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How do I stop my cats from thinking they are dogs? — Brooklynian

How do I stop my cats from thinking they are dogs?

homeowner
homeowner
edited November -1 in Brooklyn Pets
God-damn cats are ruining my stuff. First it was my high heel boots, and now its my house itself.

My cats have decided that they enjoy ripping the screens out of our windows. Tonight I came in to find my cat in the third floor window systematically ripping a HUGE hole in the screen. I don't know if this has come from their new-found favorite pastime of chasing the flying insects, but its going to make summer here (with the one AC in the entire house and the huge mutant mosquitos) pretty bad.

Any suggestions on how to get them to stop? I can't afford to replace all the screens just to have them ripped apart again. Not to mention, the wanton destruction of personal property agrieves me considering they live rent-free. :evil:

Comments

  • vanilla
    vanilla
    anything i don't want my cats to chew on i put a few drops of grapefruit seed extract. it's thick and nasty stuffy so it doesn't work on fabric but tastes SO bad & the cats won't put it in their mouth. once my BF had some on his finger and the cat rubbed on his finger and started running around, spitting, and foaming at the mouth - this is how i learned the trick (cat did not get sick or throw-up). now i rub it on plastic things - boy cat is obsessed with licking plastic, nothing like waking up to a sandpaper tongue licking the fan by your bed! or the girl cat had this trick of systematically removing push-pins from the corkboard and leaving them throughout the apt. maybe it will deter them from the screen, too!
  • vanilla
    vanilla
    anything i don't want my cats to chew on i put a few drops of grapefruit seed extract. it's thick and nasty stuffy so it doesn't work on fabric but tastes SO bad & the cats won't put it in their mouth. once my BF had some on his finger and the cat rubbed on his finger and started running around, spitting, and foaming at the mouth - this is how i learned the trick (cat did not get sick or throw-up). now i rub it on plastic things - boy cat is obsessed with licking plastic, nothing like waking up to a sandpaper tongue licking the fan by your bed! or the girl cat had this trick of systematically removing push-pins from the corkboard and leaving them throughout the apt. maybe it will deter them from the screen, too!
  • laura b
    laura b
    For starters get them a scratching post if they do not already have one. My cats love the corrugated-cardboard type.

    Bitter apple spray works (like what Vanilla recommended)--you can get it at pet stores

    Keep a spray bottle filled with water handy--spray at kitties when they start in. Also a can filled with pennies--shake when cat starts scratching at wrong place (refrain from throwing AT the cat :)).
  • laura b
    laura b
    For starters get them a scratching post if they do not already have one. My cats love the corrugated-cardboard type.

    Bitter apple spray works (like what Vanilla recommended)--you can get it at pet stores

    Keep a spray bottle filled with water handy--spray at kitties when they start in. Also a can filled with pennies--shake when cat starts scratching at wrong place (refrain from throwing AT the cat :)).
  • daver
    daver
    I've had really good luck over the years with bitter apple spray as well. The water spray bottle worked good as well when I was around to witness their misbehavior. For general scratching misbehavior I would always just remove them from the thing they were not to scratch, and move them to the thing they were supposed to scratch. Even the most thick headed kitties would generally get the idea after awhile. In conjunction with bitter apple on the verboten item and catnip on the, uh, boten one. I never had good luck with cans of pennies with my cats, but it would work wonders with some dogs.
  • daver
    daver
    I've had really good luck over the years with bitter apple spray as well. The water spray bottle worked good as well when I was around to witness their misbehavior. For general scratching misbehavior I would always just remove them from the thing they were not to scratch, and move them to the thing they were supposed to scratch. Even the most thick headed kitties would generally get the idea after awhile. In conjunction with bitter apple on the verboten item and catnip on the, uh, boten one. I never had good luck with cans of pennies with my cats, but it would work wonders with some dogs.
  • bullyboy
    bullyboy
    Your cats are clearly bored and in need of a hobby. Have you considered teaching them to read?

    reading in bed
  • bullyboy
    bullyboy
    Your cats are clearly bored and in need of a hobby. Have you considered teaching them to read?

    reading in bed
  • jf22561
    jf22561
    I second the suggestion for scratching posts! Our cats also love the corrugated cardboard - cosmic catnip alpine scratchers - and tall, sisal or wood posts (has to be sisal or wood). That should alleviate most - if not all - of their tearing what they shouldn't.
  • jf22561
    jf22561
    I second the suggestion for scratching posts! Our cats also love the corrugated cardboard - cosmic catnip alpine scratchers - and tall, sisal or wood posts (has to be sisal or wood). That should alleviate most - if not all - of their tearing what they shouldn't.
  • stacey
    stacey
    jf22561 wrote: I second the suggestion for scratching posts! Our cats also love the corrugated cardboard - cosmic catnip alpine scratchers - and tall, sisal or wood posts (has to be sisal or wood). That should alleviate most - if not all - of their tearing what they shouldn't.
    I agree with both the cardboard scratchers and the sisal scratchers both my kitties love them.

    I was watching a show (I think it was on Animal Planet) where a woman would come in and try and correct your animals behavior. One of the problems a couple had was their cat was scratching furniture. The woman told them that they should put double sided tape on the places that the cat scratches since they do not like anything sticky on their paws.

    Are these screens the kind that are attached to the window? If so, maybe until you train them not to scratch, you can purchase some of the small ones you slid in and keep it there when you are not home (basically having two screens in) so they do not ruin the good ones (and you can keep the house cool).
  • stacey
    stacey
    jf22561 wrote: I second the suggestion for scratching posts! Our cats also love the corrugated cardboard - cosmic catnip alpine scratchers - and tall, sisal or wood posts (has to be sisal or wood). That should alleviate most - if not all - of their tearing what they shouldn't.
    I agree with both the cardboard scratchers and the sisal scratchers both my kitties love them.

    I was watching a show (I think it was on Animal Planet) where a woman would come in and try and correct your animals behavior. One of the problems a couple had was their cat was scratching furniture. The woman told them that they should put double sided tape on the places that the cat scratches since they do not like anything sticky on their paws.

    Are these screens the kind that are attached to the window? If so, maybe until you train them not to scratch, you can purchase some of the small ones you slid in and keep it there when you are not home (basically having two screens in) so they do not ruin the good ones (and you can keep the house cool).
  • ruska b
    ruska b
    "bullyboy" wrote: Your cats are clearly bored and in need of a hobby. Have you considered teaching them to read?

    reading in bed
    EXCELLENT!
  • ruska b
    ruska b
    "bullyboy" wrote: Your cats are clearly bored and in need of a hobby. Have you considered teaching them to read?

    reading in bed
    EXCELLENT!
  • daver
    daver
    bullyboy wrote: Your cats are clearly bored and in need of a hobby. Have you considered teaching them to read?

    reading in bed
    Dat is one UGLY cat!

    image

    Or, if you _really_ want to keep them busy...
    image
  • daver
    daver
    bullyboy wrote: Your cats are clearly bored and in need of a hobby. Have you considered teaching them to read?

    reading in bed
    Dat is one UGLY cat!

    image

    Or, if you _really_ want to keep them busy...
    image
  • bullyboy
    bullyboy
    Just make sure to keep your wallet safely hidden, lest you want Fed Ex showing up with boxes from StinkyFishParts.com!
  • bullyboy
    bullyboy
    Just make sure to keep your wallet safely hidden, lest you want Fed Ex showing up with boxes from StinkyFishParts.com!
  • homeowner
    homeowner
    I'll try the bitter apple spray. The problem is not a scratching one, its more of a biting and tearing like dogs would do. At some point the cats have decided that they like biting metal, wire, etc. They will tear through steel wool, wire screens, etc. I've even caught them ripping the wire twist ties off of the bread to play with that. If I didn't know any better I'd say its more akin to teething. They just seem to like biting things (pens, bags, tinfoil) just to bite stuff.

    They have a scratching post that they use, plus we have a number of sisal doormats near the front and rear doors that they love to sharpen the claws on. They are actually very good about not scratching on other things such as furniture, luggage, etc.
    Just make sure to keep your wallet safely hidden, lest you want Fed Ex showing up with boxes from StinkyFishParts.com!
    Funny enough, everytime the doorbell rings the cats go running to the door as if someone is coming to see them. They are actually well acquainted with the FedEx, UPS, and FreshDirect guys. So perhaps they are waiting for a delivery :)
  • mantic
    mantic

    Subject: Re: How do I stop my cats from thinking they are dogs?

    homeowner wrote: God-damn cats are ruining my stuff. First it was my high heel boots, and now its my house itself.

    My cats have decided that they enjoy ripping the screens out of our windows. Tonight I came in to find my cat in the third floor window systematically ripping a HUGE hole in the screen. I don't know if this has come from their new-found favorite pastime of chasing the flying insects, but its going to make summer here (with the one AC in the entire house and the huge mutant mosquitos) pretty bad.

    Any suggestions on how to get them to stop? I can't afford to replace all the screens just to have them ripped apart again. Not to mention, the wanton destruction of personal property agrieves me considering they live rent-free. :evil:
    Aside from the suggestions of deterents, give them toys. They are bored and doing what they do to get your attention.

    I would, along with other suggestions, pluck them on the ear along with a firm NO. Then redirect them to thier scratching posts/toys.
    If all else fails, coerce them with drugs (catnip).
  • vanilla
    vanilla
    just keep sneaking bad tasting things on to everything they love to chew on. keep it natural and you won't notice & they will stay far away!
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