If you come home to find your cat was once again counter-surfing and managed to get in your kitchen cabinets, it's time to stop her nosy and potentially dangerous behavior. Make the cabinets unappealing to your feline friend and provide plenty of acceptable activities to keep her out of trouble.
Step 1
Place child-proof locks on all the cabinets so your cat can't open them or get in them. Store cleaning products and other chemicals in the cabinets to keep them out of your cat's reach.
Step 2
Feed your pet companion several small meals per day, because she might just be going through the cabinets because she's hungry and looking for food. If your cat isn't overweight, permanently leave a bowl of food and water out for her. Remove visible food items or leftovers that might attract your pet companion to the area with the cabinets -- if there's no food in sight, it might keep your cat from going near the cabinets.
Step 3
Buy a tall cat tree for your curious feline, because she might just be jumping on counters and going through cabinets to satisfy her desire to be up high and overlook everything. Look for a cat tree with plenty of perches and resting areas.
Step 4
Blow a whistle or shake a can of coins when you catch your cat trying to get into a cabinet. Make sure you're out of your cat's sight when you make the noise, because she should think it's her action that's causing the startling sound, not you. Repeat this tactic each time you catch your nosy friend in the act and over time she might prefer to leave the cabinets alone.
Step 5
Place an upside-down carpet runner on the area that your cat stands on to get to the cabinets. Your cat dislikes the nubby surface and prefers not to stand on it. Alternatively, stick double-sided sticky tape on the area.
Step 6
Spray the cabinets with cat repellent. Your cat dislikes the smell or taste of the repellent and will stay away from it. Test the repellent on a small, inconspicuous area of the cabinet before applying it.
Step 7
Provide your pet companion with a variety of cat toys so she has plenty of entertainment and won't feel the need to get into the cabinets. Spend time with your cat, give her attention and play with her so she burns energy that she would otherwise use to get into the cabinets.
References
Warnings
- Never yell at your cat or hit her when you catch her trying to open a cabinet -- it's ineffective and your cat might start fearing you.
- Avoid using techniques that startle your cat if there is a chance that she might fall and hurt herself.
Writer Bio
Kimberly Caines is a well traveled model, writer and licensed physical fitness trainer who was first published in 1997. Her work has appeared in the Dutch newspaper "De Overschiese Krant" and on various websites. Caines holds a degree in journalism from Mercurius College in Holland and is writing her first novel.