My husband saves cats. We have 18 right now. We always get them fixed. Some are indoor- outdoor and some are almost feral. They own my house not me. My husband spoils them to death. I probably could have trained them if it wasn't for hubby,s spoiling. He thinks they should be allowed any where they want. We even had a tail on fire once. It didn't stop them or hubby.They have taken over my sewing and crafting room(there is a cat door in the window). so now I use the office. Even he understands how dangerous pointy objects for sewing are. Peace at last.

I have read where if you set several mouse traps and place newspaper over them, when the cat ups up the traps snapping should scare them. It might take several times to get them to learn.....or so I've heard and read.

I think you are confused...those are not your surfaces, they are only on loan to you occasionally. :-)

Try a spray bottle with water it has been the best way I have found to train cats to stay off tables, kitchen cabnets etc.

I used a water pistol with weak solution of vinegar and water to squirt the cat, cats do not like the smell. A whistle works as well.
Havn't been able to train her not to stand on the phone when I am on it so have now have bought a cordless hand held phone.

OMG! These are your CHILDREN that you are talking about!!! Why would you even want to banish them. Fur is just the leavings of their love for you. LOL.

I gave up a long time ago trying to keep my babies off the bed and table. I have never had a problem with them on my stove or counter tops. My baby Snoozer(now deceased) jumped on my counter one time after he adopted me and scared me so much that I screamed. He never did that again. I think I scared him more than he did me. None of my kitties have ever gotten on the table while we were eating tho. They only like to get up there when "daddy bear" (hubby) is reading the paper or we are doing a puzzle and then they got in the box with the pieces so we couldn't get them. Curled up and went to sleep. They were so cute. One cat I had -- a Maine Coon slept on the headboard every night.

poor baby

I gather you have EXPLAINED to them that they are not ALLOWED on these surfaces. You are only their HUMAN not to be taken seriously. I learned that when my baby brought me a sign for my bday that says "The CAT and his housekeeping STAFF live here" We just have to remember that WE do NOT have any say in anything. If you don't believe that, just ask them. They will give you "THE LOOK"

Cat in the cage !!!!!!! Precious!!!!!!!!!!! :-P

I am fairly new to quilting but can already relate to some of the posted sagas. My Shadow was awful as I made my first quilt so I made one for her. She hates it.