Our cat ruined our previous kitchen table. She has a habit of peeing on the table when we are not at home. Cat pee+wood*time = bad news. I think the root of the issue has to do with the fact that we hand raised her after she was abandoned as a newborn and didn’t get the proper training from a mama cat, but anyway…
We now have a new kitchen table, but need some way to protect it from ruin. I considered a piece of glass to go on top, but the size (roughly 3’x5’) means that a sheet of glass would cost about $150. The table wasn’t much more than that through Overstock.com.
The cover needs to be impervious to cat pee and clear, so that the table top is visible. Would plexiglass be too easily sctratched? I guess I could schellac it, but that may look wierd.
What other suggestions do you have? Offing the cat seems to be out of the question
one way to train a cat to not jump on counters and kitchen tables is to place cookie sheets over hanging the edge, then the cat will dump it in jumping or walking and dislike that high location.
I’ve also heard of cookie sheets, but filled with water. The cats don’t like to step in water.
My friends have a contraption that is a motion detector that makes a loud noise when something breaks a specified plane. It’s specifically to keep cats off counters. They offered to let me use it for my dogs, because it was effective the first time with their cats.
If you can’t train it somehow, and offing the cat is out of the question…
Would it be too much of an inconvenience to only cover it when you go out? Get one of those cheap, flannel backed vinyl tablecloths (and some c-clamps if you think the cat will try to dig under it). You could just rinse that with soapy water when you got home, and replace it as necessary. It might be a chore to clear the table every time you go out, but you’re probably accustomed to doing that to clean it when you get home.
I have a clear tablecloth on my table. It’s basically a clear shower curtain type thing which is a little bigger than the table.
It’s supposed to go OVER your tablecloth but that seems really tacky to me.
I don’t leave it there, or I put a real tablecloth on top of it so it’s not visible, when we have company.
Obviously not as nice or permanent as glass, but waterproof.
Cheapest solution: Go to the dollar store and purchase a clear vinyl shower curtain liner. If you have some sewing skills, cut the liner to a circle the size of your table plus 6-8". Sew a channel on the edge and run a piece of elastic the size of the circumference of the table plus 2". Run the elastic through the channel to make a giant shower cap for your table. If you don’t have the skills, tape the liner to the underside of the table as best you can.
Also at the dollar store, purchase a couple of rolls of cheap, thin aluminum foil. Leave your table covered in crinkled sheets of aluminum as much as possible. You might need to put down double sided tape so she doesn’t swipe it off.
If you have a local humane society or other shelter, call and ask them for ideas. They’d rather help you improve your cat’s behavior than have a new guest.
A variation on the avoidance training I’ve heard (but never tried) is to extend the edges of the table with cardboard. Place something like a soda can or washed tuna can filled with change on the part of the cardboard that’s on the table, right over the edge of the table underneath.
Cat tries to jump up, the cardboard collapses, cat falls to the floor, and the coins make a terrific rattling noise. Problem solved? I hope so.
We have tried all manner of “training” - water spray, noises, tape, etc. - all with zero results. I really believe the root of the issue is that the cat has no clue it’s a cat. I mean, she purposely knocks stuff off of high places just to hear it make noise. She’s weird.
So, training aside, the clear vinyl seems logical. It would have to be thick enough not to slide off, and I’m not sure how we’d get the wrinkles out, but it’s probably worth a try.
I bought a “training collar” for my cat to keep him from continuously jumping on the stove. It’s a two-piece system, with a sensor that I put on the stove, and a collar with some prongs. If the collar gets to close to the sensor, it delivers a shock.
Cat learned pretty fast to stay away from the stove, it worked so well that he doesn’t even have to wear the collar anymore.
Ooh, I like! I’ll see if I can sell this concept to the missus.
Except the dog, a 50 lb boxer, is a little afraid of the 4 lb cat. He’s also afraid of loud noises, sudden movements, large boxes, strangers, etc. Not much of a guard dog, but we love him.
Actually, I accidentally discovered something last night. I am breaking in a new cat and have to keep them separated while I’m at work until Liz has decided I haven’t brought home the anti-christ and Iz has decided that I haven’t rehomed her in Satan’s workshop. They’ve been clawing at the carpet under the doors so I went to Lowes yesterday and purchased a roll of carpet protector:
It says by the foot, but my store had precut lengths of 4’. Now, the key is the reverse side has little rubber spikes for adhering to the carpet. You’ve seen this stuff under office chairs on carpeted floors. Those little spikes are annoying, but not ultimately harmful. I’d purchase enough of this to cover the table and leave it turned spike side up. You’d have to remove it for using the table, but it would have the advantage of helping you keep your tabletops clear. You might need a couple of c clamps to keep it from sliding off. I wouldn’t get the spring loaded type; they could dent the wood. You want just enough pressure to keep the plastic from sliding off if Miss Thang gets creative and figures out how to clear the table. I’m quite sure she won’t like walking on that stuff. Mine hate it!
offing the cat is out of the question…