I used to have this problem, but not any more... Zipster the helper got a bit close, when I wasn't looking.. and singed off some whiskers... He learned his leason!!( they have grown back) Thank goodness.. I made him his own fleece bed in front of the heater... he seem happy there..
He tried taking up chasing the needle, but luckily he grew bored while I was positioning fabric/and lining it up....

Spray bottle or a good shout NO and hand clapping keeps my lot in order. We have rules, no cats on tables, kitchen benches, ironing boards or other dangerous/food prep areas. Cats are clever and usually get with the programme pretty quickly.

Hope your burn gets better soon.

I keep a nice fluffy down pillow laying on another table in my sewing room that is near my big board ironing station. He seems to be happy there. To keep cat hair off my board when I'm not using it I keep it covered with a towel. That way they can lay on the towel and not get hair everywhere. When it gets covered I can throw it in the wash.

What bugs me is when every time I stand up out of my chair to go press or something when I come back there is a cat in my chair!! grrrrrr. So I just sit on him and then he moves. My female cat likes to keep her distance so she only lays around on stuff when nobody is in the room.

I give up. LOL. I keep a sticky roller handy all the time. Boo is always on the board or sewing table and Mike is always on my dang table right on whatever I'm working on. Sully likes to sit next to me on the floor. Like they say, its their house and we are the hired help. LOL

This is my bigger problem. She is really into helping me quilt or wants to learn to quilt. I can't believe how stubborn she is when it comes to moving off the quilt. I can squirt her, but she comes right back. She isn't interested in any other phase of quilt-making - only the quilting part & doesn't seem to mind the fact that her "bed" moves! She is 16 years old and still full of life.

Mine doesn't like the ironing board, however, just loves to lay close to the sewing machine. I think it is the vibratiion. Sorry about your arm.

I think they are looking for the warm. I would suggest heating a rice bag and covering it with something soft. Then show it to your kitty. As long as it is warm, it will be what they are looking for. A heating pad works great also, covered and I plug it in for about 15 minutes then about every half an hour repeat the process. He is content.
Take care of your arm.

sorry you got burned...i do not even try to keep my cat off the board, it is one of his favorite places to hang out when i'm sewing. i have a (bracket-holder) that attaches to the wall, over my ironing board, it is metal, and made to hold your iron (and cord) i hang my iron on the wall so i do not have to worry about it falling or the cat getting hurt the holder is made for a hot iron, you can have it plugged in and hot, iron is ready to grab at any time but secure on the wall, not on a surface where it can be knocked off.
put some aloe gel on your burn!

I have been lucky there as both of my girls do not get on the ironing board. If they did I would use the spray bottle. Take care of that burn - so sorry that happened.

Me too. My board is in front of a huge picture window which lets them check out the whole back yard. (over an acre) They know they can't get up there when I'm working and if I really don't want the distractions, I put them out and close the door.