People and their pets

Food poisoning after lunch at at Indian restaurant and there were no cats! Reminds of friends who were on holiday in India and came across what they thought would be a great restaurant for Dinner. They walked down the side of the restaurant and there were some giant woks, the chefs tapped them and the cats jumped out, they then proceeded to cook the evening meals in there. Needless to say my friends did not eat at the restaurant.

HeavenLeigh

Oh dear wellbeck, you wouldn’t want to come in mine then a German Shepard and three cats, but then we wouldn’t invite anyone in that didn’t like animals, your choice. Our choice!

That's me too, if I did invite anyone I'd tell them about the cats and dog first and that they are family too so if they object to them we might be better eating out. Prefer animals to people in a lot of cases anyway.

We have always had pets, but they are not allowed in the kitchen when food is being prepared, and certainly not on worktops. However, the best laid plans....I once prepared a large platter of sandwiches, enough for eight people, with all sorts of delicate garnishes - it looked like something from a magazine and I was delighted. 'Placed a large net umbrella type cover over the food, and came back half an hour later to find the cat under the net cover, just about finishing off the fillings from every sandwich. Anyone for a biscuit?

I love most cats but would not have liked this. I would have gone into the kitchen and picked up the cat and talked to it saying things like 'this isn't your food you naughty cat, let your 'mum' get on, she's very busy, you can have any leftovers' etc. Would have found it very difficult to eat meal otherwise.

Fleurpepper

Mine will try and jump on work surface and I will shoo him off. But ...

I normally sit at the big dinner table in the kitchen when on my computer, and he loves nothing more than come and lie right next to me- and I so enjoy it, I've stopped trying to stop him. I mean, I clean the table well before we eat, and would use clean matts or tablecloth is we have visitors. Just don't tell my SIL, please shusssh.

I feel the same way about my cats. I make an effort to keep everything clean and hoovered but my cats climb on bed and furniture. They’re cats and they’re going to do what they want! They’re too old to jump up on worktops now but in their heyday they sure did. 😂 I can’t imagine life without pets.

I’ve not been to a cat cafe, but I know quite a few cats who wouldn’t enjoy being forced to entertain Ed a load of humans they don’t know.

Our grandchildren adore our cat, their mum never had pets, and she thinks it’s weird to keep animals in the home. So I think our cat is the nearest they’ll get to having their own!

Re hygiene - I don’t agree with sharing germs with animals! I’d have to say something if I knew I was being offered food that animals had been sniffing round.

How do you train a cat not to jump on kitchen tops? Have an occasional visiting pair. They care not about my insistence to get off. Seem to enjoy taunting me with sitting on kitchen table when my back is turned.

I have never allowed cats on the worktops or table but when sugar and butter was rationed I made my husband a birthday cake with butter icing. When I wasn’t looking the cat had licked it clean.
I do not agree with cats and dogs sleeping in the kitchen or having cat litter trays in the kitchen.

I never encourage/allowed my cats on the worktop or table but once I saw paw prints on the cooker that had appeared overnight. When I saw my gorgeous deaf cat sitting on the electric cooker I turned the ring on. When it started to get warm he fled, never to return! No point in shouting he was deaf as a post.
On the other hand, when I had my second child at home my GP came to see me on her way home in the evening. I was in the bed with my new baby, her big sister and the cat asleep at my feet. I apologise about the cat and she said “ nonsense, we would all have to get along together so we should start now!”