How to keep cats off kitchen counters

Cats jump on counters because it's high, warm and smells of food. Take away the comfort, give them a better high place, and the habit fades.

Why counters

Height means safety for a cat, and the counter is where food appears. Shouting works only while you're in the room; a scat mat works when you're not.

Lay the mats right

• Cover the whole surface the cat lands on, not one strip.
• Use clear mats on light counters so they don't bother you.
• Stickers underneath stop mats sliding on glossy stone.
• Keep them down for at least two weeks.

Offer something better

Put a cat tree or a shelf near a window in the same room. Cats that have a legal high spot give up the illegal one faster.

Take them away slowly

Remove one mat every few days. If the cat returns, put them back for another week.