cleaning solution also training solution?

[JessK]

I posted in another thread recently that I was looking for household cleaning products that wouldn't leave residue that is dangerous to my little Neo, since he likes to jump up on counters and nap in sinks etc.

Well last night I ran across an ad for Method all-purpose cleaner (www.methodhome.com) and thought that might be a good solution because it's all natural. (Don't know how effective it is at killing germs.)

The cleaner is grapefruit-scented so a light bulb came on: I don't really WANT Neo to jump on the kitchen counters, I just failed to train him properly. (I tried double-sided tape but it didn't faze him.)

So, what do you think: If I clean the counters with grapefruit scented cleaner, will he be deterred from hanging out on the counters?? Cats are said to hate citrus and it seems to be true. I have tried to deter him from going certain places by spraying them with Bitter Apple but the effect only lasts a very short while.

Do you think grapefruit cleaner will be a better deterent--has anyone tried it or anything similar?

On the other hand, I don't want the cleaner to give the whole room an aroma that he doesn't like, since my house is afterall, his palace... What do you all think...?

[Traci]

Organic, natural or not, this company's products contain essential oils, which are toxic to pets (despite their claim its not dangerous to pets)

I would look for something else if you're concerned. Basically, when cleaning with ANY product, thorough rinsing with clean water will remove most cleaning residues.

As for counter-deterrents, the best approach is working with him as the incidents occur....as in promptly letting him know at that moment he jumps, it is unacceptable to you. Divert his attention elsewhere, and remove enticing objects from the counter so that he is less likely to jump up there to investigate.

[JessK]

Rats. Well I guess Method is out then! Thank you for letting me know about the essential oils. Guess I will stick with regular cleaners and just be careful about rinsing throughly. It's just I would never feel comfortabe licking my sink so it freaks me out when my kitty does, or when he lies in the sink an then licks his fur etc...

Thanks for the advice on the counter training. I think I surrendered easily because I figured that when he's at home by himself he can jump on the counters with impunity, so I didn't think there was much point in trying to train him while I was there. It does bug me when he jumps up when I'm trying to prepare food though--he jumps on the counter, I take him off, he jumps back on, I take him off, and on and on.

I guess I don't know how to let him know the behavior is unacceptable. I can't bring myself to squirt him with the spray bottle for counter-jumping offenses because it seems too mean. I've read that you should squirt without the cat being able to see it was you who did it, but I haven't figured out how to do that. (On the other hand I do squirt him for biting and he can see it's me doing it, but he does understand that spray bottle = no biting. However, the clever little brat will sometimes attack my foot or hand when I don't have the spray bottle.)

I don't raise my voice at him because everything I've read says that if you yell at the cat he won't understand and will just think you've become mean. I wondered if my consistently removing him from the counter would get the message across, but it doesn't appear too.

And there is still that problem of my being gone during the day, and I sort of think when the human's away, the cat will play. I don't think there is anything particularly interesting on the counters, but I know he goes up there when I'm gone because I've found things knocked over, and once he pulled the curtains down from the window over the sink, the little turkey.