Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    Try putting empty soda cans or tin pie plates right along the edge
    of the counter and the stove.  The theory is that when they jump
    up, the cans will get knocked down, the cat will be scared by the
    noise, and jump down.  Keep the cans in place any time you're not
    in the kitchen.
    
    I tried this method with Isabeau.  After a couple of days, he stopped
    jumping on the counter.  (or at least leaving any trace of his
    presence :-)
    
    Terry

    Good luck!  I've never found a way to keep my cats off the counters. 
    As for the empty soda cans/tin pie plates suggestion in .2, that would
    not work for Sherlock.  He loves the sound of cans/boxes/pie
    plates/whatever hitting the floor!  After they're on the floor, he
    either plays soccer with them or lets Sky have them to teeth on.
    
    Ande (Sherlock, Serena, and Sky's mom)

    When we first got a puppy, I allowed the cats to get on the counter
    as a means of escape.  (Although previously to that they NEVER were
    allowed on the counter !)
    
    Once the puppy got to the age where she knew better than to go after
    the cats, we decided it was time for the cats to stay off the counter.
    
    It took a few weeks, but every time I caught one of them on the
    counter, I would get out the plant mister, and give the cat a little
    squirt.  After the first week or so, all I had to do was show the
    cat the mister and point it at hime like I was going to spray it-
    just the thought of it was enough to get the cat off the counter.
    
    I haven't seen the cat on the counter very often since then.
    
    Joy

    We have used a squirt gun with mai-mai. She doesn't get a direct
    hit; just a squirt across the front of the nose.
    
    We are pretty consistant with the displine so sometimes even the
    sight of the squirter is enough. As independent as they get, we
    have about a 80% control of keeping her off counter tops and tables.
    The times we know that she's been on the table top is we see paw
    prints on the glass top.
    
    /cal

Cats on the counters and tables are like gophers in the garden....you can
get rid of them right now, BUT they will be back.  Unless you can have
someone home ALL THE TIME for the first year of adoption, you are never
going to keep kitty off the counter or table.  You CAN teach kitty to
stay off things when you are around, but that does not deal with the
sanitary issues.  I simply NEVER leave food unattended on the counter,
and I ALWAYS wash the counter and table well with hot soapy water before
preparing or serving food....oh, and I DO reprimand with the squirt gun
when I'm home, thereby keeping them off the surfaces when I'm around.

The other option you might try is to cover the surfaces with something
the kitten doesn't like underfoot (I never found that something - Sam
and Nick simply laid  ON TOP of whatever I used to cover the surfaces).
One friend had luck with tin cans of different sizes, without lids, and
each weighted with a rock so they didn't get pushed off.  However, she
also spent 30 minutes an evening removing them, 30 minutes at night
setting them up, and then she never had anywhere to eat in the morning
before work....not worth it to me.

    Well ... I never got Honey to stay off the counters entirely, but
    I was able to limit his range to one area (in front of the window)
    by placing sopping wet towels all over the tops of the counters
    where he was not allowed.  He found jumping onto wet towels most
    unpleasant, and now only goes where he knows it will be dry.  The
    spray bottle didn't work for the counters for me either.
    
    Good luck!
    Mary