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Written by Wendy Christensen
Q: Recently, there have been two tomcats, who do not belong to me, coming around my house. They spray everything and cause nothing but trouble. When I see either one of them, I chase them away, but they always seem to return. I don't want to hurt them, but I don't want them here either. If only people would get their pets neutered. That's always been the first thing I do with a new pet. Is there anything I can do to keep those pests away?
A: I'll refer you to Chapter 11 of my latest book, "Outwitting Cats." It's called "-- OPC's (Other Peoples' Cats) and NC's (Nobody's Cats)," and has a lot of practical advice for dealing with these neighborhood delinquents (though the real delinquents are the cats' owners - if they have owners. They may not.) Here's an excerpt.
"Punishing a cat -- your own, or an OPC or NC -- for sunning himself on your car hood, scattering your trash, using your garden or sandbox as a litter box or chasing birds away from your feeder is just as useless as punishing an indoor cat for urinating on the carpet or scratching the sofa. He won't know what you're going on about -- and it won't work. He's just being a cat, doing what cats do.
If the offending feline is your own -- consider bringing him in from the cold to enjoy a safe, indoors-only lifestyle. (See Box for tips.) If he's a NC or an OPC, the dangers posed by zoonoses, bites and other health risks, as well as property damage and lessening of your family's quality of life, justify using the kinds of aversive stimuli, repellents and other deterrents described in this Chapter.
If the offender is a known, owned cat, try speaking with the owners first. They may respect your complaints and make a sincere effort to control the problem. Be sure to offer as much help as they'll accept if they're considering bringing their outdoor cat indoors to stay! Introduce them to your own veterinarian, if they don't have a regular one. Offer to loan them this book! Be a resource for them.
When using aversives, repellents and deterrents, remember that the cat you're dealing with may be someone's beloved pet. And no matter what the cat's status, always stick with safe, humane approaches -- no matter how frustrated you are! Especially avoid using poison of any kind -- it's not only inhumane, it's also illegal, and puts other pets, wildlife and humans at risk, too."
There's a lot more specific info in the book. Your first step is to find out if anyone owns the cats, or if they're strays, or were recently dumped in your neighborhood (all too common). Do they have collars? Are they "approachable," or do they seem more feral and wild? Make discreet inquiries to see if anyone in the area knows them, or knows where they came from. If they're owned, you might tell the owners about such free and low-cost spay-neuter services as "Spay Day USA" (an annual event in the US, in late Feb.) or similar programs wherever you live. Tell the owners how much neutering helps cats be better pets (stops most or all male spraying, wandering, fights for mates, etc.) and how an indoor lifestyle is so much safer and more rewarding for cats and humans alike. Offer to help them out in understanding their cats (not to mention their responsibilities), and be a resource for them.
Many people don't realize that cute little boy kittens, if not altered, grow up into cute big tomcats who spray, and wander, and fight for mates, and caterwaul at all hours. So… when the noise and stink starts, they just turn the boys out-of-doors, thinking they have "solved the problem." Help educate them, nicely.
If you determine that the tomcats don't belong to anyone, contact a reputable local shelter or rescue group and alert them to the presence of two unaltered, free-roaming males. I suspect that the shelter will be happy to trap them, or at least help you trap them. Any reputable shelter's top priorities include getting wandering, unaltered males off the streets ASAP.
Q: My cat bites the back of my legs to get me to go upstairs to fill his food bowl. I used to find it amusing but now he bites even when his bowl is full. He also nips when I'm trying to pet him sometimes. He's sweet really, and sleeps next to me every night. What's with all the aggression?
A: Ah, I see he's trained you well. The leg-biting not only got your attention and filled his bowl. You even found it amusing - a fact he no doubt picked up on. So now, from his point of view, he's just giving you more of what you want, and seemed to like. He's being affectionate, not aggressive.
One of the most important pieces of advice I give kitten and new cat owners is to never encourage or reward behavior in a kitten that you would not want to see in a full grown cat. For example, a kitten wrapping himself around your ankle is "so cute." A full-grown fifteen-pounder wrapping himself around your ankle is not so cute. People let their kittens chew on their fingers, nip their toes, pounce on their hands, and "hand-wrestle" with them. Then, as baby grows up, they ask, mystified, "Why is he suddenly so aggressive and rough?"
He nips and bites you for one simple reason - it works. So… stop letting it work. If you head upstairs to feed him and he nips your legs, turn right around, go back downstairs and ignore him for about a half-hour. Then try it again. I predict he'll figure it out pretty quickly. Also, use a "keyword phrase," spoken in a particular tone of voice, whenever he bites or nips, then stop all interaction for a few minutes. I use, "No choppers… soft paws, purrs and kisses only."
It's also possible that he's using you (thinking you like it and it's therefore acceptable) as an outlet for excess predatory aggression. Try conducting vigorous interactive play sessions before meals and other times when you can. Get him running and leaping and let him make a few kills. (A fishing-pole feather toy like "Da Bird" is perfect for this.) Cats really do need this predatory outlet, so make sure he has some mock-hunting regularly to gratify his inner wildcat.
I assume he's your only cat, so he looks to you to satisfy all his needs for play, interaction, predatory play, etc. It's clear he's strongly bonded to you or he wouldn't sleep with you. But it's up to you to draw the line between acceptable and off-limits interactions. Never try to punish him; it just doesn't work, and usually makes things worse. Instead, reward behavior you want, and refuse to interact with him if he engages in behavior you don't want. Don't yell, don't use a squirt gun, never hit or punish. Instead, use diversion, redirection, repetition of keyword phrases, and a lot of love and patience. He'll realize that it's in his best interests to do things your way. Cats can't be forced, but they can be persuaded and charmed.
Herding Cats at Home - March 2006 1
Herding Cats at Home - March 2006 3
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