I am trying to understand my cat (page 6)

Sawyer

Fisherman,

You have described a very active, social cat that loves his human! Which behavior are you trying to break with the water pistol? I re-read your posts, but I'm not sure. Also, how old is he?

He wants to jump on a table. I want him to not to be all over me sometimes. And I want to teach him no to scartach certain places. I am afraid to have ant leather chairs I will never be sure that he will not rip it to threads. I cannot close the door because he cries and wants to be with me at all times. If I leave the door open and try to reason with him to stay out. He wont listen. He has improved a lot, but his joy in life is to climb all over me, nudge my face, purr all of the time drooling saliva all over me. Except in the hunting mode, but even then he wants to be around me.

Sawyer

Quote: He wants to jump on a table. I want him to not to be all over me sometimes. And I want to teach him no to scartach certain places. I am afraid to have ant leather chairs I will never be sure that he will not rip it to threads. I cannot close the door because he cries and wants to be with me at all times. If I leave the door open and try to reason with him to stay out. He wont listen. He has improved a lot, but his joy in life is to climb all over me, nudge my face, purr all of the time drooling saliva all over me. Except in the hunting mode, but even then he wants to be around me.

The table: that is definite water pistol/sprayer, palm of hand training. Add a firm 'NO', or "NO, NO, NO" (ha) Watch for him about to jump - if you can catch him while he is in thinking mode, palm of hand on nose pushing backwards "NO". Keep watching him and doing that until he walks away. He will get frustated very quickly with you pushing against his nose. You should be able to graduate to just 'NO' when you see him thinking about it and he should walk away. If he is so insistent he drives you insane, try sticky tape. I only use that one when I'm home, because I'm always afraid he will get it on him, lick it off, swallow the tape, etc. but it helps if I'm in lazy mode. I sit something on the tape when I leave the house.

Scratching - get the post/ramp. Teach him that's the place to go. You'll get that trained, then when new furniture enters the picture - "NO" if he even goes around it, looks at it sideways, etc. If you're not home a lot after the new furniture arrives, I'd plastic tarp it. Tarp comes off when you are home and watching. He will learn. NO is invaluable here. Once with a new chair, I put a potted plant on the side he could reach, tarp hanging loosely around the other sides. He ignored it - couldn't get the tension he wanted to scratch effectively. Eventually, the furniture isn't 'new' to him anymore, tarp comes off for good, all done!

When he wants to be all over you -take the time and play with him, like maybe when you first come home and he's ready to go. Try to wear him out. Fetch games work well with this, some cats love to play fetch - make him run/hunt, see if you can teach him to bring it back to you. He's only a year old, so he's very active, and he seems to be the active of the active! He will slow down some over time. If he still wants attention when you don't have the time - hand in face 'NO'. I've never water pistoled or sprayed one that just wanted my attention to play. Maybe pick up a toy (those little, teeny mice at the pet store work great) and toss it across the room. If you're lucky, he'll turn his attention to the toy.

Cheapest, best cat toy known to man? The ring from the plastic milk jug. Just be prepared to find several hundred under your frig when you move. LOL If you have hardwood floors, or in the kitchen area, crumple up some aluminum foil into a ball. They love the noise the prey makes as it scatters across the floor. Get a paper grocery sack (if you can find one anymore). They love to jump in, hide in those. Other people have also mentioned the best of the cat toys - lots of experience on this forum!

The door with you on the other side? I never learned that one - lol. I gave that up years ago. I actually go outside when I have to wrap lots of Christmas presents - shutting the door never has worked for me. Goodness knows they love wrapping paper. Anyone else?

I hesitate to say - get another cat. But, it's something you might want to consider in a few months that might work well for your fellow, especially if you're not home a lot. He seems very social-minded with a good imagination, so be sure to get another social cat. I would get a younger kitten, male or female, spayed/neutered. Let him be the senior, since he was there first. Of course, you have more training to do.......

How well this all works is mostly up to you. It takes diligence and patience, but a few weeks or months pays off if he lives 20 plus years! Just like with dogs, teach him you are the boss. But, good luck with that, since he'll never admit it! lol

Fisherman

Restangled sawyer or anyone that knows.

My cat meaws and looks at me. Why? seems as if he wants something/ I feel so sorry when he meowas like that at me.

restrangled

Do you know what background breed your cat has? Siamese talk constantly and loudly, other than that he is just communicating with you. Don't feel bad, just talk back to him. Cats learn words like dogs do. One of my cats understood the word TUNA like no other!

There is a stray cat that I feed in the neighborhood and he talks and shouts when ever he gets petted or wants attention, if I dare walk away he makes a grab for my legs with both front arms. When he's had enough his tail starts twitching violently and I know he's had enough.

For some reason, the long haired cats I have owned always had quiet voices and rarely used them. They would make more prrrrrt sounds then meowing.

Short haired cats make more noise in my estimation.

Cats really are very easy, take care of them, be kind and they are your loving friends for life. Once you understand your cat they are very easy to read. He will have his own clues, looks, moods etc. and learn to read tail language!

r.

hillbilly

all things said...you can train a cat to be a neurotic as you care too.

~Hill

Gerard

BFD

Gerard that picture is so funny.

I have 2 cats. Sam is 18 years old and he has always been very vocal. I still don't know what the heck he wants from me. His constant mewing gets worse as he ages. I even took him to the vet because I though he was in pain or something the way he was constantly howling. Nothing wrong, just vocal. Blood work did reveal his thyroid was over-active so now I have to give him a shot of medicine everyday.

Simon is only 2 and he spends most of his time outside. I rescued him as a kitten but could not find him a home so now he's mine.

Here's a picture of Sam saying Happy New Year...

And here is Simon, my Jewish cat. You can still see where the vet had to shave him after he got a nasty infection from a punture wound.

My animals have trained me well. I hope you have better luck.

One more pic of Simon getting ready to pounce on Gracie's head...

BFD

Lady Lee

Catspeak 101

You are the master of of the pride and he or she is trying to get noticed. Cats have a heirarchy - the master is never out of control and it is the master who is never lower than the kitten.

Think of how a mother cat trains the kitten. A gentle grab at the back of the neck and a bit of a gentle shake - not too much, we don't want to bash his head around. A paw brought down on the kittens neck forcing the cats head down to the ground and held there for a few moments with a clear command NO! - every time he does an unwanted behavior whether that is a request for affection or an attack of your leg

When the kitten rolls over and exposes his tummy he is signaling that he understands you are the leader of the pride. That should give him a reward - a pat or a treat - tuna is addictive to cats so tuna flavored treats it makes for a good reward.

Lady Lee

A trick I learned somewhere to use when cats scratch the furniture - aluminum foil. Place or tape the foil to the spots they are scratching. They hate the feel of it

I never found spraying them with water helped.

Catnip - oh lordy what a laugh when they get hig on it, I would give each of my cats a bit on custard bowls. One figured out how to get the tuna out of the bowl - lie down and with both paws pull the bowl over your head to see if there was anymore in there. Then he would roll around on the floor to bathe himself in spilled catnip

Please note: I didn't say he was a smart cat

But then again he knew where we kept the catnip. - Up in the cupboard, second shelf and behind other things. One day I heard a bang and got to the kitchen to see him on the floor with the catnip container floor while he was trying to open the container with his teeth. The cans that were blocking it had fallen onto the counter while he was trying to find the catnip. We then moved it over the fridge where the doors were sliding and he couldn't get to it.

Although he did learn how to open a sliding screen window and jump outside

If there was trouble you could pretty well guess who started it

I am trying to understand my cat

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