How do you keep cats out of the kitchen? Introducing intrusion prevention goods to prevent burns and injuries.

Many cat owners are concerned about their cats entering the kitchen.

Cats often follow their owners everywhere, their eyes sparkling. While this is very cute, there's a risk of them touching hot stoves or pots and getting burned. Knives and scissors are also dangerous.

Therefore, this article will introduce measures to prevent cats from entering the kitchen.

Why do cats want to go into the kitchen?

Why do cats want to get on the kitchen counter?

Because it smells like food

The kitchen smells of various foods.

Cats love the smell of broth, grilled fish, and even the wet food prepared in cans.

For cats, the kitchen is a place with delicious things. When they smell something tasty, they want to go into the kitchen.

Because there are things that pique their interest

Cats are very curious. They often want to play with crinkling plastic bags, and cooking utensils like spoons and ladles.

Some cats like to get into pots, rummage through trash cans, or relax on top of the refrigerator.

Because their owner is there

Cats often come into the kitchen when their owner is there.

Reasons for this seem to include wanting to spend time in the kitchen with their owner, or enjoying watching their owner cook or wash dishes.

The kitchen is a dangerous place for cats

The kitchen is full of dangers for cats. There are many places where you don't want them to go or climb on.

Risk of burns and injuries

Gas stoves and induction cooktops pose a risk of burns if touched during or after cooking. Touching hot food is also dangerous.

There's also a concern about accidents where they might accidentally turn on the heat. Measures such as closing the gas valve or setting a child lock when not cooking are necessary.

In addition, cooking utensils like knives and scissors left in the sink, and tableware like forks and chopsticks can cause injuries. Always store them out of your cat's reach.

Beware of accidental ingestion and eating!

Since food is kept in the kitchen, care must be taken to prevent accidental ingestion and eating.

Even foods we eat casually can cause poisoning in cats. Since it can be life-threatening, be careful where you store food.

What are effective ways to prevent cats from entering the kitchen?

It would be great if we could train cats not to get on the stove or sink, but that's quite difficult...

To prevent cats from entering the kitchen or climbing on countertops and sinks, physical deterrents are necessary.

1. Create a barrier with entry prevention goods

You can buy fences and gates to prevent cat entry at home centers and pet stores. You can also gather materials from home centers or 100-yen shops and DIY them.

If it's a tension rod type, it's easy to install, so you can use it as a barrier for a counter kitchen or install a swing gate at the entrance as a countermeasure.

Curtains or partitions can also be used as substitutes, so try to find a solution that suits your kitchen layout and your cat's personality.

2. Deter with smells cats dislike

There are commercially available sprays with citrus scents that cats dislike. If you spray them on areas you don't want your cat to climb, like the stove or sink, or on the trash can, it can make cats less likely to approach.

However, the effectiveness varies among individual cats, so you'll need to try it out.

3. Put them in a cage or isolate them while cooking

Another option is to put your cat in a cage or isolate them in another room just while you're cooking.

To prevent your cat from getting stressed, you can make the isolation period a treat time.

We asked cat owners about their kitchen entry prevention measures!

When we asked cat owners about measures to prevent entry into the kitchen, the most common answer was "installing a fence." Indeed, physically blocking entry seems to be the most reassuring method.

Poponeko Twitter also received some practical ideas, which we'll share!

Self-made with 100-yen shop fences

カウンターに百均の物で作った柵を置いてます！ pic.twitter.com/OmsnatFcI5

— にっちゃん (@5kt70) June 22, 2023

DIY door installation

2x4材を突っ張り棒にできる製品を使って、木材屋さんに程良い大きさの難燃性の杉板6本をカットしていただいて、支柱を立てて、丸棒の溝を掘って溝を作って通風性を確保して、蝶番つけて扉型にしてあります。キッチン側から強く押すと柱と扉が一緒に外れます。 pic.twitter.com/KaxgG8KZye

— 刻の旅人 (@cyanfortland) June 22, 2023

Utilizing the popular "Noborenn-yan"

のぼれにゃんを使用しています！！
突っ張り棒タイプで設置は簡単ですし開閉もできるので便利です😊✨ pic.twitter.com/PhRD9VsgQj

— かみの@雑多垢 (@4i3jGo) June 22, 2023

Other measures include!

An idea: put double-sided tape on places you don't want them to climb!

キッチンじゃないんですが、うちは乗って欲しくないところに両面テープ貼ってます笑
何回かは乗っちゃうと思うんですが、ベタベタしててきもっ！ってなってそのうち乗らなくなります。
色んなものがくっついちゃう弊害もありますが簡単に試せておすすめです

— るる子 (@ruruzi62983098) June 22, 2023

Ignoring them might also be highly effective!?

キッチンや食卓、ダメダメいうと余計に来るので、危険なものはしまってだまって見守ってたらそのうち来なくなりました。
構ってもらえないと面白くないのかな。
たくさん猫ちゃん育てましたが、どの子もそうでした。

— 12時間睡眠 (@CMpIL92UBM9MwJy) June 23, 2023

Summary

Cats freely doing as they please is very cute, but the kitchen is a place with many dangers. Measures to prevent cat entry are essential.

To prevent cats from entering the kitchen, it's important not only to block their entry routes but also to avoid leaving out anything that might pique their interest or food.

The kitchen is a place where burns, injuries, and accidental ingestion or eating are concerns. Use entry prevention goods effectively to take appropriate measures.

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