my cat knows to keep off the counter - that is when I am home. I snuck in the back door the other night and she didn't hear me - guess who was sitting on the counter looking out the window. When I come in the side door I will hear her jump down when I put my key in the door. Sneaky little girl.

The spray bottle/gun of water works, but only if they don't see YOU spraying them. If they see you, then they associate the spray with you. If they get hit my a spray from an unknown source when they're doing a certain behaviour, THEN they associate the bad thing with the behaviour.
Otherwise, you be spittin' in the wind my friend.

Love this! I have 3 cats now(our old guy--17 1/2 years old -- recently passed away). They all love my fabric --for hiding in, a bed whatever --especailly fleece! They love to play in everything. One day I didn't shut my sewing room door. They got into my thread while I was gone. I did have probably 200 spools of thread!! Yep did have. When I got home the floor was covered with thread wrapped around everything!!

I have had that happen with knitting thread. UGH

My cat is just like an alarm clock.Every morning at 5:30A.M. she rubs her face in my face in bed until I get up and open her can of food, I start the coffee and then I get to go back to bed for one hour.How heavenly that last hour is.What would we do without our cats?Handquilter

I have one of those alarm clocks, too!!! My cat TROMPS across my pillow! And I mean TROMPS! And sometimes, he steps on my hair and pulls it! At least he waits until around 7:00 though. Doncha just luv 'em??!!

I had one years ago that would "wash" my hair in the mornings by licking at my bangs or the top of my head until it made me so crazy I HAD to get out of bed to love him up. Putting a pillow over my head never worked, I'd suffocate and he'd just go under it and insist on his morning lovin's - I still miss my Dimitri

Training the cat to stay off your stuff? Oh, I don't think it can be done. You can throw a sheet over everything, but they will go under, turn upside down and wind that sheet up like it was caught in a propeller. My kids collected 5 kitties before they grew up and left home. I was left with the five healthy curious cats who slept on whatever I was sewing. They loved the warm ironing board and would almost fight me for it. Had to put a shelf above the ironing board for the iron. I am such a pushover.

Our babies (2 ragdolls) like to wake me up in the morning also. Chester will lick my mask (I have sleep apena) where the air comes out or put his paw on the vent until I pet him. If he doesn't do that then he will head but my arm until I lift it up so he can cuddle---spoiled "children"!!

I use old towels to cover my work with to keep my monkey off. She likes to sleep on top of them. Even if I don't have a project to cover I take fabric and then cover with towel. She is happy as a lark.