At Wits' End

The adored cat, about whom sweet verses have been penned, can also be a darn nuisance. He insists on patrolling our kitchen countertops, a big and decisive NO-NO. We have chased him, sprayed him with water, locked him up in a time-out room, shouted at him, clapped our hands at him, and sometimes managed to slap him as he runs away. It doesn't deter him in the least. As SOON as we sit down to eat, knowing we don't have the ability to see into the kitchen, he's up there, even though we clear food and cutting boards away before we sit at the dining table. Now, every mealtime, we lock him away in the sunroom while we eat because he just won't comply.

We have tried leaving packaging tape, sticky side up, on the counters when we're not using them, but it's difficult to remember they're there, making it a difficult environment to work in. If I take it away to work with food, I often forget to put it back. It seems effective for a while, but inevitably he gets back up to explore, sometimes blatantly while I'm standing there stirring a cup of coffee!

I recently tried frightening him off with balloons along the countertops, and though he cried initially, he overcame his fear and jumped up despite the waving balloons.

I'm now trying foil strips along the counter top edges - such a bind. It's awkward having these obstructions there, but so far, I don't think he's trespassed in the 2 days this has been my kitchen set-up. He sits at the base of my kitchen cabinets and cries, complaining that we're thwarting his fun escapades!

Update to this method: he's not at all deterred and has been caught patrolling and exploring my counters despite the aluminum foil. What now? A combination of all 3?

I've thought of tying him up with a bow and leaving the poor darling on the curb with a "FREE" sign around his neck (and an Amazon gift card thrown in for good measure). Or maybe I'll send him off across the ocean to an island far away 😀!

Incomprehensibly, though, I love him to bits! 💓