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Cat behavior modification
Amphetamine Parrot
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I understand my role is to accomodate my cat's every need, but he's developed two destructive habits that I'd like to persuade him to stop.
First, at about 5-6 in the AM, he starts viciously scratching at the bottom of my closet door, ripping up carpet and scratching the bottom of the door. I've put down a thick throw carpet but he still sometimes gets under it. When he wakes me up with the scratching I shoot him with the water bottle, which causes him to run away for about 5 minutes before he's back and scratching again. I've been spraying him for about 2 weeks and he hasn't changed.
Second, when he gets riled up, he takes a running start and then jumps as high as he can at the bathroom door frame and then scratches his way down it. He's made a couple good gauges in the frame . I have no idea how to stop this, so some advice would be appreciated.
Pics forthcoming.
First, at about 5-6 in the AM, he starts viciously scratching at the bottom of my closet door, ripping up carpet and scratching the bottom of the door. I've put down a thick throw carpet but he still sometimes gets under it. When he wakes me up with the scratching I shoot him with the water bottle, which causes him to run away for about 5 minutes before he's back and scratching again. I've been spraying him for about 2 weeks and he hasn't changed.
Second, when he gets riled up, he takes a running start and then jumps as high as he can at the bathroom door frame and then scratches his way down it. He's made a couple good gauges in the frame . I have no idea how to stop this, so some advice would be appreciated.
Pics forthcoming.
Amphetamine Parrot on
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Also how long are his nails? Perhaps he needs a trim and this is his subtle way of telling you.
And hurry w/ the Pics. Cat Thread Rule, you need to post pictures w/ problem. (Of the cat).
I think you may have inadvertently trained him to scratch the closet door whenever he wants attention. You could try placing a scratching post close to the crime scene and hope that he likes it better than the door.
My cat did something similar with my bookshelf. Eventually we built him a combined scratching post/climbing pillar that reached all the way to the ceiling, and apparently it was awesome enough to bring an end to his bookshelf rampages.
So yeah, my approach to cat behavior has apparently been to give in to whatever the cat wants. There may be other ways. Most cats seem to absolutely hate tin foil, so covering surfaces temporarily with tin foil may make them stop, although usually they just switch to damaging some other piece of furniture unless you provide them with a legit place to climb/jump/scratch/whatever. As cats get older they tend to become less destructive.
http://www.softclaws.com/about.asp
I hear they work pretty well and stay on most cats for a few weeks.
These are an abomination. A cat's claws are essentially their fingers, capping them is like wearing mittens and trying to type a term paper. They'll not be able to claw you, but they won't be able to do most of the things they need to do in getting around either.
Don't be the guy who uses these. Be smart, get him a scratching post and redirect these energies to something productive (or at least non-destructive). These sorts of tools are trying to deny your cat part of what makes him a cat, instinctively.
Although I wouldn't put them on the back feet because they use those when they have an itch.
...come on, doesn't anyone watch "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"?
edit for video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCaTpFwcC9o
You could just get him declawed OP.
3DS FC: 5343-7720-0490
Declawing or modifying a cat's claws is like trimming or modifying the top two joins of your finger. Declawing your cat is essentially amputating and has an unconscionably high rate of complications, the most usual of which is constant pain to their paws.
Considering that in almost all cases a slight amount of work and understanding on the owner's part can solve the problem and keep the cat from being mutilated, declawing should never ever be on the table.
This would be ridiculous overkill, besides being painful and cruel, as someone kindly illustrated while I was typing this.
Anyway...
As far as scratching the floor, I would second that double-sided tape or tinfoil would be a good idea. Maybe try putting one of the flat cardboard scratcher boxes over the area where he's ripping up the carpet also.
Not sure about the doorframe scratching - one of my cats sort of does this when she gets hyper, but she doesn't really gouge it on the way down as much as the claws just slide down....maybe try temporarily attaching some foil and/or tape to the door frame also?
Haven't had any experience with the Soft Claws so far - I have two large, smart, and muscular forest cats, and i'm fairly sure they would be removed and disappeared/destroyed within the hour if I gave them a shot.
We do clip his nails regularly, about once every 2 weeks. The concept of kitten mittens is pretty awesome though, and I think I will try to find something like that, even if it's just for a few laughs at the cat's expense. I have no intention of getting the little jerk de-clawed though. That just strikes me as really mean.
She still generally goes bonkers around 2-3am but hey, I'm in my bedroom and she's running around like an idiot NOT waking me up, so it's a win-win situation.
Oh, hey I'm making a game! Check it out: Dr. Weirdo!
If you had a roomba it'd be even cooler. They come with remote controls.