We may have welcomed cats into our hearts and homes en masse, and allowed them to catnap on the couch and bounce on the bed, but many cat owners still have forbidden zones, like food preparation areas or kitchen table, where kitty isn't welcome.

Dr. Larry Lachman, animal behavior consultant and author of, no joke, "Cats On The Counter," warns of the dangers posed to cats who do jump on the counter, by heated stove grill surfaces, boiling liquids, and the ingestion of foods with sharp and potentially dangerous bones.

Veterinary behaviorists remind cat owners to be consistent. Once a cat safely violates a forbidden area, it will return unless you make this taboo area uncomfortable for them or lure them to an appropriate, safer area that is much more enticing.

There are many things you can try to keep the cat off the counter that have proven to be, pardon the pun, counter-productive:

Place a shallow pan of water on the surfaces; once the cat gets its paws wet a couple of times, it will often abandon the area for good.

Place double-sided tape on the countertops as cats don't like the sticky feeling on their paws.

Use a rubber mat with nubby side up or sheets of tin foil.

Some people swear by the Scatmat (a plastic mat that gives off a harmless pulse of static electricity if touched). This tingle can keep cats off the counter and is great because it disciplines your cat when you're not around, and from the launching pad of the ground, your cat can't tell whether or not it's still there or not; www.scatmat.com, or 800-767-8658.

Remember the old saying about "catching more flies with sugar than vinegar?"

Lachman believes that it's equally important to provide cats with redirected high-up places that they can jump or climb up on, through the use of cat trees, kitty condos, and/or secure perching shelves. Or use an interactive toy or tasty treat to lure them away from the inappropriate area.

Remember, anything a cat does, whether it's spraying urine, scratching the doorjamb or jumping up on the kitchen counters are normal behaviors as far as the cat is concerned. The cat is choosing to behave in this way for a reason, not understanding or considering this will be offensive or damaging to you.

Cats never act out of revenge or spite. Those are human emotions, not feline ones.

It's up to you to find a way for your cats to express and redirect natural instincts (scratching, being on high surfaces) in an acceptable manner to the rest of the family.