Paul Hollywood’s cat has divided the internet after getting on the kitchen counters – and he told us he hates the habit, too

Any cat owner will agree that cats are fairly adventurous creatures. And paired with often blatant disregard for your wishes, this means no surface is off-limits in your home - including your kitchen counters.

Celebrities are no exception to this rule, including Paul Hollywood who, in a recent Instagram post, showed how his cat also liked to explore his kitchen counters and sink. When designing your kitchen ideas or choosing a kitchen colour scheme, the last thing on your mind is whether your moggy will like it, too.

And if your cat does love your kitchen layout, should we be stopping them? I asked experts whether we should be letting our feline friends up on our kitchen worktops, and this is what they said.

In a video where Paul gave fans a tutorial for his chocolate orange banana bread, it was his cat that stole the attention of viewers. Up on the counter, playing near the sink, it was all any commenter seemed to talk about. And the comments were pretty divided.

‘Okay, even Paul Hollywood’s cats hop on the counter. 😅 Cat parents will get it,’ said one.

‘Big fan but so unsanitary for me. Sorry, not sorry,’ said another.

Ideal Home can reveal that Paul himself is not a fan of his cats using jumping up on his worktops. In an Interview with Ideal Home’s Kitchen Editor, Holly Cockburn, he explained it was one of his pet peeves in a kitchen.

‘I am constantly putting them back down on the floor because they're constantly jumping up on the side. I can't stand it. I'm just down, down. So, yeah, cats on the side, and I'm guilty of it, and when I see them, they get down,’ he said.

Paul has good reason to dislike this habit. In short, it can contribute to bad hygiene, which in any kitchen is less than ideal.

'While Paul Hollywood’s cat made a charming guest appearance on his kitchen side, feline paws on kitchen surfaces are a firm 'no' from a hygiene perspective. With cats using litter trays, their paws can carry bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella and transferring these onto surfaces where human food is prepared poses a health risk. However, understanding why your cat scales the worktop in the first place makes it much easier to redirect them safely,’ says Dr Suzanne Moyes, in-house vet at Burgess Pet Care.

But unfortunately for cat owners, your kitchen counters are very attractive to cats.

‘Height-seeking behaviour is completely natural. Being up high makes cats feel safe, provides extra vertical territory, and lets them survey their 'realm', or in Paul's case, the bakes on the kitchen side! Worktops are also loaded with enticing smells, making them prime real estate for a curious pet,’ adds Dr Suzanne.

What to do if your cats keep getting on your kitchen worktops

‘To keep kitchen surfaces clean and safe for all in the home, pet owners should first try removing all feline temptation. Keep counters completely clear of food scraps, crumbs and standing water in sinks, making the space as uninteresting as possible to a curious cat,’ says Nicola Bryden, a vet at the online veterinary pharmacy VetMedi.co.uk.

‘Cats love high vantage points because height gives them a sense of security and allows them to observe their surroundings. To keep your kitchen counters from being their favoured spot - and to maintain a clean and hygienic kitchen - provide an alternative high perch away from cooking areas. You can set up a cat tree, window perch or even a high stool nearby so they can watch you cook at eye level without stepping onto food prep areas.’

As well as keeping your counters ‘boring’ and unattractive to your cats, you also need to ensure you clean your kitchen regularly, sanitising your surfaces before and after you cook or prepare food. It’s also worth moving litter trays away from your kitchen.

It’s always nice to know that celebrities are human beings, too, and that cats really do humble the best of us. However, in this case, you do need to stick to your guns and keep your cats off your kitchen worktops.