She's going to get hurt! (Velcro-Kitty)

valanhb

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Mojo is our velcro kitty. She is ALWAYS underfoot, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. It seems like I step on her 2-3 times a day.
She hollers, so I know it hurts, but she keeps being right under my/our feet! Of course, she also is usually running around like a maniac within seconds, so it doesn't hurt her *that* bad.


I'm really afraid that I'm going to hurt her.
None of the others are like this, so I'm new at the whole stepping-on-kitty thing.

Besides making sure we're not wearing shoes around the house, if there anything else you've found that works? Either to avoid stepping on them or hurting them? I know I can't be the only kitty-Meowmy who accidentally steps on kitty!
 

kai bengals

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I'd like to invite you to my place for a few days.
Right now we have 8 twelve week olds in the house and they are like a moving carpet sometimes. You're not alone, by any means.
I don't have a very good suggestion, but I can sympathize! We sort of just act like we're wading in knee deep water. Seems to work to keep anyone from getting stomped on.
 

arlyn

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I don't pick my feet up to walk when there are kitties underfoot, I just sort of shuffle.
 

epona

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

I don't pick my feet up to walk when there are kitties underfoot, I just sort of shuffle.
I shuffle anyway cos my joints aren't all that


But then my balance isn't all that either


Sonic is my velcro kitty, he is always right there under my feet. I get into bed and he's there where I am in the process of lying down. I sit down and he is under my backside.

He hasn't been injured yet (if anyone remembers the thread I posted about his foot getting caught in the door it turned out to be just bruised and we didn't even need anti-inflammatories after 2 days because it was all healed and the swelling gone down).

The only advice I can give is that unless your house is on fire, walk really really slowly!
 

momofmany

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I don't call them velcro kitties, I call them speed bumps, and there is a stong line of speed bumps that live in this house.

Did I tell you that my Koko (Mojo's twin) is also the kitchen / bathroom fanatic? Her tactic is to attack your bare toes in those 2 rooms. She doesn't do it anywhere else in the house.

But back on topic. Do the shuffle (wasn't there a song about that years ago?), and particularly when you are in the kitchen or bathroom and always when the lights are out at night. Walk slowly and drag your feet. After a few years, it becomes a natural gait.

*hehehe*
 

clixpix

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

But back on topic. Do the shuffle (wasn't there a song about that years ago?)
I think you are thinking of "Do the Hustle".


And Heidi, do not do the Hustle! You would surely step on Mojo then!
 

starryeyedtiger

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I constantly have little foster kittens underfoot - even more so when i'm trying to socialize them and acclimate them to life around the house....my best advice to you is- keep them busy! When you have work you need to do in the kitchen or bathroom- give them something to occupy themselves with (the same way you'd give a child a book to read or a coloring magazine in a boring doctors office
) Give them a little snack, a toy to play with, or put them in a seperate room if you're afraid you'll step on them
 

trouts mom

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OMG I am so careful with Trout...I have heard at least 2 stories where someone stepped on their kitten and it killed the kitten
I am terrified of stepping on Trout..I would rather twist my ankle and wipe out down the stairs.
 

strange_wings

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I've done the "don't step on the cat" dance many times when one of them suddenly darts under foot.

It involves quickly yanking back the foot you were about to put down, hopping backwards on the other foot, spinning around because you lost your balance, then crashing into the nearby wall/couch/chair/table. It's hilarious to see DH do this.


Things that help, no shoes in the house and drag your feet when walking in the dark. Also don't carry stuff that obscures your vision (can't see your feet) that could potentially make you a fun target to trip. It must be a kitty rule to take advantage of this.


Originally Posted by Momofmany

I don't call them velcro kitties, I call them speed bumps, and there is a stong line of speed bumps that live in this house.
Sho plays speed bump in the dark living room at night, he's 15-16lbs and can actually give a person a stubbed toe.
 

fred&nermal

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You could tape laser pointers to each shoe and walk around so the cats are always playing ahead of you where the red light lands, not underfoot. Don't walk into the bathtub with the lasers on or you will definetly trip on the cats in there if they are chasing the red light


Or you could tape rubber horns under your shoes so every time you took a step, the cats would run away from the honking noise.


Instead of slippers, wear underwater flippers/fins. The slapping noise with each step will scare them away for sure. When wearing the flippers up the stairs, walk backwards so as not to trip. Look backwards to make sure no cats are sleeping on the steps.
 

white cat lover

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Damita's my velco cat. It's not fair though, she can't see me to move. No good suggestions, either.
 

calico2222

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Originally Posted by Fred&Nermal

You could tape laser pointers to each shoe and walk around so the cats are always playing ahead of you where the red light lands, not underfoot. Don't walk into the bathtub with the lasers on or you will definetly trip on the cats in there if they are chasing the red light


Or you could tape rubber horns under your shoes so every time you took a step, the cats would run away from the honking noise.


Instead of slippers, wear underwater flippers/fins. The slapping noise with each step will scare them away for sure. When wearing the flippers up the stairs, walk backwards so as not to trip. Look backwards to make sure no cats are sleeping on the steps.
Oh my lord, that is hilarious!!! But, the sad thing is, I am actually considering some of those suggestions! I have fins...but the dogs may like them a bit too much and attack them. The laser light on the slippers though....you may be on to something. Have you ever thought of marketing them?
 
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valanhb

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

Did I tell you that my Koko (Mojo's twin) is also the kitchen / bathroom fanatic? Her tactic is to attack your bare toes in those 2 rooms. She doesn't do it anywhere else in the house.

But back on topic. Do the shuffle (wasn't there a song about that years ago?), and particularly when you are in the kitchen or bathroom and always when the lights are out at night. Walk slowly and drag your feet. After a few years, it becomes a natural gait.

*hehehe*
I think Koko has been telepathically communicating with Mojo.
She's not attacking bare toesies yet, but socked toesies are starting to be fair game.


One of the problems with Mojo is that I swear she DARTS underfoot when I'm getting out of the tub! I can't shuffle out of there!

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I've done the "don't step on the cat" dance many times when one of them suddenly darts under foot.

It involves quickly yanking back the foot you were about to put down, hopping backwards on the other foot, spinning around because you lost your balance, then crashing into the nearby wall/couch/chair/table. It's hilarious to see DH do this.
I did the "don't step on the kitty" dance today, only it was in the bathroom with no good places to land.
Thankfully I ended up plopping down on the edge of the tub and managed to catch myself without falling backwards into the tub.

Originally Posted by Fred&Nermal

You could tape laser pointers to each shoe and walk around so the cats are always playing ahead of you where the red light lands, not underfoot. Don't walk into the bathtub with the lasers on or you will definetly trip on the cats in there if they are chasing the red light


Or you could tape rubber horns under your shoes so every time you took a step, the cats would run away from the honking noise.


Instead of slippers, wear underwater flippers/fins. The slapping noise with each step will scare them away for sure. When wearing the flippers up the stairs, walk backwards so as not to trip. Look backwards to make sure no cats are sleeping on the steps.
Besides the shuffle/drag, those are definitely some interesting ideas.
The laser light would probably work, but I don't think the horn would work with Mojo. She'd be scared for about 2 seconds and then come racing back to check it out and poke her paws under my feet to see what the noise was.
And I'm seeing flippers being equally fun toys!


Life with Mojo is never dull!
 

luckygirl

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Originally Posted by Fred&Nermal

You could tape laser pointers to each shoe and walk around so the cats are always playing ahead of you where the red light lands, not underfoot. Don't walk into the bathtub with the lasers on or you will definetly trip on the cats in there if they are chasing the red light


Or you could tape rubber horns under your shoes so every time you took a step, the cats would run away from the honking noise.


Instead of slippers, wear underwater flippers/fins. The slapping noise with each step will scare them away for sure. When wearing the flippers up the stairs, walk backwards so as not to trip. Look backwards to make sure no cats are sleeping on the steps.
omg that's so funny!!!!


Heidi, I suffer with the same thing....they see I'm gonna take a step, and something in their brain triggers "quick RUN UNDER HER FOOT!!!!" and I end up crashing into the wall or door or whatever so I don't fall on them....we have only gotten on each of them once....
DH & I both felt like big jerks afterwards, and the kitties would run under the bed & not come out, making me feel worse....
but they are easily bribed with treats!
And then we quickly make up!
 

clairebear

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I have one cat that I'm almost positive purposely tries to trip me. She runs through my legs darting back and forth. She only does this when she wants food, but if you ignore her she gets more persistant and actually has made me fall. I dont think there's much you can do other than to constantly try to watch where your putting your feet.
 

rosiemac

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Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

Right now we have 8 twelve week olds in the house and they are like a moving carpet sometimes. .
I can just picture the scene in your house as well.

Rosie and Sophie are always around my feet. I can't go anywhere without them following, so if i'm in the kitchen i'm forever looking around me before i step back because i've stood on them many times in the past
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

I don't pick my feet up to walk when there are kitties underfoot, I just sort of shuffle.
That was going to be my suggestion.


Our two, for some reason, love to run ahead of me and lay across the stairs leading to the basement when I'm doing laundry. Fortunately I'm on to them now and proceed very carefully.

I'll share a cute one with you. Some years ago when we had our black cat Ebony, my mom lived with us. There was a "hallway" between the living room and the kitchen which had dark navy carpeting. This was Ebony's favourite spot to nap. My dear old mom (in her mid-sixties to seventies at that time) would often almost step on Ebony and do the whole teetering, almost falling routine. She would then talk to Ebony and tell him that one day he was going to cause her to fall. Well, yes, that day came and as she was getting up, on her hands and knees and giving Ebony heck for finally tripping her up, Ebony casually walked away. Mom, with her great sense of humour, sat there and laughed until her tummy hurt.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by valanhb


Besides making sure we're not wearing shoes around the house, if there anything else you've found that works? Either to avoid stepping on them or hurting them? I know I can't be the only kitty-Meowmy who accidentally steps on kitty!
you get used to watching for them... i've stepped on Cable at least 3 times, once fairly hard, back before i lost the weight. i even took her to the vet 'cause she was limping! anyway - now i know not to just blithely walk into the kitchen, because more than likely there's a tabby rolling around on the floor directly in my path. while i'm preparing food/working at the counter - i can't just step back, but must look first, to check for stripey girls or black boys who might just be sitting right behind me, inspecting my work...
 
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