How do I keep my cat off the counter?

First, I’ll tell you what you shouldn’t do. Never yell, spank or punish your cat. All that punishment will accomplish is to make the cat fear you. He’ll also learn that he can’t go on the counter as long as you’re home but he can do it when you’re not there to yell at him.

My best method for training a cat to stay off the counter involves placing a plastic carpet runner on the counter’s surface. Choose a carpet runner that has the pointy nubs on it and place it on the counter with the nubs facing up. You can cut the carpet runner into pieces to fit the configuration of your counter. double-faced masking tape and vinyl placemats. Place several strips of tape across the placemats and then lay the placemats along the counter. This form of "remote control training" works because the cat will soon realize that he doesn’t like the way the counter feels. After a few times of jumping up there and feeling the plastic nubs/sticky tape under his paws, he’ll decide to find a more comfortable place to perch. "Sticky Paws" is a product made specifically for training cats. It is a double faced tape available at pet supply stores.

Another option is to use the X-Mat. This plastic mat is based on the general same principle of the carpet runner with pointy nubs. See our Recommended Products page to order the X-Mat. For this to be effective, the placemats carpet runner or X-Mat must remain on the counter whenever you’re not using it. After a week or two you can begin removing one at a time remove them for short periods. The training works because the cat will still associate the uncomfortable feeling of the sticky tape with the counter long after the placemats are gone.
193 days ago

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