How to teach a BRAT her limits?

[valanhb]

Annie is a doll. Hands down, this cat is the definition of cute. I've come to realize that the reason for this is because she is a BRAT. She was made that way so her mother wouldn't kill her.

OK, seriously, Annie is absolutely impetuous. We have 5 cats and the other 4 have figured out our rules, which are pretty simple - no kitchen counter, no tree at Christmas time, no high shelves, and be nice to each other.

Anne's idea of the rules: She laid in the Christmas tree last year (and broke some of the branches of the fake (expensive) tree), which we thought was understandable since she survived in the forest of Colorado for a time (we'll Jerry-rig the tree to fix it). She gets on top of the refrigerator (no big deal there). She gets on the kitchen counters. She gets on the shelves set well above everything in the computer room that contain "Daddy's" collectibles, i.e. breakables, and the shelf above the TV in the bedroom that contain the components (satellite receiver, DVD player, X-box). And now she has determined that she can and should stalk and corner our shy/feral older girl Ophelia, who has just now (1.5 years later) started coming down off the top of our bookcase headboard.

Daddy's shelves and Ophelia have pushed it over the limit, not to mention that the tree will be going back up within the month. We have to show this girl that she is not in charge, but I truly am out of ideas of how to do this. She gets on the shelves at night when we can't see her/catch her. She gets in the tree when we aren't home or are upstairs. Ophelia doesn't come down at set times - today she ventured out of her room and into the bathroom where Annie cornered her.

If we tell her "Annie NO" she gives us a look like "WHAT???" We can't catch her most of the time she does these things to do a hiss, air can (hissing noise), pennies in a can, etc. We've tried what we know how to do. I'm going to rig up Daddy's shelves with double-sided tape and see if that keeps her off of that, since she just started that last week.

Any other ideas? She's just gotten really naughty!

[missymotus]

My cats are so energetic and active I let them climb the Xmas tree (as a friend says it's the season of giving I'm giving them fun ) they go on the counters I just wipe before use, i have cat beds on top of the fridge and pantry. Like many cats they love to be up high and though there are plenty of cat trees the fridge is a favourite and has a great view for bird watching.

All collectables are locked safely away and anything else is secured with blu-tak so can't be knocked off. They are Ocicats after all

Stalking your other cat, perhaps she is bored and this is her way of trying to play.

[Rang_27]

Jordan is now 6 & I have had no luck training him not to get on things, so I can be of no help with that.

Isaac can be a bit of a bully, so far the only thing I have found is teaching him the "leave it" command. It may sound funny, but I can get him to listen to me about 60% of the time when he is about to attack Levi (not great statisticly, but this is still a cat we are talking about). When he listens, I give him lots of praise & tell him what a good boy he is. I know people say cats can't be trained, but they can you just need to figure out what motivates them and be more paitient than you would be with a dog.

[cococat]

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Good luck!

[Cocoa Cream]

We have been able to mostly train our three to stay off the counters and fridge using a bunch of soda cans with rocks/beans inside and tied together on a string. I spaced them out along all the counters, and when the cats jump up, they inevitably bump the string, causing all the cans to fall to the floor in a horrible crash. This helped alot when we were not home and couldn't catch them in the act, and even now if they hear a can jiggle around (since I keep them in a spare cupboard, just in case) they all jump...and get this look like "I didn't do it, mom, I promise!"

[3CatsN1Dog]

I dont know about the whole counters and tree thing because the counters are free space for the cats! One of the few spaces they can hide from the dog and with 2 out of my three Ive managed to get lucky and not have the tree bothered..Im not counting on being that lucky with GiGi but as for the stalking thing. The only thing Ive found that helps me with Herc stalking Fatman is me stalking Herc in return. He DOES NOT like being the stalked one..and even though I know its just for play Fatman doesnt like it so I try and keep Herc from doing it. When I catch Herc doing it is say his name really slow in a low low voice and then start stalking him and when I do that he runs onto the bed and lays there like "mom I wasnt doing nothin I swear" and he will stop for most of the day till he gets playful again and starts trilling and chirping at Fatman to play with him!

[fifi1puss]

Do you have enough vertical space for her that is kitty only? Like lots of trees and perhaps also making her her own shelving with comfy sleep spots covered with her favorite type of material to sleep on and her toys dangling? She obviously needs to be UP. I think if you give her those spaces it will go along way to keeping her off your husbands shelves. Also, when she goes on thos no-no areas, tell her NO and put her on her tree or shelf.

[laureen227]

sorry - Cable asserts her 'alphaness' w/the others, but she listens to me when i correct her [usually because she wants in/on a place that someone else got to 1st]. Chip does try to assert w/Pixel, sometimes, but he knows i don't like it & will usually stop when corrected - occasionally both of them need me to shake the water bottle at them [i rarely have to spray anymore].
no one gets on the counters when i can see - altho my counters are so cluttered there's not really room for anyone, anyway... maybe you should try that!
i don't do holiday decorating, & don't have many breakables. maybe get some museum wax or putty to stick them down with?
biggest problem i have is Java & Cable both get on top of the fridge, then attempt to open the cabinet doors there & climb inside the cabinets. currently, i have about 6-7 books stacked in front to help prevent this [i have some child locks but haven't installed them].

[littleraven7726]

Our collectibles are packed away in boxes until we get shelving with glass fronts.

I find it easier to use dollar store picture frames and not have knick knacks out, than try to keep them out of expensive breakables. We thought we were going to do a Christmas tree this year, but are having second thoughts...I bought plastic ornaments, but all of my cats are pretty active--even my senior guy.

[abbycats]

I have a cat like Annie. Her name is Zoey and she drives me crazy sometimes, well most the time, but I love her with all my heart. She has learned that when she yowls and howls I pay attention because if I don't she is going to do something really naughty(I have reinforced her bad behavior by catering to her whenever she acts up). She is on and into everything. She also stalks my poor abyssinian cat Dion. He is such a mellow timid guy and she terrorizes him on a daily basis. I wish he would stand up for himself and stand his ground with her.

[valanhb]

Originally Posted by fifipuss

Do you have enough vertical space for her that is kitty only? Like lots of trees and perhaps also making her her own shelving with comfy sleep spots covered with her favorite type of material to sleep on and her toys dangling? She obviously needs to be UP. I think if you give her those spaces it will go along way to keeping her off your husbands shelves. Also, when she goes on thos no-no areas, tell her NO and put her on her tree or shelf.

Good point about the vertical space. We don't really have space specifically for them/her in that particular room. I'll have to see what we can do about that. She does need to be up high, and that's likely be because of her time in the forest when being high meant being safe. I get it. It just getting Daddy to fork out the cash for more cat trees. (He thinks he needs people toys more than the cats need *more* furniture )

Unfortunately for us, Annie is not only naughty she's also very smart. She has definitely figured out to do the naughty things when we aren't there. She's never been on the shelves in the computer room when we're in the room.

Honestly, we're not too worried about the counters or refrigerator. We just watch closer when the stove is hot and when we're actually cooking/preparing food. She listens to us at those times. The tree...we'd like to keep her out of it, but it's not a deal breaker. It's really just Earl's shelves and Ophelia. I've tried talking to Ophelia and telling her that she needs to stand up to Annie. Hey, it worked to get her to get brave and come down from the bed - maybe it will work now.

[LDG]

We don't have one cat that exhibits the same behavior problems, we have two that exhibit parts. Flowerbelle doesn't listen (she's deaf anyway) to rules about where to go. She intentionally knocks things off shelves and tables in order to get attention.

We dealt with the counter problem by completely covering them with stuff that should have been in cabinets. It took about 6 weeks and was a complete PIA, but she finally gave up trying to figure out how to get on there - and after that amount of time, she lost interest, I guess. Now we have cat trees about 2 1/2 feet from the counter - so she can go up without the counters, so I'm sure that helps.

As to the rest... we've learned to leave nothing on a table or shelf that we care if it breaks (or that can be broken). Don't know what else to do!

The real problem, Annie stalking/cornering Ophelia... we have a somewhat similar problem with Lazlo towards Billy. Lazlo hated him from day 1. Fortunately Lazlo is enough of a wuss that all he does is run at Billy - who hunkers down and won't stand up for himself. But Laz goes no further than that. But it made Billy very scared of him, so we worked hard to stop Lazlo and get Billy unafraid. It's been a year (as of today!) that Bill's been inside. Lazlo's aggressiveness calmed down a while ago - but every once in a while (and the unpredictability of it is a different problem) he'll still run after Bill!

We just keep up the scent swapping, praise Lazlo to high heaven any time he's around Bill NOT doing anything, we feed them treats near each other, we always play with Lazlo first then Billy, we give Lazlo brushes first then Billy - and when Lazlo starts staring at Bill, we tell him to knock it off or take off - and he definitely has learned what we mean.

But we focus on encouraging non-interaction (if not positive interaction) and we focus WAY more on the positive reinforcement of Lazlo ignoring Billy than anything. I don't know whether things slowed down just because of the amount of time or because of our efforts.... but Billy is at least comfortable moving around throughout the whole place (usually). The only place he doens't really go that he tried to for a while is the front window, because Laz is often up there. But we have definitely achieved Lazlo happily sleeping on the pillows over my head, and Billy curled up next to me using my shoulder as a pillow... and Lazlo wanting to leave and not staring at or meowing at Billy, but just walking over/around him to go - and Billy not freaking that Lazlo's that close.