Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / June 2005
Early AM cat problem???
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littlewoodenboy@gmail.com - 15 Jun 2005 12:50 GMT Hello, I am new to this forum, but thought I'd give it a try.
I have a 2 1/2 year old male siamese mix that recently began climbing into the window ledge and playing in the blinds of our bedroom at around 4:00am everyday. He meows a lot too while doing this, but it's more the damage to the blinds, and the noise he creates that is bothering us.
We've tried giving him an over abundance of attention throughout the day, cat nip after dinner to tire him out later, and it's not working. All of that was after trying water spray, and loud noises to scare him out of the window. He just keeps going back to the windows...like he's possessed! We don't want to lock him out of the room in fear that he'll destroy the rest of the house (he has slept in our bed since he was a kitten, and the female in our house sleeps in the bedroom too, although she does nothing wrong at night)
So I was wondering if some Cayenne Pepper in a pouch or sachet type thing placed on the window sill would work to keep him out of there? Or is that going to trigger him to try and mark his territory somewhere else?
Our concern is that he'll start spraying else where out of anger or something.
any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks
John Doe - 15 Jun 2005 13:15 GMT > I am new to this forum, but thought I'd give it a try. > I have a 2 1/2 year old male siamese mix that recently began [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Pepper in a pouch or sachet type thing placed on the window sill > would work to keep him out of there? Upside down packaging tape. It takes less than a few encounters.
Does he have a view of outside? Some cats really enjoy looking outside. They also enjoy hearing sounds from outside. I use a wireless infant room monitor (connected to a PC speaker) to bring the outside sounds in. That is important, in my opinion, especially when no one is home.
One of my cats very much enjoys smells from the outside, so I leave the window open a little bit once a day. No, he is not gasping for fresh air [playing].
Good luck.
daddypop - 15 Jun 2005 16:18 GMT > Upside down packaging tape. It takes less than a few encounters. Well aren't you just "The Practical Cat Owner". Did you ever build that death trap, you know, the one with the covered 2-by's for the cat to climb on. haha
> Does he have a view of outside? Some cats really enjoy looking > outside. They also enjoy hearing sounds from outside. I use a > wireless infant room monitor (connected to a PC speaker) to bring > the outside sounds in. That is important, in my opinion, > especially when no one is home. You're not out in the bushes stashing a baby monitor are you? lol Now I'm wondering if a nature CD would work, even jungle sounds. monkeys, and exotic birds lions and what not.
> One of my cats very much enjoys smells from the outside, so I > leave the window open a little bit once a day. No, he is not > gasping for fresh air [playing]. Have you decided on a flea treatment, We have a "Pet Wharehouse" and every package I read claimed to be the best, I haven't decided yet. (My cat is indoor/outdoor)
John Doe - 16 Jun 2005 01:54 GMT "daddypop" <bigbadbarry@adelphia.net> wrote:
> John Doe wrote:
>> Upside down packaging tape. It takes less than a few >> encounters. > > Well aren't you just "The Practical Cat Owner". It works, and it does not have the side effects you get by beating your cat or any other person to cat corrective action. But you should use the method responsibly because it does make an impression.
> you know, the one with the covered 2-by's for the cat to climb > on. haha I am currently designing exercise equipment for my cats. Planning the process of covering 2x4s with carpet. In order to easily facilitate connecting 2x4s to each other and to other structure material, some 2x4s probably will be covered top and sides but not bottom.
What I like most about that top and sides plan is the likely ease of application. The 2x4 will be on its side pressed against the carpet and the glue laid in a nice neat line where the carpet meets the 2x4. A carpet knife will be used to trim after the carpet is glued. Same goes for the other side of the 2x4. And the glue should keep carpet backing dust from falling onto things.
In fact, I am planning to make a long high shelf along the side of my room which has three large windows. Instead of board for the shelving material, I will use a carpeted 2x4 which will be placed out from the wall at least 6 inches. That way, they can lie on the 2 x 4 and easily look out the windows. One, or maybe two 2x4s connected end to end, will be leaned up against the wall so my cats can climb up to that 2x4 ledge. That is the current plan.
>> Does he have a view of outside? Some cats really enjoy looking >> outside. They also enjoy hearing sounds from outside. I use a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > You're not out in the bushes stashing a baby monitor are you? There are enough nature sounds around here.
daddypop - 16 Jun 2005 02:53 GMT > >> Upside down packaging tape. It takes less than a few > >> encounters. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > should use the method responsibly because it does make an > impression. Is your mind really that small?
No wonder advertisers spend so much money advertising on average Joe's like yourself. They have to pound and pound and pound and pound and pound and pound their message through them thick a.s neandrathal skulls.
And what do we say! Troll!
Thack say troll!
What'd Mary quote one time, I loved it,
Free your mind and your a.s will follow. ha!
John Doe - 16 Jun 2005 10:44 GMT "daddypop" <bigbadbarry@adelphia.net> wrote:
> Is your mind really that small? > No wonder advertisers spend so much money advertising on average > Joe's like yourself. They have to pound and pound and pound and > pound and pound and pound their message through them thick a.s > neandrathal skulls. While observing commercial advertising, I figured out what they really mean by phrases like "BUY NOW AND SAVE" and "SAVE 50%". Advertisers do not mean "economize". They do not mean "keep from spending". They mean "spend less". The sense requires spending. Merriam-Webster and other dictionary publishers agree and have published my definition. It is the same sense of the word "save" you see every day in newspapers and magazines, on television, in shopping malls, and on store coupons.
daddypop - 16 Jun 2005 05:49 GMT > In fact, I am planning to make a long high shelf along the side of > my room which has three large windows. Instead of board for the [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > connected end to end, will be leaned up against the wall so my > cats can climb up to that 2x4 ledge. That is the current plan. I think when your done, the overall look is not going to be what you really want, although your idea does give flexability in building.
Why spend extra money and time when you really don't have to.
Why not use the white mdf shelving (it comes in fabulous precut lengths) and a contractors pack of white L brackets. I've done this it looks nice and clean. The underside and brackets are white. It installs quick, and looks streamlined. It's very affordable too.
Lay ramp into the shelf coming up the adjacent wall, this way you don't loose floor space at the windows.
littlewoodenboy@gmail.com - 16 Jun 2005 12:28 GMT So last night I tried the upside down packing tape....and I only got woken up TWICE...and that was because the female cat (who hasn't been a problem at night) decided to chew on the tape two different times!
But, the important thing is that the male (who was the problem) examined the tape when I put it up around 10:00pm, and never went back to the windows all night!
and at least the female would leave it alone when I got her away from it!
ahhhhh, felt nice to sleep all night again!
THANKS EVERYONE!
Mary - 16 Jun 2005 17:52 GMT > So last night I tried the upside down packing tape....and I only got > woken up TWICE...and that was because the female cat (who hasn't been a [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > THANKS EVERYONE! Thank John Doe! Damn John Doe, you actually had a useful thought.
John Doe - 22 Jun 2005 16:55 GMT I wrote:
> In fact, I am planning to make a long high shelf along the side of > my room which has three large windows. Instead of board for the > shelving material, I will use a carpeted 2x4 which will be placed > out from the wall at least 6 inches. That way, they can lie on the > 2 x 4 and easily look out the windows. Kiki very much likes it. I bought an electric staple gun. The stables will be kept out of the way and stapled deeply into the wood to help prevent the possibility of my cat's claws becoming entangled. If necessary, I will put some glue sealer material over the staples. There is no guarantee of safety, but the staple gun is an amazing tool for attaching carpet to wood. And because it is so easy, they will have as much exercise equipment as they can handle. Now on to figuring out how and where else to attach carpeted wood.
biggerbadderbarry - 23 Jun 2005 13:30 GMT > I wrote:
> Kiki very much likes it. I bought an electric staple gun. The stables > will be kept out of the way and stapled deeply into the wood to help [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > will have as much exercise equipment as they can handle. Now on to > figuring out how and where else to attach carpeted wood. Your going to wind up with a big ugly eye sore that you regret spending money on. Tazzled ends hanging everywhere, cats getting stuck in the fuzz, big holes in your walls, nowhere to walk on that side of the room. Shirts hanging on it.
It's aaalll going to end up in the dumpster, a big pile of fuzzy 2 x 4's with no less than 8 tubes of liquid nails in the mix.
John Doe - 23 Jun 2005 15:03 GMT "biggerbadderbarry" <bigbadbarry@adelphia.net> wrote:
> John Doe wrote: >> I wrote:
>> Kiki very much likes it. I bought an electric staple gun. The >> stables will be kept out of the way and stapled deeply into the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> equipment as they can handle. Now on to figuring out how and >> where else to attach carpeted wood.
> Your going to wind up with a big ugly eye sore that you regret > spending money on. Tazzled ends hanging everywhere, cats getting > stuck in the fuzz, big holes in your walls, Those ideas are strange to me. I have been using 8 foot carpeted 2x4s for many years without such problems. Size 10 screws do not leave big holes in the wall. The tiny holes they leave when removed can be easily patched.
> nowhere to walk on that side of the room. I guess most people consider ducking under and walking over things too difficult. I consider it exercise and a challenge. With the lights off, maybe too much of a challenge, but much less than skating at night. It is for a good cause, in my opinion.
> Shirts hanging on it. Not here.
> It's aaalll going to end up in the dumpster, a big pile of fuzzy > 2 x 4's with no less than 8 tubes of liquid nails in the mix. You might be better with self-fulfilling prophecies.
> Path: newssvr19.news.prodigy.com!newsdbm06.news.prodigy.com!newsdst02.news.prodigy.com!newsmst01b.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.com!newscon02.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.net!news.glorb.com!postnews.google.com!g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com!not-for-mail > From: "biggerbadderbarry" <bigbadbarry adelphia.net> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Injection-Info: g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com; posting-host=69.168.24.114; posting-account=spjB1A0AAABQAQQ5dkg3_gZwONU3us3k > Xref: newsmst01b.news.prodigy.com rec.pets.cats.health+behav:375433
biggerbadderbarry - 23 Jun 2005 15:22 GMT > You might be better with self-fulfilling prophecies. Ha,
Im just messin
I love to build anything I can get my hands on.
I like a good challenge - anything structural
Maybe someone could start a company, implement your idea, have pre-covered lengths of wood, with many ways to connect them. Sell them in 8 ft bundles, colors too!
equalizer - 24 Jun 2005 00:08 GMT >> You might be better with self-fulfilling prophecies. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >lengths of wood, with many ways to connect them. >Sell them in 8 ft bundles, colors too! http://www.katwallks.com/
Cheryl - 24 Jun 2005 00:53 GMT >>> You might be better with self-fulfilling prophecies. >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > http://www.katwallks.com/ Those were reviewed by people on rpca ng. They're too narrow, too short, too expensive. Great idea, though. I put up a couple of shelves based on that idea, but they're not carpet-covered. They are there just as a stepping up point to a high window in my basement family room. They are well used. :)
 Signature Cheryl
"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited breath." - W.C. Fields
biggerbadderbarry - 24 Jun 2005 02:34 GMT > Those were reviewed by people on rpca ng. They're too narrow, too > short, too expensive. Great idea, though. I put up a couple of > shelves based on that idea, but they're not carpet-covered. They > are there just as a stepping up point to a high window in my > basement family room. They are well used. :) I checked out the catwalk link.
On the high flats, I would want little walls, big enough to prevent roll-offs when sleeping.
Cheryl - 23 Jun 2005 23:57 GMT > I wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > as they can handle. Now on to figuring out how and where else to > attach carpeted wood. Any chance that you have pictures of it? I'd love to see what you built.
 Signature Cheryl
"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited breath." - W.C. Fields
John Doe - 24 Jun 2005 03:19 GMT ...
> Any chance that you have pictures of it? I'd love to see what > you built. Not at the moment. This is all it is currently.
... one 8' carpeted 2x4
... three shelf brackets placed about 6 feet high, spaced at least 3'
The 2x4 is lying across the shelf brackets, out from the window a few or more inches, a single screw into the bottom (near the outer edge) of the 2x4 at each of the three shelf brackets.
Another 2x4, unsecured, is leaned up against that 2x4 so the cats can climb up there. Especially since Kiki is aging, at the bottom of the climbing 2x4, there is a 1' thick, big semi-firm foam rubber landing. They jump onto that when running down the 2x4. They could turn around and slowly come down but they never do.
As usual, I put their dry food up there for encouragement. Kiki lingers up there. I think she fell asleep on a carpeted 2x4 once.
PawsForThought - 15 Jun 2005 13:28 GMT >> So I was wondering if some Cayenne Pepper in a pouch or sachet type > thing placed on the window sill would work to keep him out of there? > Or is that going to trigger him to try and mark his territory somewhere > else? Firstly, is your cat neutered (you mention a spraying problem)? Secondly, it may be that there is a stray cat or other animal outside that is getting your cat's attention. Is there a reason you can't leave the blinds rolled up so your cat can look out? Do you have a cat tree or anything for your cat? We have one that we place in front of a window so our cats can look outside. We also have a very tall scratching post that has a seat on top of it. It's in front of a window in the bedroom and they love to sit on that looking outside. When you have an indoors only cat, you really need to provide some entertainment for them, and ways for them to observe the outside. We've placed a bird feeder in front of the window where their cat tree is and they love chattering at the birds, watching them eat.
Lauren See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
littlewoodenboy@gmail.com - 15 Jun 2005 14:18 GMT Hey, thanks for the responses!
Lauren, yes, he is neutered (will they not spray if they are neutered?) Our house has 7-8 other windows for them to view the outside. We like our bedroom blinds closed, since we live on a busy street. The 2 windows that face the backyard are in view of bird feeders (the female spends 90% of her time looking out that window) And I have sprinkled cayenne pepper outside the bedroom windows in case it was an outside cat getting his attention...I forgot to mention that in my first post.
the other thought we had is that there is some kind of insect or mouse in the walls that is driving him crazy. I keep meaning to listen to the walls when he's freaking out to see if I hear scratching or something....but the female doesn't seem to care about the window, so I dont' think it's that.
------------------------- John Doe - I think I'll try the double sided tape, that seems so much less harsh then the pepper option, which I wanted to try to avoid, since I don't want to hurt him, I just want to sleep through the night!
Thanks again for the responses!!
keep the ideas coming, please!
Mary - 15 Jun 2005 17:21 GMT > Hey, thanks for the responses! > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > something....but the female doesn't seem to care about the window, so I > dont' think it's that. Have you tried shutting him out of the bedroom at night?
littlewoodenboy@gmail.com - 15 Jun 2005 18:09 GMT "Have you tried shutting him out of the bedroom at night? "
We don't want to try that...
A) I did it twice and he cryed outside the door for about 15 minutes until I opened the door again B) he and the other cat sleep in the bedroom everynight (when he's not awake freaking out) C) We're afraid he'll cause damage elsewhere in the house
Philip - 15 Jun 2005 21:54 GMT > "Have you tried shutting him out of the bedroom at night? " > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > awake freaking out) > C) We're afraid he'll cause damage elsewhere in the house Get over your fears. Babies don't sleep with their parents or in their parents room after they've been weened so ... take the hint.
John Doe - 16 Jun 2005 01:58 GMT ...
> Have you tried shutting him out of the bedroom at night? Did you bother to read the original post?
"We don't want to lock him out of the room ..."
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Elizabeth Blake - 15 Jun 2005 16:04 GMT > Hello, > I am new to this forum, but thought I'd give it a try. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > more the damage to the blinds, and the noise he creates that is > bothering us. I have an almost six year old male cat that destroyed all the mini-blinds in my apartment. He did it because I kept them all pretty much closed/down all day, and he wanted to look out the windows. I have very narrow window sills, so he would just stick his paw into the blinds and pull down in order to look out the window. Eventually the ends of all the blinds started breaking off from where he was pulling down on them.
It might help if you pull the blinds up 10" or so, so he'll be able to access the window & sill without having to go through the blinds to get to it.
-- Liz
littlewoodenboy@gmail.com - 15 Jun 2005 17:15 GMT liz, The blinds are only closed while we sleep, the rest of the day they're open.
and lately I've left them open at night, and he still gets on the sill and reaches up into the blinds and bangs the bottom of them on the molding. (the blinds are the double cell ones with teh metal strip at the bottom, which makes a loud noise when it's repeatedly hit against the wood molding!)
Mary - 15 Jun 2005 17:27 GMT > > Hello, > > I am new to this forum, but thought I'd give it a try. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > my apartment. He did it because I kept them all pretty much closed/down all > day, and he wanted to look out the windows. This is what happened to the sheers at the back of the couch in my living room. They are still there, but have many little claw holes. I noticed it too late to save them, but do keep them open now. (And I got the cats cat seats for other windows.)
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