top of the bed. So we've been shutting the door at night. Unfortunately, this has led to a bad habit of Sam kneading and scratching the carpet, and banging against the door. I am completely unable to sleep with noise! I don't want to reward the behavior, so I ignore it until he takes a break, then I go out and lock him in our bathroom. We live in a rented apartment and really don't want have to pay to replace the carpet that he is slowly destroying. I think he gets anxious because he is extremely bonded to me, and he is a total food lover (he thinks that I will feed him the second I get up). This is getting old really fast, and I am tired of not getting any sleep! Suggestions? (I already put a scratching post by the door, but he continues to scratch on the carpet.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[grrawritsjordi]

For the counters, I would try a spray bottle. My kits are allowed basically anywhere EXCEPT for my boyfriend's computer desk because of his expensive computer and Lego models. Of course, the only place they want to be is the desk. Spray bottles work extremely well. Just make sure to put it on spritz and not stream. I feel like stream is mean. Haha. It will come to a point where all you will have to do is hold the spray bottle or squirt it in their direction and they will jump down.

In regard to the sleeping situation, I am having the exact same problem. If they sleep with us they are up jumping around on the bed or on the floor or up on the forbidden computer desk. If I lock them out, Moosey cries at the door and scratches and bangs up against it. I work 40hrs a week and LOVE my sleep, so I am at a loss as to what to do as well. I basically just get up and feed them, but after I leave my boyfriend is left with the crazy kitties jumping all over him. If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate them as well!

[AaronR1074]

Pippin seems pretty well behaved. He has every opportunity to jump on my counter while I'm cooking but he doesnt. He does like to hang around my feet and wait for scraps to fall on the floor for him though.

As far as roudy bed-ness goes, I just have one cat, and he sleeps with me at his leasure. Sometimes he'll run up and down stairs and howl but I think that's how he plays in the AM. Remember that cats are nocturnal.. they sleep all day, take occasional naps with you at night and go crazy in the AM. Sometimes He'll jump on my bed and lick my arm or and rub up on me for attention or breakfast or both.. and I'll just roll over and ignore him. He'll just pretend to sleep next to me for 1hr until I wake up. Which I don't mind at all I like to be up by 7:30 anyways.. and something almost always had me up at 6 before the cat got there.. so I'm used to the AM hours. Sometimes I'll get up at 6:30 or 7, give him his breakfast and let him wander into the living room where he hangs out with me for a bit before work.

One thing is.. it helps to feed the cat some dry before bed. It also helps to be up a bit earlier because they DO crave attion from you, especialy if you have a day job and sleep all night. I'm not sure what your sleep schedule is, but a slight adjustment might be in order for you. Instead of crashing at midnight, consider crashing at 10:30 - 11 that way you are pretty much guaranteed at least 7 hrs of sleep a night before the cat goes nutty on you in the morning.

[catloverami]

For a restful sleep have your kitties set up in another room as far from the bedroom as possible for the night with their litter box and water. Make it their routine that they receive their evening meal in that room before you go to bed. Cats like a routine so do this every night the same.

For the kitchen counter you could get some Ssscat Automatic Cat Deterrent which hisses detects motion, and has the advantage that it works when you're not around.

Ssscat Automated Cat Repellent: Amazon.ca: Home & Garden

Ssscat Automated Cat Repellent: Amazon.ca: Home & Garden

Another alternative is to just wipe down all the counters with Lysol wipes before any food preparation.

[Apocrypha428]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! We are currently using the water bottle method, and they do take off when they even hear us pick it up :p Poor kitties! Just wish they would stay down in the first place. We feed them right before we head to bed (usually 10:30/11), and usually when I get up in the morning. Guess it is still too long of a time span for them. It will help when my college classes start back up since I have a 7:40 class three days a week :p I like the idea of the cat repellent- I'll have to look into it further Unfortunately, we live in a one bedroom apartment with the only other door (bathroom) right next to the bedroom- can't really distance ourselves. :/ Thank you once again for all of the suggestions!

[rightsaidfed]

I solved the counter problem with a container of Lysol wipes.

Mine doesn't seem too concerned with counters but I have no idea what he does when I'm not around. I have come out of my bedroom before and found him on the kitchen table or counter with that "I'm caught" look.

I shoo him away when I catch him. I put away food and breakables. I wipe down the counters before cooking and eating.


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[rdswan14]

Originally Posted by rightsaidfed

I solved the counter problem with a container of Lysol wipes.

I do the same. I have one counter where Petey sits, so we compromise. He can sit there but not on the others. It works (so far) and he isn't near me when I am cooking.

[MowMow]

I've given up. It's less stressful for everyone involved if I just deal with the fact that they get on the counter.

I wipe it down before I do anything on it and I "Psst" at them when I'm working there so they know to stay off (unless I walk away, then it's fair game) until I'm done.

[Marcia]

I've trained mine pretty well to keep off the counters by using a spray bottle with a stream setting. It shoots a good 6 -7 feet and for the most part they don't seem to associate it with me

[Marcia]

I've also used a firm NO! coupled with a snap of my fingers and pointing downward at the same time. Since I never yell, the sharp word NO! gets the point across.