Is it ok that my cat likes to lay on kitchen table?

Question

OK, I am neat freak but my one cat loves to lay on the kitchen table I don't have problem with it. When I eat i just wipe the table doing no big deal, but my boyfriend is moving in and he thinks that should be a big no no. Please all let me know what u think.

Answer 1

Your boyfriend is in for a long, and inevitably unsuccessful, battle.



My husband goes NUTS about our cats jumping on counter tops and tables, but they do it anyway because cats inherently prefer higher places to lay. You can make the table less appealing by investing in a cat tower, but the downside of that is you'd have to find one aesthetically pleasing enough to be in the living/dining room areas... cats don't want to lay in secluded back rooms where no action is.



There are also little shock pads you can buy, but personally I'd never trust anything to "emit a mild electrical shock" on my kitty. Some people swear by aluminum foil because cats don't care to walk on it.



I would try to explain to your boyfriend that when you wipe the table and counters down with disinfectant before use, it's a non-issue. If you get out of the habit of wiping it down because kitty "learns" not to go on there, it'll backfire because they'll only do it while you're gone.

Answer 2

It's a matter of personal choice. As far as zoonotic (can be given to humans) diseases, your main concerns there would be things like roundworms, which would really only be an issue if your cat has roundworms (you wouldn't necessarily see them in the stool, only a fecal test and the vet's would tell you for sure), stepped in its stool on the litterbox, walked on the table, and the microscopic eggs ended up in your food. A longshot, but not impossible. There are other diseases out there that can happen, but most of them are pretty uncommon, so it's mostly a matter of whether it bothers you personally. That aside... it's your house and your cat, your boyfriend knows what he's getting into. If it's going to bother him that much, he should know up front if it's something you're willing to change, and if you're not, he'll have to either accept it or rethink his moving plans.

Answer 3

I don't like it when my cats get on my kitchen table and I always make them get off when I catch them up there, but I'm sure they do it alot when I'm not watching. You know cats, they do what they want. I just wipe the table before we eat.

Answer 4

Hygiene wise that is really gross. What happens if your eating and you missed a piece of cat hair on the table. ugh. My neighbor next door lets her cats go on the counters and one time there was cat hair in the cookies she made us for Christmas. Start scolding your cat now so they cant get away with it. If i went over to someons house and saw their cat crawling around on kitchen table or counters i would be disgusted. take your cat off the table and firmly say no. if your cat thinks he can get away with this it may try going other places you dont want it to go.

Answer 5

Wipe the table before eating. Flea larvae are not something to think about during dinner.

Answer 6

We use a spray bottle to keep the cat off the table. It works well, especially if you spray in her face. She was getting up there all the time until we started doing that. Now she rarely does it... only when overly tempted by the smell of tuna or something. :) It is kind of gross to think of them scratching around in their litter/dirt and then walking on your table...

Answer 7

Sure, as long as you don't mind and you wipe off the table before you eat.

Answer 8

Lol.Well I say your boyfriend will get over it.My cat use to lay on my table all the time.We just wiped it off before we ate.

Answer 9

Think of it this way. The cat walks in the litter box, then walks on your table. You walk outside and bring in "whatever" on the bottom of your shoes. The cat walks on your floor and then on your table. Transferring the "whatever" to your table.

Bottom line, it's not healthy to let animals walk on your eating area.

Answer 10

That depends on how you wipe the table. If you don't disinfect it then the cat shouldn't be allowed up there.

Answer 11

Who cares, if it doesn't bother you, then let it do what it wants but if you don't want to be eating cat fur lol then keep it off

Answer 12

ok if you have to ask someone else besides yourself this question then why do you own anything? You own the cat right? its your house right? its your table right? tell your b/f to go @@@@ himself

Answer 13

hell no, do you want fur on ur food?