Protecting Your Pet: Cats and furniture

Robin Budin owns five cats.

"I have five cats they go wherever they want," Budin said.

­­But a harmless stroll can turn dangerous.

"It's hot, you stay there," Budin said.

Especially if a stove is on.

"I have to worry that he'll run across the stove and burn his feet," Budin said.

Bacteria on kitty's paws can contaminate counter tops where there's food.

If allergies or asthma are a problem animals can cause havoc.

"This is my daughter's bedroom, I don't want the cats here at all, she's allergic to the hair," Budin said.

There maybe other places we'd like off limits like our favorite chair.

"The minute that box is moved, she's on the chair," Budin said.

But the good news is there are lots of products that you can buy which can help keep pets off of places you don't want them to be. Keep them safe and keep them from destroying your home.

Get them to "scat" by using repellant sprays.

"You can use it to repel them from one area or an entire room. Typically it has to be applied every 24 hours, but it's an odor that cats will not like," Pet Smarts Dave Jarratt said.

Just be careful where you spray.

"You should never spray it on food or food handling areas when ingested it can be harmful," Jaratt said.

There's also sticky tape.

"You just line it up and then peel it off, that's cool," Budin said. "We got the tape and put it on the furniture, and now they don't go there their paws will stick to it, it really works," Budin said.

As a last resort try a scat mat. They get a tiny harmless shock when they jump on it.

"It's humane and safe," Jaratt said.

"If you use it consistently, every time they jump on that piece of furniture or counter they're going to get a sensation they don't enjoy so they're going to stop jumping on it all together," Jaratt said.

"I'm going to turn it on," Budin said.

Robin was "shocked" to see how well it works.

Another trick to keep them off your furniture get them their own.

"It allows them some place to get rid of that extra energy to climb and playing especially if you have multiple cats," Jaratt said.

In the end you'll both be more comfortable in your home.

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