A few more kitty questions...

E

earlyexerciser

Cathlete
My new kitties make such a mess with their litter. It is spread out about 3 feet on all sides of their litter box. Is there a way that I can help them understand that I want it IN the box only? I clean it out once per day, including the extra litter from the floor.

I am worried about putting up my Christmas tree next weekend. I don't want them climbing in it and batting at ornaments. Out last kitty broke many ornaments. Is there a way that I can teach them not to even go near the tree?

I am not overly concerned with either of these issues, but thought that maybe some of you would have some insight!
TIA!
Jenn
 
:) :)

Jenn

When my kittens were well .....kittens they did the same thing
with the litter. They think its their "play time".
I couldn't think of anything alse but putting some foil under the litter box so it is easier for me to put it back where it
belongs. They grow out of this.

As with the tree....Your bottom layers should not have ornaments
if you want to keep them. LOL Seriously. They think
it is especially put there for THEM!!! Again once, they grow
older you can scare them away when you see them playing with
the ornaments but when they are small they are so dumb they forget
you yelled at them and do it over.

Kathy
 
I would also advise securing your Christmas tree in some way. I used to wire it to the curtain rods to keep it in place. Sometimes, kitties think that the tree is there to climb, regardless of whether or not it is real! One year, I heard some noise in the living room in the middle of the night. I walked out there to see, and I could see the glow of my cat's (no kitten anymore!) eyes inside the tree. Apparently, my presence scared him and he lost his balance inside the tree because as I watched, the tree went tumbling down. I lost so many ornaments that year . . .

I've learned that saying "no" to the kitten when they start batting at the lower branches/ornaments helps. My cats don't play with the tree or ornaments anymore, but we've had many "no" discussions about the matter.

As for the kitty littler problem - the only solution I know is to put newspapers underneath the cat litter pan. Even if they're not playing in the litter (which they do!), it gets stuck to their paws until they take a couple of steps.
 
There is another way to disapiln you rnew kitties that does not hurt them at all. Get either a water gun, or just a squirt bottle (not big), and when you see your kitties climbing in the tree, give em a quick squirt. They WILL remember that one.
Maybe I'll get my hand slapped for doing that by all the cat lovers on this forum. I don't know. I don't think it's crewl. It's better than swatting them. And I think it works better.

Kathy
 
>As with the tree....Your bottom layers should not have
>ornaments
>if you want to keep them. LOL Seriously. They think
>it is especially put there for THEM!!!

Actually, we used to put ornaments 'for the cats' on the bottom tier of the tree (after having them break ornaments in other years). They were all wooden or some other indestructible substance!

About Christmas decorations and cats: don't use tinsel! Cats are very attracted to it and try to eat it, and it can be hazardous to them.

As for keeping them from the tree. Cats don't really like citrus smells, so perhaps using a citrus spray near the tree? Or having some 'scented' ornaments scattered throughout the tree decor.

My stepmother's cat (kitten) used to climb the tree! (It is a TREE, after all, why wouldn't she want to climb it!).


And about litter mess. There's not a lot to do to let kitties know that you don't appreciate litter outside the box. But you can buy some extra high-walled litter boxes (I DON"T recommend enclosed boxes, which keep the odor in---good for human noses, but not too appealing for kitties to use). I got some from PetSmart: they have three high walls (and are extra large) and the fourth wall has a lower entrance area. This can reduce the amount of litter scatter.
 
>Maybe I'll get my hand slapped for doing that by all the cat
>lovers on this forum. I don't know. I don't think it's
>crewl. It's better than swatting them. And I think it works
>better.

Not at all! I think it's a very humane teaching method! And it works many times. Even better, associate it with a stern "no!" so kitties learn what "no!" means (better yet, couple that "no!" with a hiss, as is 'hssss...no!" so you are teaching them human language based on a language they understand. Pretty soon, they will get what "no!" means on its own).

The problem with methods like water pistols is that they only receive the negative message when you are around (which works well if you're trying to keep them from running out the door every time you go to the door...what I've used the water pistol method for) but not for a situation where you won't be around all the time).
 
OMG I completely forgot about the Xmas tree. I already have enough trouble keeping the dogs from knocking it over, now I have a kitten to worry about too! :eek:
 
>There is another way to disapiln you rnew kitties that does
>not hurt them at all. Get either a water gun, or just a
>squirt bottle (not big), and when you see your kitties
>climbing in the tree, give em a quick squirt. They WILL
>remember that one.
>Maybe I'll get my hand slapped for doing that by all the cat
>lovers on this forum. I don't know. I don't think it's
>crewl. It's better than swatting them. And I think it works
>better.
>
>Kathy

I am LOL at this one. I have a Bengal cat that happens to LOVE water. She actually likes having water "thrown her way". When I start the water for a shower she will sit at the shower door and howl until I let her go in and "play" which is a riot and usually involves a total mess in the bathroom. She then goes and attacks the mirrors when her paws are wet. WTF?!?!?! How do they know what makes the biggest mess . . .x(

To discipline her is not that hard because she hates when I take a certain unhappy tone with her. It works but she yells right back at me! My DH and I wonder if we have a cat or a kid most days!:eek: :)
 
We use a litter box that has a top on it. They can still get the litter out through the opening, but at least it's not on all four sides.

Our cat, Archie, LOVES his litter box! He will sit next to me while I change his litter, and the minute I'm through, he'll get in it and use it! He used to do that when he had two litter boxes (we have just one in the basement, now). I'd finish with one, he'd use it. Then, I'd go change the other one, and he'd sit next to it, wait, and use that one!

Congrats on your new kitten!

Weird!
 
Oh, and we found a kitty litter that we love, and is good at controlling the odor. It's "Feline Pine."
 
I love all of your ideas! I will be buying a squirt gun and some citrus, for sure! You have so much knowledge! Thank you for all your ideas!:) :) :) :)

I have been thinking about the discussions about naming the kitties, too. Right now they are just "orange kitty" and "white kitty". No names have jumped out at us (besides the one my 4 year old gave the white cat...Oreo...the cat is NOT black and white, but our kitty who died in the spring was, so he wants to name our new kitty the same thing...sad, cute, but not really a good name for a white and cream cat!!)

Enjoy your furry friends!! Thank you!
Jenn
 
Another great cat litter is called World's Best Cat Litter. It's made from corn, so is all natural. The clay ones can be hazardous to little kitties due to the dust.
 
Nope..."white kitty" has brownish eyes. He is very loving and we love it! He was quite skittish when we brought him home, so it is great to see him so loving now!
Jenn
 
Just wondering, because our cat, Ed, was white with blue eyes and he was deaf, which is somewhat common with cats of that description. It didn't matter much, though. He was a great pet. There were a few unique things about him. He wasn't fond of being sneaked up on from behind and he had the LOUDEST meow. And, while our other animals would run at the sight of a vacuum cleaner, Ed would come to you when he saw it. He loved to be vacuumed (canister vac, of course!). Especially if you sucked his tail up in the hose, and it lifted his backside up a bit...he would just want more! He was beautiful in his prime, and he lived to be 16. I do miss that little guy.

Best of luck to you and your new "family."
 
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