tree in the kitchen?

nwc

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I don't mind wiping my counters done before I prepare food, but my studio is so small that I don't really have kitchen counters. Just the stove and the sink. Obviously, I don't want the cat jumping on either of those places. I've tried cat tape, but it doesn't work for my cat. Since there's never any food up there, I'm wondering if he just needs a high place for the kitchen (he already has one for the main area, next to my desk, three shelf hops to the window perch.)

If any of you have tried a cat tree in the kitchen, did this have any effect on your cat's counter surfing habits?
 

kittenmittens84

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Not specifically a cat tree, but I have a high wall behind my sink (about 5 feet) that separates the kitchen from the front door. My cat gets up there sometimes and is also absolutely relentless with his counter surfing despite all our best efforts. Eventually I decided to just let him sit on the high wall and honestly it’s helped a lot. They want to be up high and they want to be near you (unless it’s a food thing), and having another high up place that’s close by but not the counter seems to satisfy both of those needs for my cat. When I wash the dishes he just hangs out up there.
 

FeebysOwner

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If you have space in the kitchen for a cat tree, then I think it is a good idea to try one and see if it helps. Depending on the wall space you have in the kitchen, you could put some shelving up for him to get onto instead of a cat tree. Or, a shelf underneath a window for him to sit on and look out? It all depends on how your kitchen is set up as to what might work best.
 

basscat

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No tree, but we have a refrigerator. He gets up there via the cabinets countertop. (I'm just no help huh) :lol:
 

di and bob

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My Chrissy also hung out on top of the fridge. She was so fast with her leap to the counter and then the fridge I guess she didn't think it counted as being on the counter, I guess neither did I!
 
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amethyst

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I have a cat tree in the kitchen/dining room (it's one big room) and it does help, but doesn't completely eliminate them being on the counter. I blame myself and husband for the cats still going on the counter though, we have a bad habit of leaving dirty dishes on the counter so the cats have a reason to want to go on the counter. They also go on top of the cabinets around the kitchen area, as well as the fridge and dry storage cabinet, they like to be up high to survey their territory and supervise the slaves... err humans. ;) :lol:
 

WillowMarie

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In my tiny house, my cat tree is kept right next to the refrigerator and ladder to get into the loft. Katrina loves to sit on top of the refrigerator and watch me when I do stuff in the kitchen. Neither of my new kittens try to get onto the counter, although it was pretty messy until a couple weeks. But now that it is accessible to them, they still don't try to jump. In the past, I did deter them whenever it looked like they wanted to jump onto the counter from the refrigerator when I'm in the kitchen by putting my hand in front of their face and making them back up, telling them no, and making my "no" noise. Although, I think they are really well-behaved for kittens, haha.
 
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nwc

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Interesting ideas. He usually does go on top of the fridge anyway. Maybe I should just let him hang out there.
 

1 bruce 1

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Interesting ideas. He usually does go on top of the fridge anyway. Maybe I should just let him hang out there.
If he likes it, maybe make it inviting with a bed to encourage him to lay there, and not on the other places in the kitchen, and he may break the habit himself for his "own" spot :wave3:
 

daftcat75

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Interesting ideas. He usually does go on top of the fridge anyway. Maybe I should just let him hang out there.
Can you put a tree or cat safe shelving near the fridge? It sounds like your guy wants the tallest perch in the place. You could cut out the counter surfing by providing him a shortcut to his power position.

My 15 year old cat with arthritis will still make her way to the highest spot in a hotel room. I frustrate that impulse at home with my own dang clutter.
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I encourage her counter surfing at home though. For starters, it helps me gauge her appetite and overall mood. (Those Tetris pieces help her climb up to the counter rather than asking her to jump it one go.)
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But mostly her meal prep supervision (my furry foreman!) is some of my favorite time with her.
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Because she’s welcome to supervise her own meals, she shows little interest in the opposite counter which has the stove and where I mostly prep and cook my own meals.
 
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