question for cat owners

karlooben · « **on:** December 05, 2009, 20:33 »

some of you may know that my old cat { thanks to jack the dog} went to live with someone else and at times i have been truly worried about her and these ppl going away non stop , well it seems that my old cat is really really settling in as today i was told that she is now letting the kiddies stroke her an she even sits on one of thier laps never dreamed i would i hear that as i owned that cat for nearly 8 yrs and she hate kids .

anyways these ppl her new owners have just had a brand new hall way carpet laided { they dont do cheap ethier } and appartently kiki the cat has been scratching at it an has now damaged it in about 10 places , now personally i reckon its because shes finally settled down and feels more then comfortable in the house so shes gonig round making it her own but maybe i am wrong , what do u guys think ??

Caralou · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2009, 21:01 »

I think if she has been an mainly outdoors cat recently she probably hasnt fully learnt yet that some things shouldnt be scratched now that she is inside more (or has chosen to forget - mine sometimes do that

). When my two semi-ferals started coming in they would rag the carpet but learnt from short sharp NOs and watching the other cats use scratching posts where they could scratch. You can get floor scratching pads and I would recommend they get one and put it on the carpet where puss has started ragging and each time they have a go on the carpet a sharp NO, pick up and put to the scratching pad. It helps to do the scratching motion with their paws on the pad to give them the idea. It will take a little time, but cats can be trained to stop, you just have to keep reinforcing otherwise the little terrors will try to get away with it again.

The other possible option is attention seeking behaviour. My oldest cat Arwen knows to use the scratching posts but if I am cuddling one of the other cats and she wanted me she would stretch onto the arm of the sofa and scratche it knowing she would get my attention to stop her. If this is the case it depends on what she wants. I ignored advice with Arwen (which is again a NO each time they do it and then ignore them until they stop the offending behaviour) and instead say NO then pick her up and sit her next to me. Now she stretches out but doesnt scratch, I know what she is after without her needing to demolish the sofa for me. Again though, moving the cat to a scratch pad when they do it with a sharp NO is the best way to stop the behaviour.

xx

chickenlady · « **Reply #2 on:** December 05, 2009, 21:09 »

Are Lilo and Stitch in training at the mo then Cara? I shall be expecting impecible bahaviour

x

karlooben · « **Reply #3 on:** December 05, 2009, 21:17 »

theres probably many reasons to why shes doing this but i shall pass that on caralou thanks although it will have to wait as they have gone away again and they have only been home 24 hours from having 4 days away .

Caralou · « **Reply #4 on:** December 05, 2009, 21:22 »

Quote from: chickenlady on December 05, 2009, 21:09

Are Lilo and Stitch in training at the mo then Cara? I shall be expecting impecible bahaviour x

They do use the scratching post and are also fully litter trained. At the moment the main training with them is to not climb the curtains to the top - especially as they cant get back down again!

Problem is they are soooooo cute I dont want to say no to them yet

chickenlady · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2009, 21:26 »

..............Lilo!..................Stitch!.................No climbing auntie Cara's curtains! and there will be none of that when you get here either

Sorry to hyjack your thread Looby??? Im just a little excited

too many girls · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2009, 23:03 »

Quote from: Caralou on December 05, 2009, 21:01

I think if she has been an mainly outdoors cat recently she probably hasnt fully learnt yet that some things shouldnt be scratched now that she is inside more (or has chosen to forget - mine sometimes do that ). When my two semi-ferals started coming in they would rag the carpet but learnt from short sharp NOs and watching the other cats use scratching posts where they could scratch. You can get floor scratching pads and I would recommend they get one and put it on the carpet where puss has started ragging and each time they have a go on the carpet a sharp NO, pick up and put to the scratching pad. It helps to do the scratching motion with their paws on the pad to give them the idea. It will take a little time, but cats can be trained to stop, you just have to keep reinforcing otherwise the little terrors will try to get away with it again.

The other possible option is attention seeking behaviour. My oldest cat Arwen knows to use the scratching posts but if I am cuddling one of the other cats and she wanted me she would stretch onto the arm of the sofa and scratche it knowing she would get my attention to stop her. If this is the case it depends on what she wants. I ignored advice with Arwen (which is again a NO each time they do it and then ignore them until they stop the offending behaviour) and instead say NO then pick her up and sit her next to me. Now she stretches out but doesnt scratch, I know what she is after without her needing to demolish the sofa for me. Again though, moving the cat to a scratch pad when they do it with a sharp NO is the best way to stop the behaviour.

xx

i've got visions of you on your hands and knees pretending to be a cat and showing them how to rag the carpet

Caralou · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2009, 23:43 »

Ermmmm I hate to admit it but that is exactly what I have done in the past. I also do the same to show how to use litter trays, get them in there and show them how to dig

chickenlady · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2009, 00:00 »

Quote from: Caralou on December 05, 2009, 23:43

Ermmmm I hate to admit it but that is exactly what I have done in the past. I also do the same to show how to use litter trays, get them in there and show them how to dig

Phew!

for a minute there I thought you meant you actually had a poop in the litter tray

too many girls · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2009, 00:01 »

Quote from: chickenlady on December 06, 2009, 00:00

Quote from: Caralou on December 05, 2009, 23:43
Ermmmm I hate to admit it but that is exactly what I have done in the past. I also do the same to show how to use litter trays, get them in there and show them how to dig

Phew! for a minute there I thought you meant you actually had a poop in the litter tray

must admit....for a nano second

Caralou · « **Reply #10 on:** December 06, 2009, 00:09 »

One of my cats has tried to wee in the toilet - she fell in mid flow, but I was very proud of her

Since then I have made sure the lid is down though as she ran straight onto my bed with her own widdle on her - daft Shia puss!

Paul Plots · « **Reply #11 on:** December 06, 2009, 00:45 »

The joys of kitten owning.... I remember it well from our last lot although it was around 16 years ago!

Caralou · « **Reply #12 on:** December 06, 2009, 00:47 »

Shia was four when she tried that trick

The kittens are better behaved than her!

Paul Plots · « **Reply #13 on:** December 06, 2009, 00:49 »

Quote from: Caralou on December 06, 2009, 00:47

Shia was four when she tried that trick The kittens are better behaved than her!

I'm hoping "we" decide to choose kittens as I have a feeling they might be easier to convince that claws are for ripping scratching posts to pieces with.... I should be so lucky! :blink:

chickenlady · « **Reply #14 on:** December 06, 2009, 10:04 »

When we first got our Mollie she was a very playful 11 month old. we bought her a scratching post which was put behind the sofa as space was at a premium then.
Everytime hubby told her off for being silly or clawing something she would dive behind the sofa and attack the scratching post as if she was trying to kill it

we used to laugh our heads off cause I said I bet she has a picture of hubby on her scratching post and she was getting her revenge

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