how to train a stupid cat

zerogravity

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hello everyone, first post here. thanks in advance for any assistance.

let me start by saying that i've had cats all my life - from the first day i was brought home from the hospital after being born there was a couple cats waiting there for me. only time i didn't have cats was when i was in college due to residence rules...

calling my cat stupid isn't meant to be derogatory in any way - unfortunately its a statement of fact. she really is very slow. don't get me wrong, i love all my cats i've had over the years including this one. stupid or not, i wouldn't give her up.

little background: picked her up at the local humaine society. she was rescued from a cat hoarder and as a result is severely inbred. there were a couple hundred cats rescued, many were put down immediately simply because they were too sick and malnourished to help. many others were put down later because they were too ill and did not recover despite medical care. this was one of the lucky ones that survived.

i have two cats at the moment. to be honest i was happy with just the first one but he was getting so incredibly lonely without me around (i work 12 hr rotating shifts) i had to do something. the above mentioned cat was the solution. just needed a friend ;)

so...i've been very successful training my cats in the past. usually my method is to use a squirt bottle with water in it while associating it with snapping my finger. eventually the cat will pick up on the snapping of the finger as 'you're in trouble, knock it off!'. the older one knows that well and usually stops what he's doing and takes off.

now this younger stupid cat....i can't train her. it just seems impossible! i've had cats that are difficult just because they're stubborn, but that can be dealt with. this one just doesn't understand! problems i'm having:

- scratching furniture, bed, and even the walls. my wooden trim is ruined in some places.

- she doesn't seem to understand that her claws hurt. if she's on your lap, you'll probably have bleeding thighs. on the bed (yes i allow them to sleep on the bed with me) she does the 'kneading' thing and i'm not so opposed to that - but she's ruining my blankets and even the mattress.

-continually tries to get into things (such as the garbage, or even a book left out) and makes messes, generally damages items.

the sad part is you can tell she really wants to be a good cat. she seems upset when she's reprimanded for doing something but genuinely has no idea what is going on! you can give her a spray of water and she won't even realize you've sprayed her for even up to a minute, then wonders why she's wet. she'll be doing something wrong, you stop her and get the look of 'what am i doing wrong?' then immediately goes right back to it.

i think she might be having some kind of absent seizures to top it off...caught her a few times with one pupil dilated and the other not acting strangely.

so does anyone have any ideas on how to train her here? i've tried just about everything short of abuse i can think of - which is obviously not an option. doubt she'd get it then either.
 

di and bob

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Sorry, but water and any training like that doesn't work with cats. They just become afraid and secretive. They don't strive to please like dogs. She is doing what she feels is natural, and I'm sure the hoarding situation didn't help, she had no training growing up and probably had to fight for everything she got. She is young and will most likely get 'milder' and more laid back as time goes on, but fro now you have to concentrate on showing her what she CAN do and not what she can't. Cover your bed with an old blanket at night, one that won't be hurt. Get a trash can with a top or lid so she can't get in it. Use double sided clear tape for a while on the places she scratches until she doesn't anymore. Get her a corrugated cardboard scratcher, cats can't resist them and use them instead of your furniture. Pupils being unequal can be a sign of neurological problems, but most commonly could mean she has an infection somewhere, so monitor her for illness. I know she seems like a pain right now, but she most likely loves you so much for giving her such a good home please give her a chance. You will surely be blessed for giving that sweet baby a new life. All the luck, and keep us posted!
 

furmonster mom

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For the scratching, rub the cat posts (you do have some, right?) with catnip.  Also the posts should be large enough to accommodate both cats, because scratching releases pheromones as a display of "ownership".  Your older cats scent is probably everywhere, so your new kitty is trying to establish her own presence in the territory (the home).  Heck, with that in mind, you might even consider getting a brand new post (or two).

Another alternative might be to try the nail caps.

While the squirt bottle may have worked for you in the past, it might be time to try a different technique.  Redirection and positive reinforcement are effective when used consistently. 
 

maiaelizabeth

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Maia scratches my spring box which i have covered with a plastic thing. I get upset but i got her a little fish scratcher besides her scratching pole. she has stopped doing that. Foley does the lap thing were he will scratch you really hard. I have just grown accustomed to it. I would never spray water to them or do anything that makes them uncomfortable whatsoever. I respect them and they understand when if they are playing to rough i call one of them out they know they have to stop playing rough. they have ruined all of my comforters but hey when you have babies dont they do the same? with your clothes and more stuff... so for me they are my babies and i really dont care about the material aspect as long as they are happy. im not saying that i let them do whatever they want and destroy everything but with patience and love they have learned a lot of stuff. they are very intelligent animals and they each have a very different personality, not all cats are the same. so just have patience and give your cat lots of treats and love.
 
 

red top rescue

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Clipping claws weekly will spare you the pain of sharp claws.  You can get nice little claw clippers in the bird section of Petco (better than the ones they have in the cat section IMO).  You can also use human toenail clippers.  They leave a rough edge, but if you have enough cardboard scratchers around, they will take care of them.  You can also hang the long skinny cardboard scratchers in the places on the wall that she scratches.  I agree with what others have said about discipline.  Unlike dogs, cats don''t react well to negative reinforcement.  The best way to train any cat is to motivate them to do what you want and not to do what you don't want.  As for getting up on the counters, there is something called SSSCAT which is simply compressed air in a can with  motion detector, on sale right now on Amazon for $22.49 (usually $35).  If they jump up, it sprays compressed air and startles them and usually they remember and don't repeat very often.  Your cat may be a little slow because of her rough beginning, but it sounds like she is very sweet and just wants to love and be loved.  Cats are a challenge and will teach you how to think "outside the box" to motivate them to do what you want, because you really have to make them WANT what you want.  A dog wants to please you so you can train it.  A cat wants to please herself so you need to motivate her, not train her.  Let us know what wonderful diversions and solutions you come up with because that will help others on this site.  And thatnks for adopting a slightly special needs kitty.
 
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misty8723

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Cat's don't understand that what comes naturally to them is something you don't want them to do. Disciplining just makes them fear you.  I don't know about training, I usually just point at Swanie when he scratches on something he's not supposed to and say Swanie! Not a scratchy! He knows that means stop doing it. Doesn't mean he won't try again later.  My personal philosophy is that things are just things and can be replaced, but cats are living beings and you have to accept some natural cat behavior. I don't mean to allow them to shred your things or shred you, but just be a little understanding that they are not doing it to be mean or stupid, just doing what comes naturally to them.  I do agree that clipping nails might help the situation.
 
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zerogravity

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respectfully, i have tried these methods with no success. she is not a new cat in the home by any means. i've had her for roughly 3.5 years now and the two of them get along very well.

i have 3 scratching posts. i've tried putting things such as double sided tape, tinfoil, etc. on things. she just scratches through it. yes i've started clipping claws and it doesn't seem to help much - she just doesn't understand that claws hurt! the other one seems to know that instinctively and never claws me at all...never been an issue. i'm completely against declawing but i hate to say it i've considered it for this one. that's a first for me. don't worry, i don't think i'll ever go there.

yes i own about 3 scratching posts and both use them - she also uses the wall. i've tried rubbing with catnip, etc. doesn't matter.

i like the idea of the compressed air thingy...might give that a go.

oh and my new box spring....there's no bottom to it now lol. but that's thanks to the two of them playing together. i'll just put some plywood under it at some point.

i do get that cats are not like dogs to train. remember, i've had cats all my life and i'm in my 30s now. starting to lose count of how many i've had over the years. di and bob: i've already tried your suggestions of trashcans with covers, she'll just knock them over when she feels like it. i don't agree with your assessment of water not working - i've used this method for years with great success and have seen no ill effects. probably because i eliminate the water after a short time by replacing it with snapping a finger. it simply teaches association. but hey we're all entitled to our opinions and i am more than open to other methods.

the biggest problem isn't so much that she will scratch things up. ok, that IS a big problem but there's another related one. my older cat has always been extremely affectionate right from day one. he likes to cuddle under the covers when i go to bed. the other one decided she wanted in on this which i have no problem with - except once she gets comfortable the claws come out and both the mattress and my hand gets wrecked with her kneading. i don't care if she wants to do that so much as she will dig in as deep as she can. i've tried repositioning her to do that in the air, but to no avail.
 

Willowy

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I have one who isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer :lol3:. I'm pretty sure he's deeply inbred as well. He also has an overbite :D. He doesn't realize what his claws do, so he's very clumsy and can do a lot of damage when his nails are sharp. Anyway, I've found that if I clip his nails weekly, they stay very dull and he can't do any damage. Some cats may need twice weekly, but the end result is very short and dull nails so it's worth taking the time to clip them often. Applying Soft Claws should work if you find that frequent clipping doesn't do the trick.

As for getting into stuff or knocking over the trash can, the only things I've found that work are keeping things locked up when I can't supervise, baby locks on cabinets, a latching garbage can lid, etc. Purely management, not training. But then I have a lot of cats and they pretty much all like to get into stuff, not just the "challenged" cat.
 
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zerogravity

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I have one who isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer
. I'm pretty sure he's deeply inbred as well. He also has an overbite
. He doesn't realize what his claws do, so he's very clumsy and can do a lot of damage when his nails are sharp. Anyway, I've found that if I clip his nails weekly, they stay very dull and he can't do any damage. Some cats may need twice weekly, but the end result is very short and dull nails so it's worth taking the time to clip them often. Applying Soft Claws should work if you find that frequent clipping doesn't do the trick.

As for getting into stuff or knocking over the trash can, the only things I've found that work are keeping things locked up when I can't supervise, baby locks on cabinets, a latching garbage can lid, etc. Purely management, not training. But then I have a lot of cats and they pretty much all like to get into stuff, not just the "challenged" cat.
thanks for that, hate to say i never thought of using baby locks and such. just one of those silly things i guess. the softclaws idea is great as a last resort....but i wonder if she'd just bite them off and eat them. this cat will try to eat ANYTHING! i've caught her trying to eat some pretty ridiculous things, that would be right up her alley. i'll be trying more frequent clipping first but its at least a thought.

honestly, she's a great cat inbred or not. i just can't get through to her what so ever.
 

catsknowme

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 Welcome to TCS! In addition to the other great ideas, I would suggest lots of very active play time with both kitties; extra snacks with the first tidbits given to the Senior cat (as in the cat with tenure), while telling the newer cat that so&so is the "Senior Cat". Also, gently squeeze the toes of offending paws while telling Kitty "Claw Control!".  You can also give them plenty of cardboard boxes (with large holes cut into them) for play and for scratching - the price is right and they are easy to frequently replace. I have had several "special ed" kitties and they tend to need extra "parenting" -- currently, I have a 4mo blind kitten who tamed rapidly but uses his claws much too intensively and the other kittens are avoiding him because of it so I have to give his toys extra thought (bouncy balls with bells; crumpled parchment paper; toys with texture, such as empty velvet jewelry boxes).

Whatever you find that works, please share with the rest of us
 

pocho

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Hi! I was a stupid cat at one point in my life too. Luckily I am now owned equally by Pocho, Lucia and Giuseppi. It has been about 5 yrs of homeschooling but I think I am finally understanding. ...so many concerns vanish when they teach you how to not try to control too much and concentrate on their wisdom and love.
 

pocho

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My point, a stupid cat has the ability to make a smarter owner. Which in the end isn't too stupid, right? It is US that need the training here.
 

furmonster mom

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My point, a stupid cat has the ability to make a smarter owner. Which in the end isn't too stupid, right?
Tangentially related...

My mom once was recruited to play a game of donkey basketball;  and yes, it is pretty much as it sounds.  You had to be on or in "control" of your a-- donkey at all times, while trying to get the ball into the basket.  Much hilarity ensued, as donkeys are notoriously stubborn and.. errm... independent. 

At one point, my mom got control of the ball.  She hopped off, tucked the ball under her arm, and while holding the reins, dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out a carrot.  Suddenly, her donkey was the most co-operative animal on the court...  She waggled that carrot under its nose all the way to the basket to win the game.

Of course, the other team accused her of chickanery and dirty pool, but her response was, "Hey, ya gotta be smarter than what you're working with..." as she gave her opponents a sly, meaningful look.

So, yeah, if you're saying your cat is stupid and you can't train it, what does that really say? 
 
 
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coquelicot

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Sorry if I missed this but have you tried letting out a high-pitched squeal when she claws you? I do that with my cats, and they seem to understand that means, "you're hurting me - please stop."
 
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