JD has suddenly taken to chewing cords...

[hazelrunpack]

...and the little blighter seems to prefer power cords. *sigh* I have some bitter apple spray and I'm consistent with correction when he goes for them, but he seems very determined. Any other suggestions on how to keep this from becoming a habit?

So odd that his 'fires of Hades' demonic gold eye side should suddenly be in charge. I wish his 'peacefully divine' angelic blue eye side would reassert itself! In addition to the cord chewing, he's taken to making mad dashes here and there through the house. Maybe we're feeding him too much and he's trying to burn off the extra calories.

[Reg]

Yes Hazel we have the same problem from our BB. It started about eight years ago when BB was around two years of age. We used the bitter green apple spray, and found that it had little effect on BB. I ended up putting on the high tension lines using automotive wire protectant that I got at an automotive supplier, and I think I have seen it in Home Depot too. This problem can get quite expensive. BB has managed to kill three mice (the Logitech type) by biting off the plug-in tail, and she's done a number on three headsets as well, and the list goes on.

I was watching the program a few years back where they were having issues with new house wiring. It seems as if mice and rats are taking to chewing on the new wiring in homes today more so than they used to. It would appear as if the protective covering on today's wires are made with a new addtive containing vegetable protein, and I am wondering if this is the case is it instigating chewing. I have a few items around the house that we've had for many years, and some of them are pass me downs from our parents and none of these have any tooth marks on them anywhere. And she has shown no interest in them at any time, and they were made here in North America. Pardon the couch at cards were to be and even chewing on the cards

We switched our cats over to species appropriate meals a little over three years ago, and this seemed to have made a difference. BB still seems to show interest in chewing on the cords before breakfast. She has now taken interest in doorstops. You know the ones that are made out of a spring with a rubber bumper? Well a rubber bumper is now getting a wee bit of a work over before breakfast, I guess it's a little safer than electrical cords, but at least she does pay attention when I tell her no don't chew.

Something I was thinking of trying a while back was Feliway I don't know if the cords are giving off an odour that smells like food. Maybe a lite spray with Feliway will hide the odour and maybe stop the procedure of chewing. I loaned my bottle before I had it chance to try it, and I never bought a new bottle.

An article I read some time back when I was trying to research this problem said that cats chewing on a 110 V lamp cord could feel the electricity passing through the wire before their teeth touched the wire consequently causing them to stop the bite. But from time to time some cats do go through the coating and hit the wire and get badly burnt if not electrocuted. This really isn't my idea of electrifying experience. Hopefully somebody else can shed some light on this. That way we'll both gain from it.

We have the mad dash problem here too, but here it's called a mad dash between two cats mainly Yogi and Mrg.

Reg

[hazelrunpack]

Well, I'm a bit relieved that supposedly they can sense the electricity and stop biting before they get to live wire! But I don't think I'm going to rely on JD's good sense about that!

Electrifying experience, indeed! I wish JD would switch over to doorstops! It would be good for my heart!

Interesting, that bit about the vegetable protein additive...

If I may ask, what does BB eat? JD is on canned food, no grain, with Fortiflora, and the only other thing he eats is his cat grass. Well, and the occasional bug he hunts down and kills in the basement

He's slowly learning 'no'. Odd, but he's been such a good kitty for us so far that we didn't have to use the word much prior to this. The only other words he knows (that we know of, anyway) are his name and 'morsels'. Every evening after he eats, I tell him we should check his bowl for 'morsels' and he gets to eat any little bits I find stuck to the outside of his dish. So when he hears 'morsels', he comes running! And he's pretty good at coming when I call him. He may understand more, since I talk to him a lot, but he's practicing being 'inscrutable'...

[Longblades]

No idea. None of mine have done that. One kitten did want to swallow any small string he played with so small strings were out till he got older and figured out how to spit them out.

Well, maybe an idea. Play more with him with string (cord like) things so he prefers them and you making them move to inanimate electric cords? This is a wild guess on my part.

[Barkingdog]

https://www.amazon.com/slp/hide-elec...okh36zs4q3w498

Hazel I posted this link for ways to hide electrical cords , I hope it will help you . Maybe he bored and needs some new toys to play with

[Reg]

My sentiments exactly when it comes to cats sensing electricity in a charged electrical cord. The loops factor is too great, and I have seen it affect animals the same as us humans.

Yes I agree that doorstops are a lot safer, but the nutritional value I think is the pits. It would be nice if BB would just wait a few minutes longer for her breakfast to warm up rather than taking her frustrations out on the doorstop.

When it comes to food both BB and the other two cats are fed raw. I turn out a variety of foods, turkey, chicken, lamb, pork, and rabbit. They aren't happy with duck, and I haven't introduced them to beef yet. Other types of meat are hard to come by here and I don't hunt anymore, but I do follow recipes when making up their food.

When it comes to cats learning I have found that talking to them is a big secret to their learning. They seem to be able to understand voice tones, body language, and facial expressions to name a few. So the more you talk to them the more they seem to learn over time. It's like BB at night, when we're heading to bed will say to BB "bedtime BB", and she will get out of the rocking chair and hit for bed.

I know it's a major shift when you are used to having dogs - to get involved with cats is a switch of almost night and day.

Reg

[hazelrunpack]

Longblades, I do have some wand toys with string attachment thingies--maybe I'll pull them out and try them again. He seemed to lose interest in them pretty quickly after we bought them, but now that he's into his 'cord phase', maybe he'll find them more entertaining...and maybe he'll leave the boring cords alone!

I thought about conduit for the cords, Barkingdog, but I'm not sure that he wouldn't find them just as tasty. I have some milk tubing that I thought I'd try. Even if he finds it tasty, it would make it a lot harder to get to the wires, giving me more time to notice the little blighter and remove him from the temptation.

Do you follow a whole prey model regimen, Reg? I've been thinking about trying raw for the cat. It was always impractical for 8 dogs--not enough freezer space--but cats require so much less volume. JD doesn't seem to be too fussy so I don't think it would be hard to switch him from canned to raw. I just have to get brave and dive in...

JD was actually quite the good boy today. He had his FVRCP vaccination and it really knocked him for a loop. He slept most of the afternoon and evening, and didn't even eat all his supper--first meal ever that he didn't finish. The tech was trying to convince us that he needs one of these shots every year--I'm not convinced....but that's a topic for another thread....

[Barkingdog]

Put some red hot chili juice on the cords maybe one bite will made JD go !

[hazelrunpack]

I'll have to go buy some, first! Hot peppers aren't on my "Favorites" list! But if the bitter apple doesn't work, I may go see if I can find some!

[Barkingdog]

I don't eat hot pepper , I would be like this if I did !

[Reg]

Yes Hazel I follow more or less a whole prey type recipe. I usually prepare somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds at a time which works out to about 120 or so meals. When all is said and done it is relatively inexpensive - turkey runs about $.25 a meal and rabbit or lamb are in the $.70-$.75 range.

Basically that flexible wire protectant is just a bit of a deterrent I know with BB given time she should chew through it as well. She can apply enough bite to go through the coaxial cable that was on the back of the television, which she did. We had to bring in a technician to replace the coaxial cable from the television to the box in the basement. Maybe the sour apple spray didn't work for us with BB but it might be worth a try for you. When you had JD into the vets the other day did they check on his teeth? That might be the problem as well. Maybe if you can get some chicken necks cut them in thirds, and give JD a small piece and see if that squelches the urge to chew on wire.

In regards to the hot pepper juice I think I would be holding back on that one. If JD happened to step into the pepper juice and then rubbed his eyes it would cause a severe burning sensation and that could end up compounding the problem.


You were mentioning that the vet tech was trying to convince you of shots every year I personally would renege on that one. I agree it's worth another thread.

Reg

[hazelrunpack]

I was wondering about his teeth, as well, Reg. He does have some problems with them--they're incredibly yellow (the enamel is discolored, the current theory being that it had something to do with the malnutrition of his mother when he was suckling ) and he already had one incisor extracted at his first dental cleaning. They recommended dental workups every 6 mos to monitor his mouth and the second one went well--no extractions. The third checkup is due at the end of this month, so they'll be getting a long, careful look at his teeth then. I'm praying his teeth aren't getting worse, but I do suspect that at some point, he'll be losing more...

Chicken necks! I had planned on getting him some, but the first place I checked at didn't have any () and then I got distracted by something else going on (can't remember what) and never followed through! Definitely have to check a few more stores. I think there's some sort of a meat market up in Thorp, or maybe in Augusta...

[Barkingdog]

http://pets.thenest.com/make-own-gro...ats-11256.html


I wonder if would help your cat teeth hazel .

[hazelrunpack]

Think that would help teeth, Barkingdog? Interesting thought...calcium is pretty important when the teeth are forming, for sure. I'm going to have to do some research.

[Barkingdog]

I am taking calcium and vitamin D and my fingers nails are stronger . I also had to have a tooth pulled b/c of bone loss and I asked my dentist if calcium pills would had saved my tooth and he said "yes " . I haven't loss any more teeth , now watch them all fall out b/c I said this !

[hazelrunpack]

It's the consequence of statements like those that spurred me to develop and use my anti-jinx routine! heheh Works like a charm!

[Barkingdog]

Hazel can you say what your anti-jinx routine is or would that put a jinx on you too !!?