It would negate the pleasure you have in looking at them but you could cover them up with something you don't mind having the cats lay on. I don't have cats but my dogs own me so it is what it is, that's my motto. I am not a perfect house person.

Spray bottle of water. When they lay on it, give them a little squirt. They will soon get the message, and all you will need to do is pick up the bottle and they will find someplace else to sleep.

Place something on it that if it happens to be pulled off will not break. I had puppies last 2 years and keeping climbing dogs off was a full time job. They tended to make the mat slide off the table then look so innocent.

That has been my solution since being a cat owner and it usually only takes 2-3spritzes for them to get the idea.....I have those purchased perches at a window in each room so there are enough places for lounging other than my tabletops, furniture.

Lots of luck. I think I make these things for them. After all,all the time I am sewing they are right there keeping me company. Its only natural that when its finished they think its theirs and have to try it out.
In other word---I have lost the battle.

ROFL...that says it all....

You can always wash the table topper when you are expecting company, otherwise, it will be an insult to the cat to forbid it get on the table when it had been doing it right along.

You can definitely train your cats to stay off. They shouldn't be up on your tables, anyway (how rude of them!) Just keep a squirt bottle of water handy and simultaneously squirt and say, "no, bad kitty!" or whatever works for you. I hiss at my cat. She gets the message. It's not true that you can't change cat behavior.

This question made me remember...and laugh.

Several years ago, my MIL was helping me to put a lovely cream colored table cloth that had cut-work and lace inserts onto my dining room table for either a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. First layer was the water-repellent sheet, then the "silence cloth"(dense fabric that is between felt and batting / it softens the edges of the table and protects fragile china and crystal.) Yep, I wad pulling out all the "good stuff" for this meal. Finally, we draped and arranged the table cloth. My MIL was ready to "dress the table" with the centerpiece, candles, etc.
"No, Mother. Not today."
"Why not?"
"Let's put this clean sheet over it all and in the morning you'll see why we didn't 'set the table' ."

Sure enough, the next morning when we went into the dining room, there were indentations from kitty paw prints and cat hair all over the sheet. My MIL just shook her head and laughed...and so did I...because I didn't have to wash and iron a tablecloth that would have become a cat lounge.

I got it made and it turned out awesome. If someone can tell me how to post pics via mobile settings I will gladly post a picture. I figured out I can not just link to my photobucket which is my go to for picture sharing on forums.

Oddly enough not one of my five furry hooligans bothered to even give the runner a courtesy sniff let alone lay on it. Even my old man cat hasn't bothered it and he always manages to find a soft spot to lay. Lol he's the first one to fur up a new blanket or heaven forbid sneaks into the clean clothes all stacked and folded.

Next will be a Christmas runner now that I know I can have them without clumps of fur everywhere. Lol