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Catpert is for people who love cats. We provide info on caring for cats, cat health and behavior, humor and lots of pictures of cats. Because we love them.
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| Date: Dec 17, 2007 | |
| Question: My cat exhibits a number of behavioral "problems" and I'm not sure what to do. He is about 16 months old and pretty large -10lbs?, a shelter cat I've had since 6 weeks old (neutered at that age). Where to start? We play fetch with him at least twice daily (though busy schedules mean we aren't perfect w.this) to work out his energy but we still experience problems- often if I go into a room and shut the door, he will scratch violently until the paint falls off. We've tried to ignore this behavior (not reward it) but it continues. He's up on every surface despite the spray bottles, the loud "no", etc. Its obvious that he knows he can do what he wants esp. when we are not home or not looking - tables, the stove - he once turned on the flame with his foot by accident, so now we live with the knobs off. He opens the medicine cabinet and takes everything out. He flips his litter box over and then goes on the floor - we've tried 2 different box types now. His latest is getting on the fridge and opening the cabinet above by scratching it to death. He's basically destroying the house. He scratches the mattress (yes, we have plenty of posts and reward the scratching of them - he does use them in addition to shelves, couch, chairs, the dresser is trashed, etc) and anything else we value. He knocks things over the middle of the night, he's shattered mirrors, etc. This cat does have a sweet personality - but he doesn't like a lot of touching, hes quick to bite and scratch ("playfully") which is another issue which keeps us from trimming his claws and getting him out from under the bed, etc. A couple times a day he calms down enough to want to sleep on a lap or be pet for a few moments. We love this cat very much but need some guidance because some days it feels very hard when the house is being destroyed, and we are at the mercy of his behavior. We have a good relationship we just need some advice on how to survive him in the house! Cory This sounds very much like a combination of a cat who is bored and a few unrealistic expectations. First, it is almost impossible to train a cat not to get onto countertops and tables. Cats like vertical space, and unless you are present all the time to be extremely consistent with the spray bottle, or can booby trap every one of these spaces with things like upside down tape or cans with coins in them tied together with string, you won't be successful. He also obviously likes to be where you are, even if he doesn't want hands-on attention. Ignoring door scratching is difficult at best, as you have to come out sometime:) You might consider Soft Paws nail caps to decrease the destruction and have a professional apply them the first time and show you how. Try a covered cat box, or a very large under-bed box with litter in it to prevent him from flipping it. Most of all, lots of attention, LOTS of toys (especially ones that mimic hunting behavior,like radio controlled mice, and those toys that you can put a treat inside), lots of vertical perches (consider one of the very tall cat trees). Although controversial, I would consider declawing before sending him outside or giving him up due to behavior issues. A consultation with a behaviorist may also be in order - you can usually ask your veterinarian for a referral to someone in the area. These are all normal behaviors in his mind, so it takes a great deal of work to overcome them. Good luck! |
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| Expert: Dr. Emily Walker About the expert: At Albuquerque Cat Clinic, we believe that the bond between cats and their caretakers is extremely special. We also believe that protecting and preserving our feline patients’ health, both physical and mental, is essential to the continuance of this bond. | |
| URL: www.abqcatclinic.com | |
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