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Hi, I’m Dr. Karyn! Read my introduction to learn more about me and meet my five hilarious cats: Clutch, Cyril, Alex, Zelda, and Zazzles.
Sharing your home with cats signifies that you sometimes need to regulate your expectations on the subject of your clothes, home, and furniture. I even have at all times said which you can either have a very clean house, or you may have pets; it’s pretty difficult to have each. And though I’m not speaking from personal experience, I imagine the identical to be true for having children!
Now don’t get me incorrect, I’m not saying that having pets signifies that your home goes to develop into some kind of cesspit, but there may be a level of untidiness and mess that may invariably include having pets indoors.
In my home, with my five cats and five dogs, cleansing is nearly a full-time job, which, on top of our actual full-time jobs, could be a bit overwhelming, but we do manage to remain on top of it more often than not. Vacuum cleansing happens at the very least once a day, and regular brushing is a must. For me, keeping the home tidy is something I attempt to stay on top of, but keeping it clean is my fundamental priority.
Cats and Dogs
If I were to place ink on the little toe beans of all my cats, I’m pretty certain that the surface area covered in ink could be far greater than what isn’t, and I admit that our kitchen countertops would even be covered in little kitty footprints.
Many individuals maintain a strict ‘no cats on the countertops’ rule, and naturally, I believe it’s a superb policy to have. In any case, when a cat digs of their litter box, they don’t exactly clean their paws with antibacterial soap – not that I’m suggesting we start doing that! Nevertheless, I’m not only tolerant of our cats being on our countertops, but will actually make provisions for it, and the explanation for that is these guys: the dogs.
Bailey, Kodah, Fred, Ned, and Poppy, who share our home with our cats.
We’re very fortunate that our cats and dogs live quite harmoniously, often pleased to curve up next to one another and also have a little bit of a play together. Nevertheless, if things get a bit rough and rowdy, it’s more necessary to me that my cats be happy to get away quickly, and that always means jumping onto a surface just like the kitchen counter. For us, it comes all the way down to what we are able to and may’t control, and the best way to be sure that all our pets feel comfortable of their home.
My husband and I even have brought these wonderful animals into our homes, and it will be significant to us that all of them feel protected, secure, and comfy of their environment. If we cut off their escape route after they are feeling overwhelmed by the dogs, I consider this might create a stressful environment, and cause our cats to retreat to their upstairs retreat and never come out, and that is just not what we would like. That is their home, and so they should feel confident about exploring all of it.
So that is what I mean after I discuss what I can and may’t control:
- I can’t control how my cats and dogs will interact in any respect times, and I can’t, in all good conscience, stop my cats from having the ability to jump onto our counters.
- I can control how clean those counters are, and keep the kitchen door closed when food preparation is happening.
They love Bailey, but sometimes you only must get away.
Keeping it Clean
Just as we’re fastidious about vacuuming our floors, we are only as dedicated to usually disinfecting our kitchen. As our Dr Lauren points out, cat feet and cat butts on surfaces where we prepare our food is just not ideal, and may open up a literal can of worms, and it will probably also pose a possible risk to the cats. Sharp knives, hot stoves, and inappropriate food items are all dangers that cats can come into contact with within the kitchen, and these dangers are one other factor we want to contemplate in our house.
The fortunate consequence of adapting our habits to permit for feline counter browsing is that we’ve got improved our kitchen hygiene and tidiness to a level that will likely rating us 10/10 from any food safety authority! Dirty plates are at all times swiftly rinsed and placed within the dishwasher, leftovers sealed and secured, and cooking supplies and implements are tidied away as soon as we’re finished with them. If only I felt as motivated on the subject of cleansing the toilet!
Keeping it clean…
Should They Be Allowed on Countertops?
Am I saying that you need to allow your cats to roam around your kitchen unchecked? Absolutely not. Their safety and your safety must be the highest priority. But what we also need to contemplate is that after we bring cats into our home, they should feel comfortable. Depending in your household, that may mean that you just stay strict and consistent about keeping them off the countertops from day one, so there isn’t any confusion, or restricting their access to the kitchen altogether.
In our house, essentially the most practical and workable solution was for US to adapt to THEM.
In the event you’re a germaphobe or a bit (or quite a bit) OCD about cleanliness, you may must have a take into consideration whether furry housemates are best for you, although, as you may see, keeping multiple pets actually keeps us more motivated to be strict about cleansing than if we had fewer or none (not that I can see that ever happening!).
The fundamental thing to remove is that every household is different, and it’s necessary to ascertain boundaries and rules that work best for you, and permit your cats to feel protected and secure. If those rules are causing more stress, or simply not working for you, resolve what your priorities are and make a plan that addresses everyone’s needs.
Providing your cats with towers, shelves, and platforms are necessary to permit them to explore their world vertically, in addition to horizontally, and provides them places they will escape to after they need it. If that vertical world includes your kitchen, be certain that that your health and their safety are taken seriously.
