Keep pets out of open kitchen

[Anonymous]

We just moved with our cat and dog and need ideas to keep them out of the open kitchen area, counters, etc. What works?

[Anonymous]

baby gates or fences seem the obvious issues.
For the counters you can try putting mouse traps on the counter under a towel. It will scare the cat but not do it any harm.
Ive also heard cats dont like foil, so could try laying foil all over the counter for a few days too.

[Anonymous]

Well, the best solution is a closed door, but in a modern build with a more open floor plan, that isn't an option for you.. The electric "scat mat" things are pretty effective, but not super convenient. Baby gates might work for the dog, but the cat would just jump over or climb it if you use a super tall one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:baby gates or fences seem the obvious issues.
For the counters you can try putting mouse traps on the counter under a towel. It will scare the cat but not do it any harm.
Ive also heard cats dont like foil, so could try laying foil all over the counter for a few days too.

Cat will climb or jump any baby gate. Will work for dog tho.

[Anonymous]

How about a zoned interior electric "fence"

[Anonymous]

Long time cat owner here: There is nothing you can do. The cats are going to be on the counters. Make your peace with that.

My parents (despite efforts!) were never able to keep our cats off the counters when I was a kid. I always figured they didn't try hard enough. I adopted two kittens as an adult. No problem, I'll train them that they're not allowed on the counters right from the beginning.

I tried spray, foil, sticky stuff, loud noises, citrus smells, absolutely everything. Cats. Don't. Care.

Dogs and kids have a desire to please you. Yes, when you're in the thick of it, that might not be obvious (ha) but deep down, it is true. Cats. Don't. Care.

The absolute best you're going to do is that they may stay off when you're actively looking at the counters holding a spray bottle. So, yes, you can teach them cause and effect, and you can teach them that YOU don't want them up there. But as soon as you turn your back, they're going to do what they want. And when you aren't home, they will be on the counters.

Save yourself the trouble, and give up now. I would LOVE to hear from anyone who has successfully trained a cat to stay off a counter that was physically accessible to them. I expect crickets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about a zoned interior electric "fence"

Long time cat owner from above: This could potentially work if the electric fence kept them fully out of the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

I have an open kitchen, but there's only one way in. I have trained my dog to stay out of the kitchen. First, I put some blue tape down on the floor to represent the line he is not to cross. Anytime he crossed the line, I pointed and said, "Out of the kitchen". At first, he just looked at me, so I physically moved him across the blue line, and then said "yes," and gave him a treat. You have to do this every single time he crosses the blue tape. The first day felt like I did it a million times. By the 2nd day, he'd still cross the line, but if I pointed and said: out of the kitchen he'd do it. Then I would say "yes" and toss him a treat. By the 3rd day, he knew not to cross the line. At some point (maybe day 4 or 5, I can't remember for sure), when I was confident he had it down, I removed the blue tape. Also, I eventually started weaning down the treats I threw at him for not crossing the threshold. Now I'll still occasionally throw him a treat when he stops without entering, but it's just occasionally.

No idea what to do about the cat, good luck. lol

[Anonymous]

I have lived in an open plan house for 22 years and this is one of the reasons why it drives me crazy. We have been through three cats in those years, and I will not do it again. It is impossible so basically your house will constantly look crazy and cat-proofed with things like sheets over your living room couches, towels folded over top of each dining room chair, etc.

[Anonymous]

A dog can be trained. Our golden retriever was really good. Never counter surfed and never went into the kitchen, except when he thought we left. A few times when I had to go back to get something I would catch him going into the kitchen, he quickly left. DH set up a doggie cam and it was hilarious. We would leave, he would wait a few minutes, go to the kitchen entrance, look both ways like he was crossing the street and hustle in.

We never left food on the counters and we did not feed him scraps or from our plates.

[Anonymous]

I tend to agree with a poster's assessment that you can train kids and dogs, but perhaps not cats. I've never had cats, but observing other people's cats made me reach that conclusion. My dog pads into the kitchen full of hope whenever he hears an egg cracked open, because he loves eggs, or a packet of cheese being opened, because he loves cheese. But he never steals food, and never comes close to the counter or stove. He looks longingly at the scraps on the dining room table, because the kids in the past did feed him from there even though they weren't supposed to, but knows not to touch anything. However, anything that falls on the ground is fair game for inspection and eating.

[Anonymous]

Did your previous house have a door to the kitchen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:baby gates or fences seem the obvious issues.
For the counters you can try putting mouse traps on the counter under a towel. It will scare the cat but not do it any harm.
Ive also heard cats dont like foil, so could try laying foil all over the counter for a few days too.

I tried the foil on a friend's advice. Guess what - turns out my cats adore foil. One of their favorite things.

As another poster said, nothing will keep them off. If they're smart and they know you don't want them there, they won't go when you are around. But when you're not around they will do what they darn well please.

When I was a kid, my mom was obsessed with keeping the cats off the couches. Not sure why, but she was. And they knew it. They also knew the rest of us didn't care. I can't tell you how many times I would look over to the living room (from adjoining dining room where I did my homework) and see the cats lounging on the back of the couch. When they heard my mom's step on the stairs, they'd jump off and act innocent. If they heard anyone else, they didn't bother.

[Anonymous]

We have goldens—they are allowed in the kitchen but they never counter surf. One do once as a “teenager” and I made him sit in the corner and growled at him and he was so embarrassed he never did it again.

If you’re worried about hair I don’t think keeping them oit of the kitchen helps as the hvac tends to blow the hair into whatever corner anyway. You just need to vacuum it or swiffer it up. If it’s the eyes staring at you while you’re frying meat or grating cheese….thats a different problem and harder to train away! A lot of people train their dogs to go to a specific spot and just lie there while preparing or eating food — that’s a realistic goal.