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How To Keep Your Cat Off The Counter + 15 Kitchen Pet Safety Tips

By: Andrew Saladino | min

Illustration of dog, guinea pig, bird, fish and cat.

Pets make our lives more interesting, fun, and engaging. In fact, around 67% of households in the United States own at least one pet. Whether you own a cat, a dog, or a fish, taking care of your pet elevates your mental and physical health as it can decrease feelings of loneliness and increase opportunities for outdoor activities and socialization. Pet owners love having their companions around. They're fun to play with while in the living room and soothing to have next to your bed when you fall asleep at night. But there's one room in the house that's no place for a pet: your kitchen!

Besides the dangers a kitchen presents for your pet (think sharp objects, hot objects, and food they shouldn't get into!), some pet behavior can cause damage to your kitchen cabinets, appliances, and furniture. To keep your pet, family, and kitchen safe, we've rounded up some tips for pet owners.

Keep Your Cat Off The Countertops

Cat on countertop with paws stuck to double-sided tape.

Evidently, cats have a mind of their own. Unlike dogs, they can be pretty difficult or even impossible to train so if you have an unruly cat at home, you'll have to be patient and outsmart it. As independent as cats are, they're not likely to follow your command but they will learn from experience. By creating unpleasant associations with behavior that you condemn, you can train your cat without it even noticing.

If you want your cat to stop jumping on kitchen countertops or the dinner table, you'll want to create an uncomfortable environment.

  • Stick double-sided tape on a few cheap placemats and lay them out on the surfaces with the sticky side up whenever they're not in use.
  • Cats don't like sticky surfaces and will stop this behavior eventually when they realize what awaits their sensitive paws up there.
  • After a few weeks, you can remove some of the placemats to see if your cat notices a difference. If it jumps up again, start over, but if their behavior has changed, you can remove all of the placemats over the course of a few weeks until they're no longer needed to keep your cat off the counter for good.

Keep Your Dog Out Of The Kitchen

Dog digging through trash can.

There's a good chance you're reading this because you live in one of the over 60 million households in the United States that own a dog. (Wo)Man's best friend is a delight to have around. They're always happy to play, cuddle, and protect their family but when it comes to the kitchen, all good intentions go out of the window. All the intoxicating smells of human food can turn even the most well-behaved canine into an unruly trash digger or obnoxious beggar.

Besides child-proofing your cabinets and storing trash behind doors, there are a few other things to keep in mind if you want to protect your kitchen from the dog and vice versa.

While you're handling food, avoid feeding scraps to your dog. Some food that's healthy for humans — such as nuts or avocado — is actually poisonous to your dog and can cause a toxic reaction. It also encourages bad behavior when you feed your dog human food.

Other foods that are toxic to pets are:

  • Chocolate
  • Xylitol (sugar-free gum)
  • Grapes and raisins
  • Onions and garlic
  • Alcohol and caffeine
  • Raw yeast dough
  • Raw or undercooked meat

Dogs love to chew and wood is their material of choice as it keeps their teeth healthy and their minds busy. That's all fun and games as long as the wood they're chewing on isn't your kitchen cabinets or stool legs. To keep your dog from nibbling on your wood furniture, you can spray any spots they're naturally drawn to with bitter apple. Simply mix one part of white vinegar with one part of apple cider vinegar in a bottle and lightly spray the wood to keep your dog away from it. Give your dog an alternative chew toy and make sure they get enough mental and physical stimulation throughout the day — that will also keep them from destroying your home.

Kitchen Safety For Fish And Reptile Owners

Illustration of Fish tank.

There's nothing wrong with setting up an aquarium in your kitchen, as long as the tank is not exposed to drastic changes in temperature, direct sunlight, or a door that gets frequent traffic. The noise and temperature fluctuations can harm your fish so it's best to choose a quiet place for their home base. As long as you can find a place like this in your kitchen, an aquarium can be an excellent piece of decor and an additional light source!

To reduce the risk of spreading germs like bacteria, viruses, and parasites, avoid disposing of aquarium water in your kitchen sink. A laundry sink or bathtub that you can clean properly afterward is a much safer place.

Since most reptiles prefer a larger habitat, setting a terrarium or vivarium up in your kitchen may not be the best choice. You're likely better off keeping these pets in a separate room instead of taking up valuable real estate in your kitchen. Be aware that bacteria like salmonella can spread through pet bowls and waste. To keep your kitchen clean and your family healthy, handle all pet waste and food in a laundry room or outside and wash your hands after touching your pet or objects in their habitat.

Why Birds Don't Belong In The Kitchen

Bird in cage.

Having small talk with your parrot while you're prepping lunch may sound whimsical, however, keeping a bird in the kitchen is not just unsanitary, it can also be detrimental to your pet!

Birds are very sensitive to changes in air quality. Coal miners used to bring canaries with them because the bird's quick decline in health would warn them if the levels of toxic gases in the air was too high. Cooking (especially in a poorly ventilated kitchen) will increase the level of carbon monoxide in the room and can be fatal to your feathered friend. Luckily, there's a simple solution: Don't keep your birds in the kitchen.

Dangers For Small Animals In The Kitchen

Bunny in a bucket next to cleaning bottles.

Small animals on the loose can crawl under appliances like your refrigerator or oven and even seek shelter under kitchen cabinets. To avoid your bunny, hamster, or other small furry friends from getting stuck or building a second home below your kitchen appliances, it's best to keep them out of the space altogether.

Rodents and bunnies tend to chew on wires and electrical cords which can be fatal. Keeping these out of reach will also protect your pet and allow them to live a long and happy life.

Kitchen Safety Tips For All Pets

Data visual of households that own a pet.

While all pets are different, there are some general precautions you can take to keep them safe from harm and your kitchen safe from damage.

  • Some dogs, cats, and rodents are pretty smart and can figure out how to open cabinets which gives them access to all the things you'd rather keep tucked away. Installing child-proof latches or locks on the doors is an easy solution to keep your pets from digging through your pantry or cabinets.
  • Even if your pet isn't smart enough to figure out how to open a cabinet door, it's best to keep cleaning solutions or other toxic chemicals in hard-to-reach places. Better yet, opt for natural cleaning alternatives so you don't have to worry about accidentally poisoning your pet. The same applies to trash cans! Invest in a trash can with a lid that your pet can't open or better yet, store your trash can in a pull-out cabinet.
Cat trying to open a cabinet door with a child lock on it.
  • When you're cooking or cleaning, there are fumes that are emitted into the air. A Teflon pan on a hot stovetop, for example, or an oven in self-cleaning mode can release toxic chemicals into the air that cause harm to your pet. It's best to keep your pets out of sight and open a window when you're working in the kitchen so they don't get sick.
  • If you're moving into a new home or remodeling your kitchen, consider making an induction cooktop a priority. These cooktops heat the pots and pans directly instead of heating up the surface with a gas- or electric-heated element. Besides keeping cats or dogs from burning their paws on hot cooktops, this will also prevent your children from injuring themselves in the kitchen.
  • Accidents happen and when you drop a knife or a hot casserole, the last thing you want to worry about is your pet so make sure they aren't hanging around in the kitchen while you're cooking or baking. If it's available to you, let your pets outside or shut the door to your kitchen. You can also install a gate that you can close when you're cooking. In an open concept kitchen, you may want to consider crating your pet while you're cooking to keep them safe. Give them a treat or toy to play with so they know they're not being punished.
  • If you don't want your pet to associate the kitchen with receiving food, store treats and food bowls in a different space like a laundry room or a hallway.
  • It's advised to have a pet first aid kit that includes alcohol wipes, disposable gloves, and of course your veterinarian's phone number in your home to give you peace of mind. In case something does happen, you'll be prepared to help your pet.
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If you love your pet but you love your kitchen too, it's pretty simple to keep both safe from each other. With the right training and a few of our tricks up your sleeve, you'll never have to worry about an injured pet or a damaged kitchen. But just in case your pet gets the zoomies off your watch and you come home to a kitchen disaster beyond repair, we got your back too. Our discount kitchen cabinets will make you forget about your pet's misbehavior and you'll be cooking in your brand new, scratch-free kitchen in no time.

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