Okay, are there discipline classes for cats? Seriously! Bones has been so destructive lately, and it's really getting a little irritating. The squirt bottle really hasn't been all that effective--she doesn't necessarily like the squirt bottle, but right after being squirted, she always does the same behavior again.
For example, lately she's been climbing my curtains. It drives me absolutely nuts. That, and she ate ALL my plants again...somehow (I'm still not sure how since they're on top of the fridge). I guess that was kind of okay since my plants were freaking WIMPY because there has hardly been any sunlight lately. I'm debating on whether going to the nursery and getting actual mature PLANTS would even be worth my time. I've heard that if you put double sided tape all around the plants, cats HATE that and will leave them alone. I don't know.
Seriously though, any tips for destructive cats? She's been meowing all the time, deliberately not using her litterbox, running around the house like a maniac, knocking over trashcans, tearing sheets off the bed, opening my closet doors and then climbing up my clothes, and attacking me when I'm sleeping! What happened to my sweet cuddly kitten!? It sounds terrible, but I'm really considering crating her while we're at work...that's when most of the destruction happens!
Edited to add, the reason that I'm debating purchasing more mature plants from the Grange is that I'm also considering letting Bones go outside...I think she might calm down a bit if she were able to run and jump and climb outside. But, I think she'd just eat the outside plants (ours AND our neighbors'), and possibly a lot of other plants that could potentially kill her. On the other hand, in a few months I'll be able to plant the plants outside, and if she stays inside, she won't get to them!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
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Bad Little Kitty. . .I think I would strangle her. . .J/K. Good Luck though, that would make me crazy but I guess I already have two distructo's in my house and it drives me nuts. LOL!
ReplyDeleteIIRC, she's young, right? Mine can be little monsters sometimes. I've have to find which toys they love best (they are PICKY) and I wear them out, especially with the toy on the stick. It seems to help those destructive habits.
ReplyDeleteAlso try putting scratching posts (some prefer carpeted kind, others like the cardboard kind) near any of her temptations. Sprinkle it liberally with cat nip. The double-stick tape doesn't help with Linus because he chews the tape off. Stinker!
Be careful to only introduce non-toxic plants. Honestly though, I have a really hard time keeping plants in the house.
And at the risk of making this even LONGER (sorry!), some cats are picky about the litterbox, enclosed versus no lid. Some prefer certain types of litter. If you haven't changed brands on her recently, you may want to slowly introduce a new type. Some like privacy (like a closet) and others like the litterbox to be out in the open. Some don't like it if the box is near vibrations, like a washer/dryer.
Please reconsider not letting her outside. The vet bills can be atrocious from diseases and animal bites/attacks. My friend has a very sick and hurt kitten from this. :(
I'm full of other ideas but I thought I'd cut it off while it's a short novel. :)
It's strange... Our first cat wouldn't bother with plants or flowers, but our second cat LOVES them! She eats all of our plants and flowers now... We've found a ledge that she cannot get to and have started putting flowers that Jesse gets me there. Somewhere high off the ground where there isn't much standing room... You have to be careful because a lot of plants/flowers can kill cats... I'm not sure off the top of my head which ones though...
ReplyDeleteTry getting more than one littler box.... Placing one downstairs & one upstairs (or if you live on one level.... One in the bathroom and one in another room.) This may help with the litterbox problem.
My parents let their cats outside, but they live in the country. We actually had a cat growing up that was mainly an outdoor cat (except in extreme cold/hot days) She was in amazing shape because she got all the exercise she could handle, she even caught her own food somethings. She actually only went to the vet twice in her life to get shots/check-ups (I do not recommend this.... But that's how it happened back then) Anyway, she was the healthiest and oldest cat we ever had... But if you let him outside, make sure there's a way he can get back in, otherwise he may run away. Sorry for it being so lengthy, we have 2 cats and a dog and love animals! Good luck!!
I have no help to offer on the cat side of things. Sorry you're having so much trouble with your plants! I'd go and buy some regular little plants. They're pretty affordable especially once you consider the cost of produce at the store. I know I recently saw tomato and herb plants at my grocery store for only $.89 - SO MUCH cheaper than it was at Lowes or HD. Plus I think they're harder to kill. Mine are doing fabulous! I have a ton of little tomatoes now and bell peppers. One bell pepper should be ready to pick soon and my squash plants are both flowering!
ReplyDeleteOk, maybe something on the cat thing, is Bones just bored? Maybe a scratching post and I know the stores sell cat nip plants. I'm not sure if that would make her more or less likely to attack the plants though. If you do put her outside (the only cat I had growing up was indoor and out door cat) do you think she'd attack the outdoor plants? She might have more stimulation and be less likely to go after them. I know ours never went after outdoor ones, she just always tried to pee in my mom's one indoor plant.
Cats hate pepper. When Oscar was peeing in my Mom's plant we sprinkled pepper on the dirt and around the plant. It was never a problem again. That won't be the only solution you'll need but it can be one of many remedies.
ReplyDeletehow old is the kitty? jaq got over the squirt bottle really quickly & would also go straight back to whatever he was doing. I ended up having to fold up my curtains to make him stop climbing them. Eventually he calmed down some and I was able to let them down a couple of months ago.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the pp about the enclosed litterbox. We had this and he was fine for a year, but recently he decided that he didn't like it anymore.. I think because he would pee right at the entry & then when he had to go again, he didn't like having to climb over the old pee.. We uncovered it & haven't had an "accident" since.
Other than that- I have NO clue.. we are still fighting with Jaq about getting up on the counters & knocking stuff off. He hasn't messed with my plants so much, but they have a cover on them.
The worst part is that the cat KNOWS he is doing something wrong & waits until we are asleep or at work to be bad! UGH! We can come home and he will be cowering because he knows he was bad while we were out.