# Do you allow your cat on the counters?



## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

I used to not allow my cat on the counters but with my newest cat he has been more difficult to train so I've given up. I'm just wondering how many people allow their cats on the counters.


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## kana (Apr 23, 2004)

I'm glad the bathroom counter was an option. My cat isn't allowed on the kitchen counter, but he drinks out of the faucet in the bathroom.


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

Yes, at first it was just the bathroom counters and then a couple days ago it has moved to the counters in the kitchen.. :lol: He likes to watch me open up his canned food. Daddy of course does not like this and tells him to get off...so he would disagree with this poll of mine!!

Edit: At least with my answer... :lol: :lol:


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## lolakitty23 (Aug 17, 2004)

At first, Jim and I were very strict about keeping Skeeter off of the counters in the kitchen, but we realized he probably get's lonely down there on the floor and just wants to be up higher where all of the action is.  Unfortunately, sometimes he jumps up when I'm chopping veggies or something and gets scolded. One time he jumped onto the stove when it was off, but it still scared me quite a bit. "What if..."?? You know? He hasn't done that since he got the drenching of his life from the squirt bottle, though. 
And we technically don't have counters in the bathroom (old house), but he climbs all over the toilet, sink, and tub. He also hangs out on the towel rack we have and has made a little napping place on top of it.


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## Ioana (Jul 12, 2003)

I don't allow them - Frosty is the only one who is the most daring and naughty. Sometimes he is sitting so cute that I can't tell him to get off however  
Therefore although I don't allow them/him it is not a big deal when it happens. I say NO and give him treats or practice some of the games that he likes inviting him on the floor


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## Misty (Nov 14, 2003)

I have to admit I've kind of given up  I had tried and tried to stop Cleveland getting onto the counters but I came home several days to find him fast asleep on one. I'm sure the minute I walked out he was running along them shouting nah nah nah nah nah and sticking his tongue out. We made him his own perch as we call it and he quite happily sits there while I cook, away from food and cooker.


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## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

kana said:


> I'm glad the bathroom counter was an option. My cat isn't allowed on the kitchen counter, but he drinks out of the faucet in the bathroom.


Ditto!


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## CyberPet (May 12, 2004)

Allowing them and them doing it anyway is two different things.


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## ospunkyo (Sep 3, 2003)

Pfeffa doesn't have the ability to jump up to counters - so no problem there.

Hobochangba, oddly, hasn't ever (that I've seen) jumped up on the kitchen counters. He does get on the bathroom sink, which we allow, but there isn't a counter, and there's not a whole lot of room to stand or sit, and since he's not very graceful he often winds up on the floor by his own missteps.


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## Katsprat (Mar 18, 2004)

seeing as how I cook maybe once a month, I couldn't care less. On those rare occasions I do venture into the kitchen, I just tell them to get down and they are pretty good at listening.

And yes, if the pizza place or the chinese place doesn't hear from me after more than a week or so, they have been known to call me to make sure I'm ok.  Pitiful I know. 

katsprat


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## queen of the nile (Aug 16, 2003)

I wouldn't care about them on the kitchen counters except I want to prevent them from accidently stepping on the stove. Actually, the kitchen counter is the *only* place they aren't allowed (except for on top of the gerbil tanks :roll: ). They have claimed the kitchen table as their domain.


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## jonsgirl (Nov 7, 2003)

CyberPet said:


> Allowing them and them doing it anyway is two different things.


Ha Ha I was about to post something to that effect. 

Stix is the only one who dares to jump on the kitchen counter while I am home. He has done it a few times while I was using the counter, but since I have started spashing him with water from the sink, he mostly sneaks up there when Im in another room. Kota has only been caught once and got sprayed with a water bottle by her daddy.

Edit: I dont care if they get on the bathroom counter. Unless I am brushing my teeth or something, they can sit there all they want.


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## GrammaSue (Sep 3, 2004)

*counters*

When there was just one cat, I was very adamant about him staying off the counters.Then we adopted a Maine **** female and there was NO way we could keep her off, so I just started to let her enjoy the view from the window in the kitchen...which she does by hopping up on the counter. Then came cat number three last month...the first cat, a male, was having a hard time dealing with another cat coming into the family also the puppy who arrived at the same time. So to make cat #1 feel special, I allowed him to enjoy the kitchen window and the counters as much as he wants to. Heck all I have to do when I cook, is to take Clorox wipes to it! Havent gotten sick yet! My cats are strictly indoor only cats, so I dont worry about germs.


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

Well I have this pet peeve of hubby making sandwiches on the counter without a papertowel or plate..this is one way of making him stop! :twisted: Also I never worry about a hot stove because it's more difficult for him to get over there and I leave the pan on the stove to cool down so that seems to take care of that. The only place I don't allow him is on the dining room table - that's a no-no. Darn if he'll listen to me though. This cat has a mind of his own. None of my other cats cared about getting on counters.


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## Padunk (Oct 20, 2003)

They generally aren't interested in the kitchen counters, which is good because Iwon't allow it anyway. They've learned that the kitchen table is a no-no.

I do let them on the bathroom counters because it's fun to watch them drink from the faucet. They manage to get soaked and then usually have a wrestling match over who gets to stick their head in the water.


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## 22Raiynee22 (Aug 13, 2004)

*.*

My kitty doesn't jump up on the counters either in the kitchen or bathroom, but if he did i would only let him on the bathroom counter cuz i kno my mom would have a cow if he was on the kitchen coutners lol


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## Turbokitty (Sep 6, 2004)

I used to try and keep Sylvester off the kitchen counter but after setting the video camera up right before going to work, I found that he jumps right up there after I leave. :lol: So, apparently, he's allowed on the bathroom and kitchen counters. :lol:


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## Luftballoons (Jul 27, 2004)

Mammers isn't terribly co-ordinated, and never has been. Unless he has some help to get up on the counter or a higher place he can jump from, he can't get up on the counter. So I moved the garbage pail from beside the counter to the other side of the wall.....so now that he can't go from floor-garbage-counter, he doesn't bother trying to get up there at all.

Bathroom counter/sink is fine.


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## kitkat (Sep 22, 2003)

My cats don't bother with both anymore since they were kittens but I won't let my cats on the kitchen counter if they were to go up there :wink:


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## zofia (Sep 23, 2004)

i don't think that there is a surface in my house where they haven't been


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

Madam doesn't do kitchen counters but anything else on the house wich's OK by me..but I guess if she'd dare to get on kc, as long as she wouldn't get on the stove or steal food I wouldn't mind either.


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## Lynda J (Sep 8, 2004)

I don't really want my cats on either counter. That said. My Tiggie sleeps in the bathroom sink. So of course he gets on the counter. The others will sneak on the kitchen but the minute I move they are down like a flash.


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## myfamilia (Aug 5, 2004)

So long as there is no danger, I allow my cat whatever he wants. He really never does anything that bothers me, and so it's all good.


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## MJColeNC (Sep 29, 2004)

We allow the cats on the bathroom counters because they like to sit by the closed bathroom window to look out. They also get on tthe kitchen counters to get by the closed window there. The only time I don't allow them on the kitchen counters, is when I'm cooking, and have food out next to the stove.


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## Javern (Sep 16, 2004)

my house is their house....er is it their house is my house 8O


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## TAsunder (Apr 6, 2004)

My mother does not let her cats on the counters, and I do. She expressed the worry that it's unhealthy or unsafe due to bacteria. Is this true? I don't clean the counters every day... so far I haven't died but you never know. Maybe the bacteria is slowly drafting people into its army and will stage a surprise attack.


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

TAsunder said:


> My mother does not let her cats on the counters, and I do. She expressed the worry that it's unhealthy or unsafe due to bacteria. Is this true? I don't clean the counters every day... so far I haven't died but you never know. Maybe the bacteria is slowly drafting people into its army and will stage a surprise attack.


Well who eats off the counters anyway and when you prepare your food don't you use a cutting board? And, if you eat off the counters, don't you use a plate or napkin? It was one way of making my husband use a papertowel or plate when preparing food (finally!)! :lol: Now he won't dare use the bare counter..like it was clean to begin with! Unless you're cleaning with bleach and a papertowel, sponges harbor sooo much bacteria you'd keel over if you knew. I use a bleach cleaner every couple of days but cats will be cats, some listen and some don't. Sure they may have dirty feet from being in the kitty litter but you let them climb on you as well. So what, life is to short. My mom's counters are too cluttered for the cat to get up onto. Maybe that's the secret... :wink:


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

Sorry, accidently posted twice.


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## DylansMummy (May 23, 2004)

would never let Dylan on the kitchen worktops mainly because of the bacteria (toxoplasmosis anyone??) but also because he'd help himself to food given half a chance, and because of the stove.

He does get onto a small bathroom worktop we have however nothing left on there goes in our mouths! It's mainly bottles of bubble bath etc... Toth brushes stay in cupboard...

I'd say the risk of bacteria is real, and although you may clean your worktops everyday, it only takes that one time for you to eat something thats dropped onto worktop after your cat's been walking on it... 

Is not encouraging everyone to be obsessive compulsive cleaners here :lol: Just have a think about it....

Hayley


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## Doeremi (Aug 21, 2004)

DylansMummy said:


> it only takes that one time for you to eat something thats dropped onto worktop after your cat's been walking on it...
> 
> Is not encouraging everyone to be obsessive compulsive cleaners here :lol: Just have a think about it....
> 
> Hayley


Believe it or not, I throw it away if it touches the counter :lol: - even before my cats used the counters. I just have a thing about counters & grout (our house is old and the tile/grout is icky). If I can wash the food off I will. Same with the microwave, if it touched the plate, I'm tossing it, ick! 

I never leave food on the counters either that only encourages the cats to eat everything in site and I always wash the food down the disposal so they don't eat any food in the sink. I don't like them to wander around on the counters but if they watch me make their food that's fine or like to get a better view out the back. There are certain places that are preferred over others (ie not the stove area, that's off limits).


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## spacemonkey (Aug 12, 2004)

Nope, cats are never allowed the counters. Ever. And we've never had a real problem with them trying, either, so it works. 

And we wash the counters _at least_ once a day, with Windex and paper towels.


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## Jessicat (Jul 21, 2004)

Yeah I suprisingly do,but if they mess around I make them get down.


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