# Effective cat repellent?



## chellemich (Apr 5, 2011)

Can anyone recommend something that will displease my kittens? Misty loves to scratch my headboard and sofa and she and Sparky have both started jumping up onto my kitchen worktops. I've tried repellent spray from [email protected] and also sticky strips which Misty seems to love as she now licks and bites the headboard since I put them on! I wondered about vinegar or lemon juice but when testing them with it they licked them of my fingers! My old cat learnt pretty quickly that he wasn't allowed on worktops so it was never an issue but unfortunately these two rascals aren't so obedient! And ideas?


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## Guest (May 7, 2011)

To give up and keep your work tops clear and wipe them before you cook 

I tried and tried I put tin foil on, filled trays with water and to my shame tried a water spray but they just thought it a game, so I have given up and just wipe my sides down before I cook or prepare food and they know to keep off if I am actually doing food on them, as for the sofa and headboard I have several scratching posts about and a couple of the cardboard ones as Monty prefers these to upright scratchers, but keep their claws trimmed so they can't do so much damage and learn to live with it.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Do your kittens have lots of scratch posts,both vertical and horizontal.When you see them scratching places they shouldnt,take them to their scratchers and get them/show them what they should do.Meeko my Raggie didnt like the smell of Olbas oil,but it can be quite strong and may not be best suited to your headboard :tongue_smilie:.As for work tops I and most of the other cat slaves on the forum just use an anti bac spray,and wipe the surface before use.Its a lot less hassle than trying to stop them jumping up.To be honest I cant see the problem with them being there,they just want to see what your doing


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## chellemich (Apr 5, 2011)

Nooo! I can't give up and let them win! Well, not just yet anyway! Foil was the first thing I tried and I am using a water spray. I don't usually have to use it - they just see it and jump down but it doesn't stop them getting up there in the first place. 

They have a cat tree in 'their' room and I just bought a smaller one for the living room. Sparky scratched that straight away but Misty still prefers the sofa! She's definitely the naughtiest!


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## CandyApocalypse (Feb 8, 2011)

I would give up with the counter tops, they might obey while you are there, but when you aren't, they will probably sleep on the things. The more I tell a cat that they can't do something, the more it becomes the only thing in the world that they want to. For example, we shut Rose out of the spare room, she would scream and cry to go in there all the time. Finally, I gave in and left the door opened, I cannot remember the last time she went in there.  Like children, I pick my battles with the cats.

If it helps, cats are meant to not like citrus scents, but you mentioned yours likes lemon, so not sure about that.

With the scratching, I also had this problem. Every time I saw them scratching something they shouldn't, I would say no, pick them up and take them to their scratching post, even showing them how to scratch it (looper that I am). Eventually they got the idea. However, I will mention that not all cats like the same kind of scratching posts, I had an upright one for Dante which he hated, when I got a different one, he would use it. So, if you don't have a few, might be worth investing in something different to see if that helps.


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## goldleaf (Oct 13, 2010)

ive not tried it but have heard muscle spray is nasty to felines

muscle spray - Google Search


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## catsmum (Feb 4, 2011)

goldleaf said:


> ive not tried it but have heard muscle spray is nasty to felines
> 
> muscle spray - Google Search


i hope youre not serious, have you any idea how hot those muscle and joint pain-relieving sprays get, the cat would get very hot paws and would (i'd imagine) try to lick it off their paws, do you have any idea what that stuff would do to them if they ingested it?

i really wish people would think what theyre posting before they post it, some of the tips in here are just ridiculous, some are potentially very dangerous.


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