Lemon & Lime Keep Cat Away

I've tried everything to keep Whiskey away from food while I prepare a meal. We've used sticky tape, foil, pennies in a can, squirt bottle, etc. Yet for some reason he thinks he has to inspect everything that is put out on the kitchen counters. He thinks he's helping to make sure everything is cooked fully or doesn't burn by sticking his face into pots & pans while food is cooking. He also thinks he has to taste everything that I'm slicing and dicing too. Throwing food into the garbage disposal in the sink is out as he would dive into the sink to retrieve the food.

But, I think I've found a way of preparing a meal without Whiskey inspecting everything up close & personal. I've noticed that he hates the smell of sliced lemons & limes. If I put some lemon or lime slices on the counter he avoids the area. So I put a slice on one side of the stove and one on the other side. This seems to keep him out of the stuff cooking. I've also put some in the sink and this now keeps him out of it.

We're keeping our fingers crossed and hope the lemons & limes continue to work until he at least gets the hint and stops trying.

Thank you for the great idea! I know my Ollie dislikes the smell of tangerines but I never thought of using them as a deterrent for meal times! He was inspecting yam slicing tonight as well as sticking his nose in the au jus pan and generally using the kitchen counters as his personal jungle gym! LOL I guess it is a Maine Coon thing. ;o)

Yes, it must be a Maine Coon thing....none of my cats in my 55 years of life have ever done this. I am always so worried Spartacus will get burned on the stove, or cut while I am chopping up something on the cutting board. I will definitely be getting some lemons and limes tomorrow at the grocery.

PS...I wonder just how much cat hair we end up eating everyday? LOL

Great idea thanks I have the misfortune to own just one that won't learn,waterbottle works for rest but not him,my friend has movement detectors on the sides in her kitchen if she has a problem one but it makes such a noise when it goes off I think I would leave the house at the same time so have never gone that route but luv the idea of the added benefit of L & L as well,lovely smell....

I must be lucky as none of mine bother when I'm preparing/cooking food. Sounds like you may have found a solution to your problem though with the lemon and limes.

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Originally Posted by afgreyparrot

PS...I wonder just how much cat hair we end up eating everyday? LOL

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Yes, I have often wondered about that too. I guess I will know when I throw up my first hairball. ;)

Day 2: Preparing meal. Whiskey stuck face into bowl of grapes. Picked up a slice of lemon on put on top of grapes. He squinted and walked away. Success! Chopped up some shrimp. Whiskey jumped up and stuck face over shrimp on plate. Grabbed slice of lemon and put between his nose & shrimp. He turned and laid down to watch staying out of my way. Another success. Let's hope this his hate of lemons & limes will continue.

Of course DH says the easiest thing to do would be to lock Whiskey in a room until I'm done preparing the meal. But I'm not one for taking the easy route.

what an interesting idea. I wonder does it work with Egyptian Maus as well? My Tiny's mum is an egyptian Mau cross and his little brother salem, the 3 of them jump on benches. Today they tried to pinch boiled potatoes whilst I was making potato salad

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Originally Posted by CatsMom

Day 2: Preparing meal. Whiskey stuck face into bowl of grapes. Picked up a slice of lemon on put on top of grapes. He squinted and walked away. Success! Chopped up some shrimp. Whiskey jumped up and stuck face over shrimp on plate. Grabbed slice of lemon and put between his nose & shrimp. He turned and laid down to watch staying out of my way. Another success. Let's hope this his hate of lemons & limes will continue.

Of course DH says the easiest thing to do would be to lock Whiskey in a room until I'm done preparing the meal. But I'm not one for taking the easy route.

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So far so good. Fingers crossed it continues.

This should work with all citrus fruits. Lemons/limes may work better as they are "sharper"

I will be trying this as nero is becming a real pain. He has worked out what a fridge is for. If it is is opened within earshot he runs across , jumps in and pulls anything he can reach out onto the floor just in case it is edible.
He will eat carrott cabbage bread cheese potato (loves pasta) in fact pretty much anything he can get and he has cat food to eat whenever he wants. Maybe I will try him with a slice of lemon.