10 Ways to Keep Your Cats off Counters and Tables for Good

Picture the scene: You’re having friends over and enjoying nibbles on your new modern kitchen island. Your beloved cat appears, shaking off the last piece of kitty litter from their paws and precedes to jump onto the island and nonchalantly grab food off someone's plate.

Embarrassing, right? In all seriousness, kitty counter-surfing is pretty unhygienic, and your pet risks eating something harmful, having a run-in with sharp knives, or burning their paws on a hot stove. Follow these tips to learn how to keep cats off your counters.

1. Work Out the Why

If you can figure out why they want to keep leaping up, it’ll make it easier to put strategies in place to stop your cat jumping on counters.

• Food: Is your cat ruled by their stomach?

• Escape route: Are they trying to get away from another pesky pet, noisy vacuum, or teasing toddler?

• Viewing platform: Does the counter give them the perfect bird-watching view out the kitchen window?

• Sun spot: A bright kitchen window can let in lots of natural light (and make a great place for a catnap)!

2. Clean Your Countertops

Leaving tasty morsels treats around on the counter is asking for trouble—of course, your cat’s going to want to keep coming back if they’re rewarded with something yummy. Clearing up the crumbs makes your counters less tempting for cats, and it helps prevent them from eating something toxic.

3. Use Countertop Deterrents

Making your worktops unappealing (without using scare tactics) is one of the best ways to keep cats off counters. It's best to use these quick-fix tips alongside other management strategies. Otherwise, when you remove the deterrents, you might find your cat hops straight back up.

Why not give these a whirl—you’ve probably already got a lot of the tools in your kitchen:

• Double-sided sticky tape: Run this around the counter edges. Your cat won’t like the tacky sensation on their paw.

• Aluminum foil: Cats usually detest the noise and texture of this household staple. It’s just not a very attractive look, having this covering your work surfaces.

• Cookie sheets: Placing these along the counters creates a noisy, moving surface that many cats aren’t keen to tread on.

• Sandpaper: Another texture cats aren’t fans of, so you could alternate strips of this with double-sided sticky tape.

4. Offer Other Places to Perch

By making your home more comfortable for your cat and giving them other places to climb, explore, hide, and hang around up high, your counters may be less attractive. Cat-friendly window perches, trees, boxes, and shelves make safer and more appropriate spots. Cover them with yummy treats or catnip, and reward your cat every time they jump up to make them even more enticing.

5. Close the Curtains

If your cat loves sunbathing and your kitchen counter is in front of a bright window, it’s no wonder they want to get up there. Closing blinds or curtains encourages them to seek alternative sunny spots (like the new lounge window perch you’ve just set up).

6. Move Booster Chairs

Cats are excellent high-jump athletes, but some breeds or older kitties might need a boost to get onto your counters. If you’re lucky, moving any chairs that give them a helping hand might be a quick-fix solution.

7. Fix Leaky Faucets

For some cats, there’s nothing better than drinking cold, fresh water. If your faucet drips, this can be a magnet inviting your kitty to make the leap. Fix your leaky faucet and consider a cat drinking fountain instead.

8. Provide Alternative Enrichment

Distraction and alternative enrichment can work wonders to keep your cat off tables or counters. If your cat is up there looking for food or seeking attention and stimulation, why not try some treat-dispensing puzzle toys to keep them busy?

9. Steer Clear of Punishment

A shake or spray bottle might seem like an appealing quick fix to stop your cat from jumping on counters. The same goes for motion detectors that let out a spray of air anytime your cat hits the counter. However, experts, like the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, don’t recommend using training techniques on dogs or cats that rely on punishment or fear. 

You don’t want to stress your cat unnecessarily, and it can make them nervous around you, damaging your bond. Plus, if you have a clowder of cats, you might scare others in the group who aren’t near your counters.

10. Keep Your Cat Out of the Kitchen 

While you’re sorting out a strategy, if you’re having trouble keeping your cat off the counters, shut them out of the kitchen while preparing food. And before you cook, get the antibacterial cleaner out to wipe down the surfaces.