Thanks to all who submitted suggestions for breaking Jeter's bad habit of getting on the kitchen counters. Here's what happened!

The suggestions have run the gamut, ranging from getting a female companion for Jeter, (since guys behave better with women around), placing crimped aluminum foil, or double-sided sticky tape in strategic places, to using a loud noise, such as a can of pennies, or an air-horn, to scare Jeter when he gets on the counter.

Well, the girl kitty COULD mean double-trouble, so i tried the crinkled aluminum foil, which Jeter didn't even seem to notice, and the double-sided sticky tape, which only succeeded in tearing holes in the sports section of my husband's (Bubba's) newspaper (a cardinal sin). But I saw my neighbors playing with an airhorn in their front yard after returning from a Carolina Panthers game, so I persuaded them to let me borrow it. I warned Bubba to be on alert, as he was snoozing in front of a baseball game, and took my position in front of the computer, with my air-horn. Sure nuf, here comes Jeter, sashaying into the kitchen, tail held high, looking for trouble. I watched out of the corner of my eye, until he made his move, and pushed the button on the air-horn, at the very second that his little foot touched my counter..........
Well, let me tell you, there should be some kind of warning on those cans, that they should NEVER be used inside a house, because that air-horn emitted a blast that I thought SURELY had cracked the LCD display on my new monitor. I looked up in horror, to catch a glimpse of normally mild-mannered Bubba in a full-length dive from his recliner to the area behind the couch.

When the dust, and the various pieces of his newspaper settled, Jeter was no where to be found. I didn't have to call 911 to revive Bubba, but he said we might have to do so for me, if i ever tried a stunt like that again! As for Jeter, he didnt surface for almost 24 hours. Who knows where he went, but you know what? The next time I saw him, he was lounging on the kitchen counter, as if taunting me to try it again!

I've got household ammonia on my grocery list for this week. I can't try the can of pennies idea just yet, (Bubba might think that they fall in the same category as the air-horn). I'll keep you informed of the outcome.
{PS} There really IS a warning on the air-horn can against indoor usage. (But- Don't tell Bubba !)

waiting for his chance	"Go ahead, make my day!"
"helping" me pack patterns	Jeter doesn't mind being sprayed, as you can see!"
lounging like he owns the joint	The "KING" of spoiled cats everywhere!