The current poll on the main site

[CatHouse]

Hi.

I just thought I'd mention that the new pet poll---Do you have a problem keeping pets off countertops?---is difficult to answer.

I have four cats. Two think they have to be involved with everything I do, from typing this message to making dinner to putting laundry into the washer. They are almost always on a countertop. One cat will get up there now and then, but only if there's something really interesting going on, or if she feels she must be petted NOW. The fourth cat gets up there about once a year, but usually can't be bothered to do something so childish, and would prefer to lie in her sunny spot.

And the other complication is that my HUSBAND would prefer that the cats not be up there at all, but my daughter and I almost never make them get down. I swore to the hubby that I always wash the countertops before doing any food prep, and that if he ever finds a cat hair, then I'll try harder to keep the two busybodies down. So far, so good. And he's given up trying to make the kitties get down. He knows when he's lost a battle.

[Mkitty]

I have a problem with keeping my cat Cubby off the table. He isn't usually trying to get food, he's just trying to get a better view of our backyard.

[Mkitty]

By the way, WELCOME FROM Mkitty, Cubby, and the gang!

[Pam]

Originally posted by CatHouse
Hi.
And the other complication is that my HUSBAND would prefer that the cats not be up there at all, but my daughter and I almost never make them get down.

Your hubby sounds like mine! Honestly I have given up telling the cats to get down. If I am actively preparing food of course I make them get down but I think keeping cats off counters is like trying to talk a bird out of flying! The cats know how he feels because if they are on a counter and he walks into a room, they jump off. He doesn't even have to tell them! They don't do that for me. LOL! I told hubby that just because the counters are "cat-less" when he is around doesn't mean that they aren't up there when he's not home or asleep. It is just something one deals with when there are kitties in the house.

[G.P.girl]

well i have a problem with my fish jumping up on the counters every once in a while. i think they just want attention though beause they jump down as soon as i yell at them. i've tried punishing them by lockeing them in thier aquarium but nothing works! what should i do?

[popcornbird]

Originally posted by Pam
I think keeping cats off counters is like trying to talk a bird out of flying!

In our house, its impossible to talk the birds INTO flying!!! They just don't want to fly.........and refuse to. They like walking on the kitchen counters, and no one tells them to get off..........unless there's food cooking.......THEN, of course, they aren't allowed in the kitchen for their safety. When there's no food cooking, sometimes we put them up on the counters ourselves. I give them crackers or veggies on the counters. Easier to clean there.

[carole]

Luckily I don't have a problem with either of my cats, they never even try, I have left cat biscuits on the bench and they are still there in the morning, now my RB Sooti was another story, he was always on the bench, but then he was never trained, I think some are just more inclined than others, I did have a bowl of water with candles and rocks on the table , and soon emptied it as Lexie began jumping on the table to drink it, even though she had plenty by her cat bowl, now she never bothers, of course whilst I am alseep who really knows.

I use an anti-bacterial spray on my bench tops every day, just to make certain, I am afraid I am not one for cats on benches and tables, big NO NO in my house, and I have just been lucky I guess.

[Pam]

Andy is the first one up to check things out. "Come on up Trev, Dad's still in the shower!"

"OK Andy. Be right there! Do you see anything good to eat?"

[CatHouse]

"well i have a problem with my fish jumping up on the counters every once in a while. i think they just want attention though beause they jump down as soon as i yell at them. i've tried punishing them by locking them in thier aquarium but nothing works! what should i do?"

Maybe you should get a cat. Our Agamemnon prefers to drink out of the little goldfish bowl on the kitchen half-wall, even though the cats have a flowing water fountain and filtered water. We're waiting to see which happens first: whether Agamemnon will accidentally lap up the fish, or if the fish will mistake Agamemnon's tongue for his goldfish flakes.

I'll try to get a picture of him next time.

[CatHouse]

Oh, by the way, thank you for the welcome, Miranda!

Monica

[G.P.girl]

Originally posted by CatHouse
We're waiting to see which happens first: whether Agamemnon will accidentally lap up the fish, or if the fish will mistake Agamemnon's tongue for his goldfish flakes.

I'll try to get a picture of him next time.

lol that would be funny

i'love to see pictures of that!
BTW welcome to pet talk! do you have any other animals,other than your kitty and fish?

[CatHouse]

Oh, yes. We have four cats: Alice, who is ten years old, Dinah, who is four, Agamemnon, who is six months and is getting his surgery tomorrow! And then there's Achilles, who is about seven months.

We got Agamemnon from a friend who found him under her car in the rain when he was about five days old. My daughter (8) and I bottle-fed him, and he's the sweetest thing you can imagine. When he was old enough to play, the older cats didn't want anything to do with THAT, so we went to the humane society and got his "separated-at-birth twin," Achilles.

The names Agamemnon and Achilles were the one condition set by my husband. If we couldn't name them those names, then we couldn't keep them. (Like THAT would ever happen.) We thought the names fit, though, so we have two fierce warrior kitties.

We also have two 3-year-old red-earred slider turtles who live in a lovely 55 gallon aquarium that I made for them. It's 2/3 water and 1/3 lush tropical landscape. They are quite happy. The FISH was one of the 12-cent feeder fish we occasionally bring home for the turtles, but this one was very small, and my daughter couldn't bear to let the turtles eat it, so we didn't put it in the aquarium. It's been alive for about two months now, which HAS to be some kind of record---at least for me!

[Mkitty]

I'm so sorry about Agamemnon! I will pray for him tonight and as long as he is recovering. Thanks CatHouse! I'm glad ure a part of Pet of the Day! Wanna b buddies?

[Mkitty]

Well, i dont know wat to do with ure goldfish. My goldfish and my beta fish never have done that. Maybe u shuld ask a profesional fish person. DO NOT ASK WALMART OR STORES LIKE THAT THAT DONT KNOW WAT TO DO. Once i even saw a beta fish killed because they didnt know that beta fish think they are very pretty(which they are), and they will fight with other fish. We even told an employee, but he was bozo enough not ta do anyting.
Well, i'll see ya round'
How bout buddies?

[CatHouse]

Hi Miranda.

Sure! I don't have any buddies yet. (Well, NOW I do.)

Agamemnon is just getting neutered tomorrow, although it's going to be hard for me to take him and leave him there, with him being the baby and all. He's got to get his shots updated, too. At least he doesn't have to stay overnight.

The thing about the fish jumping out was not mine, but someone else's, and I just posted a reply to her. I think she was pulling our leg, anyway.

I'll add you to my buddy list.

Monica