Cat complaint thread. Yes, I'll keep them anyway.

[superconnected]

okay, a few things on my list. If anyone knows how to fix please let me know.

1. tearing the toilet paper to shreds. (this happens daily. I don't know which of my 3 6mo old kitten does it and I don't know how to punnish it.)

2. Sasha not covering her stuff when she goes in the litter box. I've recently started putting her back in and moving her paws to coverer it for her. She takes over and does it when I do this, but I still have to initiate.

3. Vanilla - the really hard toe biter. He's big now and grabs my toe in his mouth and yanks as if he literally is trying to pull my toes off. I can't have bare feet around him. I've picked him up, place him outside my room and close my door for months, and still no stopping him.

4. The garbage - my kittens take any trash bin not full to the top as their cue to jump in. That goes for laundry too. In both cases they knock it over and string clothes/trash all over. They only do this when I'm not looking and can't tell it's happening. It is not daily.

5. The two adult cats - sit in my bedroom doorway and won't let each other pass. I stop clawing/hissing fights all day over them not letting each other pass. The kittens have learned to simply jump over my older cat when she won't let them pass. The momma cat won't though. She fights her. My older cat, Mismatch, invites the fight. They've been fighting since December when I adopted the stray momma cat.

6. All 5 cats constantly congregate in my room and want to share my bed. My older cat threatens all of them. They step well around her on the bed and find safe spots to sleep. If she comes near them they get scared and run. Mismatch still refusing to getting along is a problem.

[yellowdawgdem]

1. that's a big grievance list

ya got there. No real answers here. I had a cat who used to shred toilet paper, and I just had to keep it in a drawer. Also I gave her a roll now and then to play with- hoping it would lose its appeal. That helped some, and her getting older helped. Offhand I'd say you have too many damn cats, and that might be why they have so many squirmishes. But I'm sure you have the best intentions for keeping them all. Sometimes it only takes 1 uncooperative cat to create havoc for everybody else. Cats are really hard to train, it can be done. I've had some luck spraying them with a little water for bad behaviors. Mostly though, ya just have to love them, and work the stuff out with the least fuss possible. Cats totally hate fuss.

[superconnected]

3. I think they'll grow out of the toilet paper and garbage.

The ones I'm worried about are the toe biting from Vanilla and my 18yo cat still not getting used to the new cats in the house. She's quite the bully.

I don't have too many cats. It's only one problem cat not getting along - Mismatch.


Mismatch - my 18yo bully. Was my only cat for 17 yrs. She wants to continue being my only baby.


Aurora - the momma kitty

[lukasahero]

6. I'm not sure you can blame Mismatch

17 years as an only cat is a lot of attention to get used to sharing. To be honest, I'm not sure you'll be able to change her attitude, you may be stuck with only being able to "deal" with it. Not being a behavior expert, I'm not sure what to tell you to do, but you could check out this and other articles from Drs. Foster and Smith: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=1&acatid=209&aid=752 ("How to Breed Harmony in Your Multiple Cat Household")

Another article about aggressive behavior in older cats suggests there could be medical concerns such as pain from arthritis involved so you could get her checked by a vet.

More informative "training" articles can be found at "Perfect Paws" here: http://www.perfectpaws.com/cpv.html (They have a couple on biting that might be of interest to you.)

[yellowdawgdem]

9. they are sweet looking cats

Well, maybe it is really just Mismatch throwing everybody else off. She probably is quite upset at so many cats in her territory. I've had this situation more than once. though it was usually with 2 cats, and I don't think I could've stood anymore than that. I had it with a 15 year old and a new kitten. Now I've got the problem with the grown kitten who is now 6, and a 6 mos. old kitten. The best thing to do with your older cat is give her extra attention if you can. It helps if you recreate situations that were pleasurable for her b4 all of the guests got there. Also I think it helps to talk to them, and reassure them. Sometimes it helps to actually put them into a separate room and spend an hour with them. Still, it's not likely that Mismatch is going to have any great personality change. As far as toe biting goes, I had one that did that. The same one who shredded tp, and was generally mischievous. Usually if cats do alot of behaviors like that, it just means they want more attention. Also you can let them know, verbally, that you are displeased when they bite.
I really sympathize with all of your problems with the cats. I am having similar probs with my older one and the new kitten. Mostly I ignore it, but yesterday the kitten somehow broke the older cat's foot. So I am now considering giving the kitten away.
I wish you good luck with your situation.

[regnaD kciN]

2. Love bites...

Over the past year or so, Andrew has taken to showing his affection by chomping you on the elbow or forearm.

[superconnected]

4. What do you think that means?

I have 2 black cats that stay in my apt every night now - the one with the thin tail and the one with the thick tail, and the one with the thin tail acts like he's going to chomp on my hand constantly but won't bite down hard.

btw, Regnad, I've decided to put my cats through shots now, since I got a good job, Loriens Hecate died, and I'm inviting cats into my house all the time.

[regnaD kciN]

5. Good!

[demnan]

7. My cats don't get along well

Pad Thai gets jealous when Lily gets attention, and Pad Thai is extremely jealous. He chases her away. All the amount of yelling at him or ignoring him does not change this. But Lily is also not very friendly to Pad Thai and was openly hostile to him when I got him. He goes up to bump noses with her and she hisses at him.

Pad Thai pees standing up in the litter box. I have enclosed litter boxes and I have to tape a gallon plastic bag to the back of the litter box to catch the urine and keep it from seeping out between the bottom and the lid of the box.

Lily is scared of everyone! She runs and hides at the least provocation. Even when my brother and his wife come to visit and have been with us for days, she won't come out of hiding.

Lily comes up in the middle of the night and sits on my face. Somehow she thinks I can sleep while being suffocated by her fat ticked butt.

Pad Thai wakes me up by jumping on the Bose radio and turning on Christian music loud!! (He found the station, no doubt because it would irritate me) and he changes the time on the Bose and turns off or changes the time on the alarm.

[Lorien]

8. Wow-quite a list! The toilet paper thing

should get dull to them as they mature, but you might consider putting the TP in a covered basket in the meantime. "punishing" cats never works-it has the opposite effect, in fact. Dogs can be "punished" because the Alpha in a pack will do an alpha roll, snap, bite, growl and bark at subordinate animals to keep them in line. Similar behavior is not part of feline culture-the same actions mean "get away from me or I'll hurt you" not "behave differently-I'm in control". To alter behavior, you'll need to 1.) offer more appealing alternatives; much of this behavior seems to indicate boredom or a desire for more interaction with you. You might begin by scheduling 10 minutes every day when you can play with your cats with an interactive toy like "Da Bird" (see Doctors Foster and Smith's website). I did this every night-usually for twenty minutes-when my cats Oberon and Puck were still kittens. I would get the older cat, Miro, involved in the play to-that way he associated being with the kittens with "fun time". He also loves to be brushed, so I would set a toy like the "Panic mouse 360" (Google it) nearby for the kittens to play with while I brushed him. Again, pleasant association with being near the kittens. For more tips on positive reinforcement training, read the book "Getting started; clicker training for cats" ( www.clickertraining.com ).

As for the biting; again, I think this is a ploy for attention. Try spaying bitter apple on your toes (or anything else that would smell or taste bad to a cat. perfume might work well too, as long as it doesn't contain musk). Putting him out when he does this is a good idea (since it shows him that biting isn't getting the desired results; your attention), but I think what would help the most is simply giving him some individual attention every day-especially interactive play (try a laser pointer) that might wear him out a bit.

Garbage/ laundry; use covered garbage pails and laundry hampers-then offer attractive alternatives. a toy called the "peek a prize"-a low wooden box with holes in it filled with toys and treats- might offer the mental stimulation they crave. PetCo also sells nylon play tunnels that are a huge hit with my cats. Putting one or two out when you leave for the day might curb destructive behavior and encourage play between animals which normally avoid one another.

I hope that helps!

Da Bird:



http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11643&OVMKT=K3QPUMA15VGJPI32VHS07EP4RS&ref=3312&subref=AA&GCID=C12188x003&ctt=60

Peek-a-prize:

http://store1.yimg.com/I/thepawshop_1856_2972063

http://www.pawshop.com/pecatputoysy.html

Panic mouse 360:



http://catsplay.com/panicmouse_360.php3

Play tunnel:

[GardeningGal]

10. Do you have a link for the play tunnel?

That looks like something my cat might enjoy. Thanks.

[Lorien]

13. I got it at PetCo

It might be on their website-sorry that I don't have a link.

[GardeningGal]

16. Thanks for the info

I think we have one of those not too far from here. I'll go and check it out!

[demnan]

11. Lily loves the bird - she plays like a kitten with that

I actually have to run two at the same time because the cats get jealous if I play with one and not the other!

Pad Thai really prefers a little foil ball. I found one on the pillow this morning. I guess he didn't succeed in waking me up.

[Patiod]

12. I'm going to steal the perfume idea

Her new trick is biting a toe or foot to get attention. Bad enough when it's to get wetfood breakfast, but now she's doing it a second time to get someone to play with her.

[regnaD kciN]

18. That's a wonderful photo (cat tunnel)...!

Oberon's expression is priceless -- "What...is that little thing going to pounce on my tail again???"

[Eurobabe]

14. chewing electrical cords

that is the eight legged freaks' new trick (the kit-tens.) They damn near chewed through my new printer cord, lucky they did not zap themselves.

I think I am going to board the baby when I go on vacation to give my older cats a break, the Daemon is very pissy these days, too many cats in the house. Daughter takes Moe home on 8/14.

Yikes!

[superconnected]

15. excellent suggestions on this thread.

covered laundry and garbage and tp. Perfume on feet. All good advice I will use.

As far as electric cords - my kittens tried that a few months ago and I started unplugging everything and leaving it that way until I need it. It's a precaution for them not to get zapped. I don't think they are chewing cords anymore though.

[Blue Gardener]

30. Put empty paper towel rolls around the cords

That might dissuade them from chewing on them.

[demzilla]

17. Six easy solutions

1. Stop using toilet paper.
2. Stop feedeing Sasha; she will stop shitting, guaranteed.
3. Wear boots 24/7.
4. Keep garbage in the freezer, dirty clothes in the oven.
5. Get them Little Kitty Shotguns and may the best cat win.
6. Sleep in your car.

[regnaD kciN]

19. #5...BAD idea!

What makes you think they'd use them on each other, when they could instead form a very effective Kitty Mafia?

Cats are already able to make us humans do most of what they want...how much more so if they were "packing heat?"

;-)

[hippiegranny]

22. you should have alerted us

about this post - I just spit on my screen.

[expatriot]

20. 1,4: turning what's at hand into a toy, 2,3,5,6: competing for attention

#1 and #4 are cats finding things to do. 2,3,5 and 6 are the cats competing for your affection and attention. Not covering up doo-doo is often attributed to cat's crying for attention. Think of why they cover it up in nature... to conceal their presence so the inverse is a cry "here I am! Look at me! look at what I did! Can't you smell it?"

Physically aggressive play (toe biting) is also a cry for attention.

The two bedroom things are obvious problems with jealousy and trying to control "access" to you.

Mismatch is understandably very jealous and probably downright hurt that he is no longer the only one. Get him in your bedroom and close the door on the other four and lavish him with attention while you read a book or watch some t.v.

Please don't think I am accusing you of being neglectful or whatever, for god sakes the reason I know this is because our two kids exhibit such behaviors from time to time (Sonora, for example, has returned to not covering up her poo (she goes in phases)).

IT is hard, sometimes impossible to find time to lavish attention on them. If there are two that play well together, they won't mind sharing an "attention session." Get some toys that can keep them entertained by themselves also. Like a door hanging thing or something.

Best of luck...

[superconnected]

21. Thanks. Tonight I let Mismatch stay on the bed in my room with me

for over an hour while the other cats played down stairs. I closed the bedroom door so they couldn't get in. I think that is what she needs. I better start doing it everyday.

[newsguyatl]

23. let's see

well, besides the most ANNOYING of all (jesse peeing in my bed and in the bathroom sink) :mad: here are some others:

-always getting in my food, or at least trying to
-always trying to run out of the front door when i come home (they're indoor only)
-constantly chewing on my plants, killing my orchid and another already (i got the cat grass, they paid no attention to it)
-waking me up in the morning with loud meowing when THEY want me up (they no longer sleep with me b/c of jesse's pee problems)
-cat hair everywhere, no matter how much i vaccum and brush them
-walking back and forth on my computer desk while i'm using it while sticking their dirty butts in my face
-jesse clawing/mauling the shit out of me by always jumping on me, not yet fully realizing the power of his claws
-always on the kitchen counter, making it absolutely impossible to cook
-waking me in the middle of the night, by overturning/breaking yet another item in my place
-nikko's OCD scraping of the litter box after he poops... sometimes he'll go on for 10 minutes or longer until i say "nikko, for god sake!! PLEASE stop! jesus effin' christ!!!!!!!!"


i could go on, but my blood pressure's already high today, after an awful week with jesse :hi:

[regnaD kciN]

24. Andrew's latest stunt...

...was taking over my socks as I was getting dressed this morning. I've had him pick up the still-rolled-up socks and toss them around a bit before, but this time he simply sat down with one paw on the socks and a "you're not going anywhere" expression. When I finally got them away from him, he made a point of pouncing on every other item of clothing as I was putting it on.

:eyes:

[superconnected]

25. I appreciate this list!

now I feel better :)

[Patiod]

26. The counter is the only time I use "punishment"

I know you're not supposed to punish cats, and I've had great luck with rewards (treats for good behavior during claw clipping and for coming back the the house when called)

But I detest a cat on the counter or stove, so we both SCREAM when we catch her up there. GET DOWN GET DOWN GET DOWN GET DOWN GET DOWN!!!! It's actually effective. But then again, we limit its use only to counters and stoves. She still likes to cool herself on the cold glass dining room table (how gross is that?) - we figured we didn't want to overuse SCREAMING -- decided to pick our battles with her.

As for trying to get food - that cracks me up - she tries to divert the utensil -- like I won't notice there was tuna on the fork when it left the plate, but none on the fork when it got to my mouth.

I only yell STOP! at the 10-minute litterbox sessions when she starts to incorporate the bathroom rug or the towels on the towelrack in an effort to help cover stuff up

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. The Paw Is Quicker Than The Fork.

I get a huge kick out of the Feline Fork Intercept. I'm trying to eat something, and ZING! At nearly the speed of light this little white paw snags the food off the fork. The little beast also will sneak up on my plate (I have this slobbish habit of eating while lying on the couch watching TV), and snatch a hunk of my food and run away with it. He took off with a whole pork chop once.

[regnaD kciN]

28. Why use Feline Fork Intercept when a brute force approach works?

One of our late felines managed to hijack an entire pizza by simply sitting on it as soon as the box was opened. :eyes:

[meow2u3]

29. Boots does a lot of stuff he shouldn't be doing

1. Boots pees in his litterbox with all four paws on the rim--you gotta see it to believe it. Funny to look at, but afterwards, he kicks the litter out of the box and onto the floor.

2. I can't even cook dinner, much less eat it, without the cat planting his ass right in front of me. He tries to steal raw meat while I'm preparing it for cooking, and when I throw him off, he jumps right back up and repeats this annoying behavior. I'm tired of having cat hair along with my chicken!

3. He freakin' argues with me (meow..mrrrowww...mrrooooowwww) when I tell him to get out of my face when I'm eating--while he attempts to stick his face in my cereal bowl in the morning!

4. Boots will try to open the front storm door, either by pushing the door open or jumping to reach the knob, so he can bolt outside. When I reach for the spray bottle, he looks back at me. This cat is smart and knows when I'm about to use some form of remote punishment for his misdeeds.

5. He incessantly meows at me in the morning, trying to get me up and out of bed. If I don't arise, he'll proceed to jump on me! Imagine the mood I get in when I'm woken up by 14 pounds of cat jumping on me! :mad:

[Princess Turandot]

31. 1) I believe that they broke my printer last month..

I started having problems with my printer out of the blue. It's a pretty nice one, a Canon i9900 photo printer. The problem was so odd that the Canon support group gave me a real email address (as supposed to the support one) to send scanned copies of example prints to them.

They finally told me to bring it in for service, because they thought
some component was misfunctioning (not the print head, which is removable and replaceable on this model.) I was 2 #@$@%ing days past the warranty, but they nicely gave me a service code for in-warranty repair and there was a place fairly convenient to me.

These photos are of Razpy sort of doing a pole dance to attract Sasha, who simply hates him.You can see where the printer is, relative to the shelf.







He is sitting on the printer. It suddenly occured to me that he in particular had recently been using the printer as an intermediary stop on his late-night crazed patrol, jumping from the bookshelf to the printer to the sofa. A few of the other cats sometimes did the same thing. When the printer was serviced, they replaced 4 or so internal components. It had to be the cats. I can't imagine that Canon's quality control tests included 15 pound cats bounding onto their products! (I now have something sitting on the top of the printer now which seems to stop them from jumping on it.)

2)Then we have Khan, who is a wonderful cat, except for being a 'burier'. He tries to 'bury' the other cats' food while they are eating. He looks for stray pieces of paper to put over the food plates. (I hope Visa likes their billing slips decorated with processed chicken.) He also tries to bury my food.

3)Yuri, one of my Russian Blues, is also a very good cat who loves to carry things. He will pull shirts out of drawers and carry them into the living room. Every so often, he will carry an undergarment into the living room.

4)Ivan, my other Russian Blue, is very well behaved, except for chasing Sasha whenever he thinks I'm not looking.

5)Sasha is just a fuss-pot. She uses a separate litter box in my bathroom, and goes when the door is closed. She meows loudly at me when she wants to go, and often waits for me to pick her up and carry her into the bathroom, even if we are 4 feet away from it. She also loves to rip up paper. Here she is at work on one of her masterpieces:





As much as I admire her ability to gnaw symmetrically, cleaning up endless bits of card-board gets a bit old. But she's kind of cute so I think I'll keep her!



She also likes to rake her claws thru my hair at night. I always know when it is time to clip them as a result. I have long hair and there are mornings that I wake up with a 'do that Dolly Parton would envy. I've taken to braiding my hair at night, like an 19th Century plainswoman, to discourage her.

6) Razp(y)utin is just a bad boy. He chews on every thing, even metal. He scratches paint off of the wall if he sees a crack. He bites my legs when I am dishing out their food. He bites the other cats when they are sleeping. He never stops yowling unless he is asleep, being an Oriental. He rips open any package not immediately stowed away. In this case, it was a bag of flour, sitting in a grocery bag on the floor:



He also jumps into the freezer whenever I leave the door open for a second:



I'm always coming up with new names for him. Dennis the Menace. The Wild One. The Rebel Without a Cause. Razputin was a good name for him.

[superconnected]

32. that box Sasha chewed up is incredible.

And rasputins claws in the first pic look huge.

In lieu of your cats' habits, my cats are boring.

[regnaD kciN]

33. That's right...your cats haven't discovered cardboard boxes yet...

When I first became owned by cats, in 1978, I had a Super-8 projector that came in a styrofoam case inside a corrugated-cardboard outer box. By the time we got to L.A, the next year, it was in a styrofoam case sitting on top of a flat piece of cardboard, with (maybe) one-inch sides. ;-)

[Princess Turandot]

35. She eventually chewed the sides down completely..

and then lost interest in it after a while..some sort of performance art, no doubt!

I swear that I did not assist her in this process!

[newsguyatl]

34. Razpy rocks

he's a mean sum' bitch ain't he?

;-)

[Princess Turandot]

36. Well, there's the bad boy biter & brawler...

Then there's the sweetie-pie con-artist..





I keep telling myself that ice cubes taste better with cat fur in them...

[superconnected]

37. aaah that last pic with them both on their backs is great!

[newsguyatl]

38. there's no doubt in my mind

he'd eat my little jesse.

those are great pics btw! :D