Captain Morgan thinks his name is "No No No". He purrs when I say it to him after he's done

[applegrove]

something very wrong. I'm going to have to go the water route to teach him to stay off my keyboard and to keep from playing with my legs with his claws. What works best? Spray bottle or water pistol?

[shenmue]

1. Cheezburger

Plz k thx.

[eShirl]

2. sounds like he's not getting enough play time

I would try increasing his play sessions
as to your question, neither works well

[applegrove]

3. He has lots of play time with both Twilight and I. He plays at my feet for hours. But we are all

still getting used to each other. And I'd be more comfortable if he didn't tear up my legs or I had no fear of that. He's really sweet.

[Fla Dem]

18. Playtime? You can schedule play time with your cat?

My cat an 8 year old feral I adopted when she was about 4 months old, doesn't do playtime. I've tried everything. Yarn, balls, wind up mousies, feathers, string, ribbons, laser light, etc. I bought every PetCo cat toy there is, I should own stock in the store. But my girl just won't play. There's times she comes to me with that, I'm bored look on her face, so I'll say, "do you want to play?" Blank stare. So I go to her toy box and start pulling out stuff. By the way she has access to everything all the time. I'll get on the floor and dangle something in front of her; Blank stare, then a half hearted swipe with her paw. OK now I'm encouraged. A little more dangling, she gets up and starts to walk away. I say, OK do you want to play with your mousie? She watches as I wind it up and then with great expectations I let it go in her direction, she watches it pass and walks away. I say wait, wait, I grab the plastic ball with the little bell inside it, and roll it toward her as she continues to walk away, it slowly rolls by her, she never even gives it a glance. She's headed for the bedroom, as she enters the door, she turns her head toward me, and gives me a look that says, "you're pathetic". Then she's gone to sleep off her boredom.

She really isn't into playing, not since about 2 years old.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. According to Jackson Galaxy, the "My Cat From Hell" guy, neither.

He says it doesn't do any good and just makes your cat afraid of you. More here: http://www.catnipchronicles.com/feb2012/jackson.htm

[applegrove]

5. Thanks for the article. I will continue to say no. And say it loud.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I have three cats who think their names are, variously,

"NO!" and "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" and "GET THE HELL DOWN FROM THERE!" The squirt bottle thing didn't seem to do anything except annoy them; then I heard Jackson Galaxy talk about how it was a bad idea so I gave that up. Now I just yell and clap my hands or make other loud noises. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't.

[applegrove]

7. I will get a jungle gym for my little guy. Maybe that will exhaust him. Right now he has Twilight

Last edited Tue Jul 1, 2014, 10:22 PM - Edit history (1)

and I exhausted. LOL!

[nomorenomore08]

8. We used all the above methods with our late Siamese cat, Bob.

If nothing else, they would momentarily stop his misbehavior. Though of course he continued scratching the curtains/couch, jumping on the counters, etc. despite being clearly smart enough to know better.

[applegrove]

9. I will research it a bit.

Last edited Tue Jul 1, 2014, 11:02 PM - Edit history (1)

[Coventina]

10. LOL! Reminds me of that old Bill Cosby routine when he talks about how he and his brother thought

their names were "Dammit!" and "Jesus Christ!"

[Brigid]

13. Here ya go:

[csziggy]

12. My cat learned to stay off the keyboard when the spray bottle

Was on the desk. I sprayed him once - ONCE - and ever after he knows that if the spray bottle is on the desk he could get sprayed. He also learned how to get revenge - he took his wet self and rolled all over my pillow. Then he lurked outside the door and tackled my by the ankle.

I learned to not spray the cat.

[love_katz]

11. You could try giving him treats when he stops after you say, "No!".

Try Calming Treats (for cats) from PetNaturals?

Or, you could try putting Bach Flower remedies in his food and water? Check out Jackson Galaxy's web site, Little Big Cat for which remedy or remedies to try.

http://www.littlebigcat.com

I hope this helps. It isn't fun to be used for a scratching post.

Edited to add: be sure to give praise and pets when giving a treat after he stops when you say,"No.".

[grasswire]

14. I used to yell "Knock It Off!" to my tabby Chester.

And so he did. Every freaking piece of art pottery in the house.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. He was just conducting "experiments with gravity..."

That's what we call it here.

I borrowed this from Will Pitt:

[countryjake]

16. Put some little rocks or marbles in a peanut can...

and shake the devil out of it when he's being bad. Combining that awful noise with your "No No No" should eventually make him realize that the keyboard is off-limits. And keep the can right beside it, til he figures it out.

I was able to use simple crying mournfully to stop them from scratching and biting, but the kitty needs to know you (and care about you) fairly well for that to work. One little boy kitty that I had long ago thought that our toes were cat toys; it was cute when he was tiny, but the bigger he got the more it hurt. My daughter and I figured out that if we wailed like we were really being injured (which we were), he'd stop playing and give us this puzzled expression. We stuck with that and in a few days, we were able to be barefoot without the bloody toes. They don't want you to cry so they'll stop hurting you.

(I gave my nephew that same advice for his rapidly growing Maine Coon early last year. Over the phone, I had him practice a good high-pitched bawl; if you want a good laugh, listen to a twenty-something trying to wail! The kitty will be two years old this month and hasn't scratched since the very first time he tried it; I guess his theatrical-mind kicked in and not only did he wail and moan, but fell to the floor, rolling around in pain. To hear him tell it, I think he must have even played dead, so, tho he possibly might have traumatized his pet, the kitty doesn't play-scratch anymore.)

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

17. Put some pants on.

That'll take care of the leg thing. As for the keyboard dance, pepper spray works pretty good...

(Yes, of course I'm not serious about the pants. A good thick pair of knee socks will do just as well...)

[Fla Dem]

19. You're not serious about the pepper spray are you?

That would seem to me to be a pretty drastic step. Wouldn't it sting the cats eyes and be painful? Maybe I don't understand what you mean by pepper spray.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

20. Of course not- I personally prefer to use mace.

Joking, of course. Does this look like a kitteh I'd ever spray ANYTHING onto?



My Lucy Lu.

[Fla Dem]

21. OK, LOL the jokes on me. Duh! See sister from another mother....

You're Lucy Lu is beautiful, but then I'm prejudiced.

My Baby Girl

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