kit1469 December 10th, 2007, 10:41 PM my lovely cat satis is such a sweet heart .. but theres a problem ... she has some very bad habbits im starting to worry that she may get hurt .. or get us kicked out .. hopeing somebody can help!
PROBLEM #1 : satis LOVES to push things of fof my counter tops and every other flat surface ... this includes dishes :sad:i dont mind her being up there but im worried she may breack something and hurt herself.. how can i discourage this behaviour??
PROBLEM #2: she scratches evrything!!! furniture and walls .. concidering i live in an apartment building thats not found of pets (the only one that would accept them at all) this is a BIG problem .. i keep her claws clipped and declawing her is NOT an option ... we have a scratching post but she dosent use it .. what can i do??
sugarcatmom December 11th, 2007, 12:14 AM You need to put deterrents on the places you don't want her to go, something like tinfoil on the counters or Sticky Paws (http://www.thecatconnection.com/page/TCC/PROD/PLAY-SRTCH/STICKYPAWS) adhesive strips on furniture and walls. You also might want to cat-proof your home a bit more until she's over the rambunctious stage: no breakables where she can knock them off.
Then it would be a good idea to make the things she should be scratching more attractive to her. Catnip spray on the scratching post, maybe you need to change it's location around (don't tuck it out of the way, keep it in an area where she hangs out a lot), perhaps experiment with different materials (some cats prefer sissal rope, some like cardboard, many like carpet). Lay the post on it's side and see if she likes that better. A little creativity goes a long way.
kit1469 December 11th, 2007, 12:19 AM thanx so much for the tips ... its not so much that i have alot of stuff out for her to get into (dirty dishes, ashtrays and my current drink or such is the problem ) i dont want to keep her off my counter because she loves to look out the window and sleep on the upper cupboards plus she supervises me when im doing the dishes ... i was hopeing to maybe deter her from the pushing things off the edge more so than keeping her from be on the counter .. ... i like the scratching ideas il try them thanx :D
badger December 11th, 2007, 04:06 AM If she is young, this is all play to her. Knocking things over is sooo much fun and it gets your attention! I'm afraid it's all or nothing for the counters; if you don't mind her up there, then expect the behaviour or keep your counters clear - I've had to do this myself, although which of us is easier to train is a toss-up :laughing:.
If you only have the one cat, play with her often, wear her out. Leave safe playthings around, crunchy balls, catnip mice, etc. Buy a laser pointer and run her ragged from the comfort of your chair.
I buy rough mats from the dollar store (not like a real doormat, more like indoor/outdoor carpeting). My cats love the horizontal claw treatment as much as the vertical.
Good luck. Cats CAN learn but it takes persistence and (sometimes) a loud voice.
Jim Hall December 11th, 2007, 08:51 AM indoor outdoor carpet is great !!! leave a buch of 2x3 strips aroung where she scrathes now
As for as pusihng things she will probably get over that soooner or later
SHe sounds like she may be a bit bored ANd i would second the notion that you got to engage her to use up her energy
Even my adult cats needed at least 30 minutes of play a day to get the zooomies out and even then they would play by them selves
Lots of toys fr your kitty even things like a wadded up piece of paper or a balled up tissue will give her something light to bat
Paper bags are great, put a rattle ball in one and let her dig it out
Lazer tags will get kiitens crazy sometimes and will run all over to catch them
Love4himies December 11th, 2007, 12:41 PM I can't add anymore suggestions than what the others have mentioned. Do put the cat stands in locations that the cat will use. Putting them in an out of the way area is not really helpful. Watch where your cat likes to scratch, or a common walking path and that is the place to put the scratching post. Cats like to stretch and scratch when they wake up so having one in that area may help too.
kit1469 December 11th, 2007, 02:07 PM thanx for all the sugstions guys i really appreciate it :D satis IS verry playful and i think she probably has more toys then i do lol plus she has cleo my other kitty .. tireing her out is much harder than it sounds but we play with them both tons and lavish them with lots and lots of attention .. i like the carpeting idea and will try putting some up where she likes to scratch most (my wall :( ) and see how it goes as for pushing stufff i guess ill just have to train myself to keep it a bit more tidy around here :D ill update u later when i get the carpet thanx again !!
kit1469 January 1st, 2008, 11:43 AM well i put up the carpet and now shes focussing on the couch lol i bet shes laughing at me right now .. she seems to be getting better tho .. maybe shes growing out of it ??
SARAH January 1st, 2008, 11:53 AM Well, at least by scratching your couch, she won't be deteriorating the walls and risk having you thrown out :D gotta look at the bright side, lol.
How about getting a throw/cover for the couch until she stops scratching the life out that one too?
kit1469 January 7th, 2008, 07:18 PM lol i have to admit i find it pretty funny lol she seems to have out smarted me lol the couch is no big deal because we r planning on getting it recovered eventually anyway haha
14+kitties January 7th, 2008, 07:30 PM thanx for all the sugstions guys i really appreciate it :D satis IS verry playful and i think she probably has more toys then i do lol plus she has cleo my other kitty .. tireing her out is much harder than it sounds but we play with them both tons and lavish them with lots and lots of attention .. i like the carpeting idea and will try putting some up where she likes to scratch most (my wall :( ) and see how it goes as for pushing stufff i guess ill just have to train myself to keep it a bit more tidy around here :D ill update u later when i get the carpet thanx again !!
Just as a note....... try turning the carpet upside down and see if she likes that part. Most carpets don't have enough "pull" on the "right side up" part of the carpet. Kitties like to feel a little resistance when they are scratching. That's why they like the posts with the rope. You could pin it to your couch arms or put some on a post and put it right in front of your couch arms until she gets the idea that this is what she should use.
kit1469 January 8th, 2008, 09:33 AM we have her cat post right in front of the couch .. she just walks around it lol .. we pick her up and put her on the scrathing post when we catch her scratching but she just loks at us like we are retards and walks off haha ... i suppose we'll get her to stop eventually ... im still willing to try new things though .. thanx for the advise :D
mona_b January 8th, 2008, 10:48 AM My one cat rarely uses the scratching post,so I came up with an idea that worked.You may want to try it...:)
I have a microwave box that I didn't thow out.I noticed on the corners that they were torn up in the corners.I realized that Casper was using it.So I put an empty box beside the couch.And he uses it...:highfive:..So you can give it a try.
As for knocking things off,Casper does that also.Now Casper has been deaf since birth,so it has been very hard to train him.And he's 4.He knocks what ever he can the little bugger.I just don't leave things that he can break.But he does have a paper fetish.If I leave papers on the coffe table or kitchen table,by the time I get home,(heck I can be home.lol)they are all over the place.But I have never had any of these issues with Winnie.Go figure...lol
amatazes January 8th, 2008, 10:51 AM use that nasty bitter spray and use a really loud scary sound to deter them. I use an large book slammed on the floor or table.
it works. it takes a while but it works.
loud, scary sound!!! it works.:thumbs up
kit1469 January 8th, 2008, 04:00 PM i love the box idea!!! my cats LOVE boxes haha satis has a paper fetish too lol and cleo to in a way .. its only when he eats my homework (seriously try explaining that one to ur teacher haha) as for the spray and loud noises .. ill see its a good idea but my cats are so skittish that i think they might go into hiding ..
sugarcatmom January 8th, 2008, 05:53 PM You really should check out the link for Sticky Paws that I gave you above. Here it is again, in case you missed it: http://www.thecatconnection.com/page/TCC/PROD/PLAY-SRTCH/STICKYPAWS
It would be a good idea to get a handle on the couch scratching now, because if you just leave it, thinking that you'll "get her to stop eventually", this habit will be much more ingrained and difficult to break. She's not going to care that you re-upholstered the couch. And while making a loud noise might deter her while you're sitting there, what about when you're not? Trust me, the Sticky Paws are your best bet.
phoozles January 8th, 2008, 06:10 PM A box would work - or one of those cardboard scratch pads you can pick up anywhere, like Walmart - my cats used to use my couch as a scratching post as well. I got one of those cardboard scratch pads and added some catnip, and then brought them over to the pad, and had them watch me pretend to scratch it. It took a couple of tries, but they haven't been back to the couch since! :thumbs up (well, except for petting of course :))
kit1469 January 9th, 2008, 01:14 AM sounds good thanx :D
rainbow January 9th, 2008, 02:38 AM You really should check out the link for Sticky Paws that I gave you above. Here it is again, in case you missed it: http://www.thecatconnection.com/page/TCC/PROD/PLAY-SRTCH/STICKYPAWS
It would be a good idea to get a handle on the couch scratching now, because if you just leave it, thinking that you'll "get her to stop eventually", this habit will be much more ingrained and difficult to break. She's not going to care that you re-upholstered the couch. And while making a loud noise might deter her while you're sitting there, what about when you're not? Trust me, the Sticky Paws are your best bet.
I agree....if you don't stop her from scratching the couch now you'll end up being sorry for it. :o
The Sticky Paws is a great idea. :thumbs up As an alternative, I guess you could try using the two-sided carpet tape but it may not stick as well. :shrug:
Kristin7 January 9th, 2008, 02:53 AM My cats love those cardboard scratch pads that lay flat on the floor. I sprinkle them with catnip (usually they come with some catnip) and they hang out on the pads often. They even sleep on them... One way I've gotten cats interested in scratching posts, etc is to actually get down there and scratch them myself, with the cat watching. So if you think your cat was laughing before, wait until you do that! :laughing:
mona_b January 9th, 2008, 09:48 AM Two other things you can try.
You can pick up the cat deterent spray.It's a spray that kinda stinks(for a bit)but you spray it where you don't want the cat to go,like the couch.Or put some vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle and spray the are.I have used this when Phoenix was a kitten and got into the plants.Well she was small enough to lay in the plant soil.I sprayed the plants with the solution and within a few days she stayed away from them.
And since Casper is deaf,he is VERY vocal.He has a habit of sitting in front of the door to express his vocal cords.:rolleyes:..I spray the solution(vinegar/water) by the front door.He stays clear away..LOL
I have tried the sticky paws.Didn't work for Casper.And Winnie kept trying to chew them as she loves tape....:rolleyes:
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