Hello, I’m Dr. Lauren! Learn my introduction to be taught extra about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller.
Do you could have a Kelly Slater at residence? A feline Kelly Slater?
Cats on counters. It’s such a typical incidence within the feline world that it’s even garnered its personal time period: counter browsing. And it’s apparently so interesting, that even some canines are becoming a member of in on the enjoyable…
If you happen to personal a cat, counter-surfing is commonly all too widespread. Cats, in spite of everything, are nonetheless thought of just lately domesticated, and retain lots of their pure instincts. These instincts embrace retreating to completely different heights for sleeping and enjoying, which may present a way of safety, whereas additionally permitting a greater vantage level, and rising lively behaviors.
Research on choice for scratching posts present that cats choose vertical posts to horizontal scratch pads.1 And present tendencies in environmental enrichment promote vertical areas, as they successfully improve a cat’s territory, particularly inside restricted areas, reminiscent of for pet cats which might be housed predominantly indoors.2 This will embrace elevated beds, cabinets, ropes, cat bushes, and climbing poles.
However, such feline habits isn’t essentially congruent with our fashionable life, relating to co-existing. As an example, neither of my cats is allowed on the kitchen counters or kitchen desk, which emanates from early coaching once they have been kittens. (It actually took me per week and loads of coaxing to get a photograph of Tiller on the desk particularly for this article- probably why she seems to be so irritated!) So, what’s the deal on why it’s not advisable, and the place is the joyful medium?
Counter Browsing: Why Not?
I’m personally a robust believer that (1) cats shall be cats and you’ll’t change their inherent nature; (2) regardless, cats shouldn’t put their toes wherever I don’t put mine; (3) cats undoubtedly shouldn’t put their butt the place I wouldn’t put my toes (e.g. my breakfast toast).
It might sound pedantic, however as a lot as I like cats, I don’t need ANYONE’s butt on my breakfast toast. And, there are zoonotic dangers. Zoonoses are illnesses that folks can catch from animals, simply as reverse zoonoses are illnesses that animals can catch from folks.
For people, parasitic illnesses reminiscent of tapeworms, cryptosporidium, and salmonella are all potential issues from issues tracked onto the counter from well-intentioned cats. True, counter browsing will not be a widely known type of zoonotic transmission. However the dangers don’t finish there.
Cats, themselves, are prone to risks on counter tops. Scorching stoves, that curious cats step on, can result in extreme paw pad burns, with subsequent ulcerations and important ache. I see it a minimum of a couple of instances a 12 months, when working in clinics. Cats bounce onto a range, burn two or 4 toes, and are in ache for a couple of weeks, afterwards, requiring therapy. Equally candles on counters usually entice heat-seeking felines, and result in melted whiskers, hair, and even burns. If it’s a cooking floor, sharp gadgets like knives and breakables like glasses will also be unsafe for curious kitties.
Different Methods for Cats to Dangle Ten
So how do you retain a cat off a counter? Or cease them from Kelly Slater-ing?
Tricks to preserve cats off the counter:
- Begin younger! Don’t wait till your cat is an grownup to implement cat-free areas, and provides them various locations to interchange what they search. Kittens are most pliable for studying boundaries and good (and dangerous!) habits, particularly earlier than 1 12 months of age
- Train your cat the “No” command and be in step with it
- Add vertical areas to your home: cat cabinets, cat bushes, cardboard towers
- Noise aversion strategies DON’T work on cats (e.g. clapping, key shaking, cash in a tin can)
- Squirting water can also be a behavioral no-no!
- I’ve personally discovered smells to be deterrent: spicy gadgets wafted below the nostril of a wayward cat (e.g. chilli flakes, or Frank’s Pink Scorching) instantly after they bounce up may also help implement a no-go zone
- Substrates (reminiscent of tinfoil or double-sided tape) also can deter some cats from stepping onto locations they aren’t welcome
- Give them their very own devoted outside viewing area to complement their atmosphere: a window suction mattress, chair by a window, and so on. Many counter surfers are merely desirous about a greater vantage point- not a lot the counter itself!
- Including vertical cabinets or cat bushes for lively play and leaping behaviors, to interchange leaping onto a desk or countertop
- Don’t go away tasty meals gadgets out on the counter, which may encourage curious cats to analyze
So, it’s completely potential to hang around along with your cat, whereas offering them with alternate options to “hanging ten”. Tiller and Pancake live proof! Though these toe beans are lovely, they belong wherever however the desk or countertop!
