Stealing food from counters

One of our cats (TJ, maine coon) is a food hog. He is a bit chubby (on a diet now) and eats a lot compared to the others. When we are cooking he jumps onto the counters and takes or licks whatever we have. For example, yesterday I left the butter open and he was eating that. Today he was trying to get my strawberry jam. And the other night he took chicken from a frying pan (that was turned on!). How do we break him of this? Obviously it's bad and annoying, but I'm more concerned for his safety. He just started doing this when we moved last week. There is A LOT more counter space. He loves sleeping in the sink, so I let him. But I don't want him taking food. He knows the word "off" but now he just jumps to another counter or the island or runs to the other side of the counter and hides in the sink (pretty big kitchen).

What are you feeding? It's possible he isn't getting what he needs through his food, so is always wanting something more. That is only on\e possibility of course, but diet is the first thing to consider

otto said:

What are you feeding? It's possible he isn't getting what he needs through his food, so is always wanting something more. That is only on\e possibility of course, but diet is the first thing to consider

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He is eating the Go Fit & Free Grain Free Chicken, Duck and Turkey. He gets various wet foods to go with that. 

If it were me I would forbid him from getting on the counter. It will probably take a while and you may never stop it totally. However, at this point it's his territory and he's treating it as such.

Hahaha! You just described my boy, to a T!

He was huge in his first year, almost 21lbs. He's 3 years old now. When I brought him for his 1st vet visit, my vet almost fell over. But she was great with her advice and I follower her, and also catinfo.org and he's down to a very healthy and lean 15lb, but still up to all his old food loving tricks.

First, food.
I feed wet canned diet only, 3 times a day. I count calories and also go low-grain. I also make every meal soupy, lots of water always helps. When he was fat, it was because I fed dry and left a bowl out all the time, thinking he needed a snack while I was at work - wrong!

His sister... Is perfectly normal. Dry food never had any effect on her weight, but she also lost weight when I switched to all canned. She doesn't care for human food, but I see her getting some bad habit too now.

Now... Cooking
My boy will watch me and my kitchen like a hawk. He will try to sneak food any chance he gets. Yes, hot food too! He will eat anything. His latest favorite is farmers cheese with jam. I tried water, tried yelling, nothing has worked to make him stay out. But something does work. He has a ledge in kitchen that's HIS, on window sill. I've positioned it in such a way that he can watch from there, but can't grab. I lucked out, and my kitchen is older and has a DOOR, I know, old style, so I can close it and cook In peace if needed, but I like his company actually.

Eating
I've pretty much made peace with a fact he will want a taste.. I don't mind it. I always make a meal in a way that there's is an unsalted/unseasoned piece of meat there for him too to snack on

my advice would be - banish him from sink, thats just crazy, even if you have 3 and it's a spare! Make a place just for him so he can watch you, sleep, relax, but can't touch.
Second, never feed in the kitchen when you cook, and make a fuss when he does try to steal.
Third, allow him some snacks when you eat, why keep him away from what he loves.

This should help