I'm gonna kill the cat...

[one_voice]

ok not really but he's driving me a bit crazy. He gets on the counters, not a problem I just keep them wiped down. He then started to rip open any package with any kind of food that was on the counter, no problem I just moved them. BUT now he's opening the cabinets, no not the base cabinets the wall cabinets and he's gonna knock stuff on the floor and break it. Then he and the dogs will be eating crap they shouldn't not too mention the broken glass. The all starts around the time I'm going to bed. Last night I just shut him in the laundry room..where his food and litter are.


I'm thinking of using Velcro on the cabinets, I don't think he'll be strong enough to open them if I do that. *sigh*

He's like a different cat at night, he's crazy. I've never had a cat like this before. Oh, sure jump up on the counters, but the rest never. I know it's because he's lived most of his young life outside.

He can be very sweet...

[hedgehog]

1. There are all kinds of gadgets out there for child proofing cabinets -

try some of those.





I think the dogs are in league with him!

[one_voice]

3. I've thought...

about using the child proof gadgets. Maybe I'll go that route.

[meow2u3]

6. You have one smart cat

If your cat is really smart, he'll find a way to beat the child (or cat) proof stuff and open the cabinets anyhow. If you find the cabinets open in the morning, you're better off keeping the kitchen lights on, installing a camera in the kitchen, and sending the video so it can air on TV. This way, you have a chance of kitty mischief paying off--for you.

:think:

[one_voice]

7. I tried to get at least a picture...

last night, as soon as I walked in the room he jumped off the counter. Probably cuz I'm always telling him to get down. If he beats a child proof lock, I'll leave the doors open for him. LOL!

[zanana1]

2. It's black cat syndrome...

Every black cat I've ever had (and there have been several) do the same things. I think they're just more adventurous than other cats, but it can be a pain in the butt.

[one_voice]

4. He has a lot of brown..

"hi-lights" he's more swirl, and he has white on his chest and sprinkled through out his coat..kinda like gray hair. I'm hoping after he's been here longer (he's been here since end of Jan) and maybe gets a little older he'll calm down.

I swear it's almost as bad has having a young child in the house again.

[MorningGlow]

5. The laundry room wouldn't be so bad an option for nighttime

As long as he has food, water, and his box (just add a cat bed or some comfy box with a blanket), he shouldn't care if he spends the nights in the laundry room. My aunt banishes her cat to the basement every night (because kitteh likes to use the expensive Oriental rug as a scratching mat) and even though she spent most of her life as an outdoor cat and has tons of cattitude, she doesn't mind.

[one_voice]

8. The laundry room is nice...

it has carpet, except on the part where his litter pan is. and he has a bed, water and food. The laundry room may have to be where he goes for the night. It's not like it's a nasty room or anything. He's "inquisitive" during the day too, but not as much. He likes an old throw rug for a scratching mat, and I'm ok with that. It's a shit load cheaper to replace than my furniture.

[Flaxbee]

26. Our basement is a kitty-cat romper room ...

We have six, and we often work late at night, so the daily 5:30 a.m. wake up call the cats think is fun really doesn't work well for the humans in this family.

So we have the basement outfitted with several litter boxes, several beds (including one huge one with a heating blanket), food and water. Our oldest girl Clarisse doesn't sleep down there because she's very quiet and also almost blind so we keep her in a familiar territory range upstairs, and neither does Silver, who thinks it is her job to guard us (she's also mellow in the mornings).

But the other kids get SO EXCITED for bedtime downstairs - I think because they party all night :)


So - anyway - if your laundry room is set up as a deluxe kitteh suite, it could be a good alternative if you don't want to child-proof the cabinets. Our cats really do feel more comfortable with a regular routine, and 'bedtime' has never been an issue for us.

[Heidi]

9. Put the fragile stuff up in the higher cabinets (child-proofed, if necessary), but put the food, etc

in the lower cabinets, and give kitty free rein to figure out how to open the lower cabinets. So what if he figures it out and manages to get into the food? It's his food. If he makes a mess, just sweep it up. Your cat is very intelligent. I bet he'll be enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to open the lower cabinets, and you'll be happy that he's not destroying fragile glassware and/or hurting himself.

At the same time, he'll focus on the lower cabinets, and this could distract him from jumping on the counters.

Call Me Wesley and I employed a similar strategy when The Wiley and Excellent Boy Cat Named Ginger was a very intelligent curious kitten with an eye to CMW's beautiful Buddhist altar (plenty of breakable things, including a nice tea service).

And I know you'll think I'm a crazy cat lady, but I help Ginger expend his energy by spending an hour a day playing with him. Wear your kitten out. You'll be glad.

Whatever you do, please, please, please do not consider having him declawed. :hug:

[one_voice]

12. Oh, no don't worry...

I'm not having him declawed. I don't necessarily care that he opens bags of food, I just don't want him to knock over glass, or eat anything that would hurt him.

I play with him during the day, and he runs around like a crazy cat. He stalks the dogs and pounces on them, and runs. Thank goodness, for the most part the dogs just look at him like he's a nut. Yesterday, he kept "smacking' on of the dogs and running, but then he tried to bite the dog on her leg, and the dog just growled and the cat backed off.

I think this cat is very intelligent and very curious. When I found him at the end of Jan, I took him to the vet and he guessed his age at around 9 months. Gave him a April 1 birthday. So he's only around one. Still a kitten and feisty.

I don't think you're crazy cat lady, all animals including cats need exercise and play time. Thanks for the advice!

[Tripod]

25. That's April Fool's Day! That's your answer...

Just kidding. My kitten is also nine months old and he's very curious, has to investigate everything. He gets into the cupboards if they're open, but hasn't figured out how to do it by himself. The childproof locks sound like a good idea to me, but he'll hopefully outgrow it. My kitten has an older "brother" to play with and who's very good with him. He follows what the older cat does, so that has helped, I think. I'm glad it wasn't the other way around! :D

Good luck and kudos for your patience with your rescue kitten. Mine is rescue, too. :hi:

[amerikat]

10. Is this new behavior? How old is the cat?

I had a cat that started ripping open bread bags. I thought she was just
being bad. Turns out she had a thyroid problem and was always hungry.

[one_voice]

13. I've only had him since..

the end of Jan. Vet guessed his age at around 9 months then. But the vet checked him out and said he was fine. He always has food in his bowl, so I don't think he's hungry. I think he's nosy. LOL.

[grasswire]

11. maybe feliway would work on him

That's the calming spray/plugin that vets recommend to settle cats down a bit. You can get it at a pet store or at the clinic. Just put it near the area where the trouble is.

[one_voice]

14. Thanks I'll look into it. n/t

[MilesColtrane]

15. Oil down your countertops at night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_fMmKGOTIA

[one_voice]

17. LOL....

That's what Remy looks like when he's tear assing around which he does frequently. He slides on the hard wood. The throw rugs always end up in a ball.

[davsand]

16. You could try crumpled up foil in front of the cabinets you don't want him in.

Vet told me that cats don't like the feel or sound of the foil, and I used it on a spot that my old cat insisted on soiling. Did the trick with her, so I figured I'd suggest it to you...

FWIW, I have a big black cat named Chaucer, and he's one of the most mellow babies I have ever lived with. He's been with us for nine years, and other than the kitten years he's never been much of a problem for us, nor would I call him "Hyperactive."

I'll grant you--he DOES act like my 13 year old is his sibling, and he does mess with her for sport--but that really is pretty minor stuff. I'll hear a rumpus go up in the hallway, and then she'll give a shriek, and then they'll both come running down the hall. The one in pursuit varies from day to day, so I'm thinking it is a pretty even match.

:shrug:


Laura

[one_voice]

18. Wow...

I've never heard that. I'll give it a try. I can go to the dollar store and get some, maybe if I put it on the counters he'll even stay off them.

I'm hoping as Remy gets older and been here longer he'll calm down some. He's not too bad, he just gets in moods. For the most part he's a good kitty, just a little more curious than I'm used to.

Thanks for the advice.

[mcollins]

19. We just lost our Blue Russian who used to the same things

It was annoying then, but now I miss her being around being a pest.

[LaurenG]

20. I had to put child proof latches on mine.

Good luck with yours, mine has switched to knocking things off the dresser in the evening now.

[nolabear]

21. Double sticky tape.

Put it along the edges of the countertops and a strip on the edges of the cabinet doors.

[SoCalDem]

22. Marvin eats butter..Sweetie pie eats bread (and its wrapper)..Bubby used to eat plastic

Sarah loves to eat rug-schmutz, and Willie chews on shoelaces..Amber crawls inside a Cheetos bag & munches away..

Sweetie pie also chews round cords & purse straps (he once shredded a small leather purse..)

Aren't cats wonderful:rofl:

[one_voice]

24. Wow, and I thought I...

had problems. LOL! Remy likes shoe laces too. He also begs like a dog. If you're eating something he wants to put his face in it. He's a silly little kitty.

[applegrove]

23. I had a kitten who used to keep me up at nights. It got so bad I started keeping

the little imp awake during the day so she would be exhausted at night and it worked. LOL!

[mockmonkey]

27. I highly recommend

StayAway

http://www.amazon.com/Contech-StayAway-Motion-Activated-Pet-Deterrent/dp/B000DZFFN4/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

After a few sprays of air you can set it on just making a noise that saves money on cans of spray. I still have the original can of air after almost 6 months.

My cat Candy likes to pee on toasters, why? who knows.

I tried spray solutions like "Mark Off" but they did NOTHING.

The only downside is that it is a bit pricey and it covers a wider area than I like and you have to remember to shut it off when you enter the room.

But, I have not had to toss out any more toasters.

There are cheaper brands but most only spray air and would be more costly to have to replace those cans.