That Darn Cat
Oh my God. I'm going crazy. Elliott has jumped on the counter five times tonight (FIVE!), and no punishment I come up with is working. For the last few weeks, I've started physically chasing him when I catch him - often with a squirt bottle. Sometimes he calmly walks away meowing as I spray him with water, and other times he books it. Yet despite how much I chase him or how wet he gets, I continue to catch him up there.
Like I said, I've caught him five times tonight. The first time I chased him out of the kitchen. The second and third time, I chased him while squirting him with water. The fourth time? The fourth time, I scooped him up, went to the bathroom, turned on the shower and tossed him inside. Yep. I did. Then I left him all drippy in the bathroom for 15 minutes. And the fifth time - can you believe there was a fifth time? - I did the same thing. He's actually locked in the bathroom as I type this. I'm so irritated.
I know this seems mean, but he's not hurt (just wet). I need to find a punishment that he hates enough to teach him a lesson. He's deaf, so I can't yell at him. I can't withhold treats because he won't make the connection... so this is what I'm trying.
I'm going to let him out again.... we'll see how this goes.
Like I said, I've caught him five times tonight. The first time I chased him out of the kitchen. The second and third time, I chased him while squirting him with water. The fourth time? The fourth time, I scooped him up, went to the bathroom, turned on the shower and tossed him inside. Yep. I did. Then I left him all drippy in the bathroom for 15 minutes. And the fifth time - can you believe there was a fifth time? - I did the same thing. He's actually locked in the bathroom as I type this. I'm so irritated.
I know this seems mean, but he's not hurt (just wet). I need to find a punishment that he hates enough to teach him a lesson. He's deaf, so I can't yell at him. I can't withhold treats because he won't make the connection... so this is what I'm trying.
I'm going to let him out again.... we'll see how this goes.
posted by Charissa at 9:00 PM
9 Comments:
Try hissing at him
I know he's deaf but try it when he's looking at you.
and be careful.... that's an eighteen hundred dollar cat
Pick him up and cuddle with him. He just wants some Charissa love.
I have a few ideas... we always start with aluminum foil placed all over the counter when this is a problem. Most cats hate aluminum foil. Part of that is the noise though, so it may not bother Elliot. You could also try cardboard covered in double stick tape. If he sticks to it when he jumps up there, he won't be very happy. You can also try something prickly. They sell these fancy "scat mats" but really it's just like a rug pad turned upside down. One that is for carpet and has little prickly things on the bottom. I'd start with aluminum foil and work your way up if you have to. Foil is cheapest.
Also, if he's over the water bottle, we used to have a ping pong ball launcher when I was a kid. Worked wonders on my cat back then. I'm sure you could find something like that at the toy store... but Tonio would probably chew on the balls and then Elliot would swallow them!
I've also put my cat in the shower before but it was because she was being really mean to me and I couldn't take it anymore. It only took once.
Hmm. I've come to the conclusion that cats may be harder than dogs.
p.s. Snay? Cats don't always want love. Sometimes they want to eat your cookies and pee on your counter top.
p.p.s. Okay. Some of them do want love. The ones that don't like peeing on your counter top.
Ashlie:
I know. My cats like being fed and having the litter box changed. But when there's food in the bowl and fresh litter in the box and they're mewling ... they want scratchings and pettings!
Hmm...what is he doing once on the counter? Is there something new there that is enticing him? Does he have any other higher surface that he's allowed to jump on and be on, like a climbing tree or platform? Summer's ideas sound worth a try.
If Elliot were a kid of the human kind the shower would definitely work. Aubs thinks the shower is definitely a punishment. She prefers a long soak in the tub.
Try flipping him over on his back and staring him in the eye. It's a domination thing. Put one hand on his chest and hold his paws with your other hand so he can't wiggle away. Some cats will turn their head so you can't make eye contact. If he does this, use one hand to both hold his paws and chest, and the other hand to hold his head and stare into his eyes.
Try mouse traps under news paper. The paper will keep the cat from being harmed and the traps will scare the hell out of him.
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