HELP...Kitten afraid of vacuum :(

rockcat · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by babyharley

He hasn't learned how to get into my cabinets YET!!

I get paranoid with the screen cuz I dont want him to fall down if he gets up there and I don't catch him right away! That would hurt!! He just gets into it all, he's like a child! The other day I found him in the bathtub! I have to keep my bathroom door shut at all times!

Even tho he gets into everything (and I mean everything) he is still too adorable to get mad at!

I'm getting him a scratching post tonight, any suggestions on what kinds to get? He's starting to scratch everything in site!

Im sorry I keep going off on different subjects, I just keep having more and more questions...Im sorry if Im a bother!

You can never be a bother by asking questions about your baby's safety.

Oliver loves the bathtub too. If you don't keep the door closed, be sure to keep the toilet lid shut.

I think cats prefer scratchings posts that are at an angle.

babyharley · Aug 23, 2005

I think cats prefer scratchings posts that are at an angle.[/quote]

Do you know how much a post usually costs? Just an average price range?

lee · Aug 23, 2005

Must say I am enjoying hearing about baby Harley -- reminds me of not long ago when we were adopted by a 7 week old kitten, our first!

Our cats LOVE to sit in front of the fridge when I open the door -- a real pain to keep pulling them out! You have to be really careful with washing machine and dryer as well.

Our kittens popped out our window screens one night -- I nearly freaked when I heard neighbours' dogs barking, went looking for the kitties and found the laundry room screen missing! The brats had run around the house -- thank God they were running right back at the same time as I raced outside. We're looking for clips to hold the screens more securely, and we won't leave those windows open until we do. Luckily we have some louver windows to let air in -- although when Tigger was smaller he tried to climb through one, but his tubby tummy stopped him from getting out! So now we keep those tilted so he can't even try. Not sure what you can do about the screen door, the bungie cord might work.

Did your landlord say if you could get the other kitten?

rockcat · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by babyharley

Do you know how much a post usually costs? Just an average price range?

For the cheapest, I think you can get a cardboard one in Wal-Mart for around $5.00. I haven't priced them in awhile.

babyharley · Aug 23, 2005

[/quote]Did your landlord say if you could get the other kitten?[/quote]

Still waiting on a call back from him! Lets just say I have said an extra prayer and I have been keeping my fingers crossed!
I'm glad I'm not a bother, I just feel so bad asking so many questions all the time! Im just happy there is a place where I can get them answered!

I'm going to have to try SOMETHING on that screen door, I dont want him falling down off there, he just loves sitting there watching the birds and the neighbors.

I can't wait to post pictures of him!

catsknowme · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by babyharley

I think cats prefer scratchings posts that are at an angle.

Do you know how much a post usually costs? Just an average price range?[/quote]
I found my cats' favorite scratcher for $11 at PetsMart. It's the WhiskerCity CAVERN SCRATCHER. It is an all-time favorite!! And it doesn't shed like the more expensive carpet scratchers. I bought a Cavern for my daughter's cat Christy, and my cats & my dad's cats were sneaking into Christy's room(s) to use it, so we had to buy more. Like I said, A BIG HIT!!! It's not fancy, just cardboard, with a little "belfry" with a sparkly-ball dangling down, but it is also a much-used toy, the cats play a sort of "tether-ball" with it.
As for the screen thing, I use sounds to discourage my cats, as well. My grandson bought a SpyKids Motion Detector for $2.50 @ KMart's clearance rack yesterday, and we set it up at my mom's front screen-door (we visit my mom's frequently, and that's where my furkids stay when I go out-of-town) to deter JC from trying to dart out the front door. It worked!! The noise was so annoying to him (and me, unfortunately) that he learned after the 2nd time. At home, though, I have pretty good success with the PSST sound.

babyharley · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by Rockcat

For the cheapest, I think you can get a cardboard one in Wal-Mart for around $5.00. I haven't priced them in awhile.

Really? I thought they would be spendier? I want something that he will like tho too. I dont want to spend an arm and a leg but I want something that he will use! What kind do the majority of you guys use?

rockcat · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by lee

Must say I am enjoying hearing about baby Harley -- reminds me of not long ago when we were adopted by a 7 week old kitten, our first!

Our cats LOVE to sit in front of the fridge when I open the door -- a real pain to keep pulling them out! You have to be really careful with washing machine and dryer as well.

Our kittens popped out our window screens one night -- I nearly freaked when I heard neighbours' dogs barking, went looking for the kitties and found the laundry room screen missing! The brats had run around the house -- thank God they were running right back at the same time as I raced outside. We're looking for clips to hold the screens more securely, and we won't leave those windows open until we do.

Hissy posted this on another thread yesterday:

Originally Posted by Hissy

I use plastic trellis. They come in decorative patterns, just be sure the holes are small enough so the cat can't get caught in them, and measure your window, cut the trellis to size and pop it in place.

halfpint · Aug 23, 2005

Oh mine will all help when it's a broom or duster, but th Vacume forget it, I just let them go hide where the want, and they all are fine when it's over.

babyharley · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by halfpint

Oh mine will all help when it's a broom or duster, but th Vacume forget it, I just let them go hide where the want, and they all are fine when it's over.

Haha Harley LOVES the broom and anything else that doesnt make loud scary noises!!

rockcat · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by babyharley

Really? I thought they would be spendier? I want something that he will like tho too. I dont want to spend an arm and a leg but I want something that he will use! What kind do the majority of you guys use?

It might be a little more, but not much, but like I said, thats the cardboard one. Oliver has a cat tree, but he prefers my shoes. Its my own fault.

When he was a kitten, my (then) husband and I let him because we worked in construction and had ratty shoes on most of the time anyway. Now he thinks that shoe scratching is the proper way to greet people - company included.

Tripod will scratch on things that he shouldn't once in awhile, like the sofa and carpet, but he has a front leg missing, so he doesn't do it too much. Its usually to join in with the greeting when Oliver is scratching shoes.

journey · Aug 23, 2005

The cat I was cat-sitting a few weeks ago was so cool and relaxed! I was vaccuming and she was laying on the couch. I thought eventually she would run off but no, she just keep laying there and kind of looking at me. I started vacuming the COUCH and she still laid there!!! When I had to vaccum the cushion she was on, I had to physically lift her off the cushion so I could vaccum it!! I thought maybe she was deaf but she wasn't! Crazy cat.

cyberkitten · Aug 23, 2005

YY HATES the vacuum cleaner and she just runs off to my bed (well actually it's hers now, more than mine, lol) and waits until it's over. I do try to have her out of ther house when vacuuming is done. I have a housekeeper who comes once a week and she often does vacuuming for me and so I try to take YY somewhere during that time, outside for a walk on her leash. The Sphynxes rather like the vacuum for some strange reason - like my brother's dog who will allow me to vacuum HIM!! (He is a choc lab with lots of hair, much more than a Siamese

)

babyharley · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by journey

The cat I was cat-sitting a few weeks ago was so cool and relaxed! I was vaccuming and she was laying on the couch. I thought eventually she would run off but no, she just keep laying there and kind of looking at me. I started vacuming the COUCH and she still laid there!!! When I had to vaccum the cushion she was on, I had to physically lift her off the cushion so I could vaccum it!! I thought maybe she was deaf but she wasn't! Crazy cat.

Must be a fearless cat!! If I even got close to Harley he would most likely have a melt down!

laureen227 · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

I have most attractive small bungee cords

holding all of my cabinets shut.

i bought those child locks at the hardware store & installed them. works pretty good - they can try, but can't open them far enough to get inside! & if Harley doesn't/can't open yours yet, i'm sure he'll learn, especially if you have those traditional apartment cabinets with no knobs, just swing open & shut? that's what my house has. the cat lays on her back, & paws at the cabinet until it pops open, then jumps inside - i've seen them do it!
mine hide in the clothes closet (the big one) during vacuum time.

cjandbilly · Aug 23, 2005

Originally Posted by laureen227

i bought those child locks at the hardware store & installed them. works pretty good - they can try, but can't open them far enough to get inside! & if Harley doesn't/can't open yours yet, i'm sure he'll learn, especially if you have those traditional apartment cabinets with no knobs, just swing open & shut? that's what my house has. the cat lays on her back, & paws at the cabinet until it pops open, then jumps inside - i've seen them do it!
mine hide in the clothes closet (the big one) during vacuum time.

We tried those.... didn't work... they broke them! But since we've remodeled our kitchen, we have better cabinets that are hard to open, and they can't get in them.

babyharley · Aug 24, 2005

Originally Posted by laureen227

i bought those child locks at the hardware store & installed them. works pretty good - they can try, but can't open them far enough to get inside! & if Harley doesn't/can't open yours yet, i'm sure he'll learn, especially if you have those traditional apartment cabinets with no knobs, just swing open & shut? that's what my house has. the cat lays on her back, & paws at the cabinet until it pops open, then jumps inside - i've seen them do it!
mine hide in the clothes closet (the big one) during vacuum time.

You know I was wondering how a bungee cord would work on my kind of cabinets (traditional apartment ones) I'm going to probly have to invest in some of those child locks-I noticed yesterday he is trying to get into them while I was in the kitchen making supper!

P.S.-I'm HOPING to post pictures today!

hissy · Aug 24, 2005

Good grief, if I had hubby hold my cats while I vacuumed the ambulance would have to come and pick up pieces of Mike left shredded all over the carpet! Most cats are afraid of the noise, the vibration and will leave the room. Put your kitten in another room while you vaccum with classical music playing or white noise (static). Or just let her run away in the house from the monster. The only cats I have ever had that weren't afraid of the vacuum were deaf and blind-

babyharley · Aug 24, 2005

Originally Posted by hissy

Good grief, if I had hubby hold my cats while I vacuumed the ambulance would have to come and pick up pieces of Mike left shredded all over the carpet! Most cats are afraid of the noise, the vibration and will leave the room. Put your kitten in another room while you vaccum with classical music playing or white noise (static). Or just let her run away in the house from the monster. The only cats I have ever had that weren't afraid of the vacuum were deaf and blind-

I vacuumed last night and I put him in my bedroom and then let him out when I had to clean up the bedroom and all was okay-he was a little upset at me for a minute or two (a little shaky too!) and then I gave him a treat and he loved me just the same again

miyas_mom · Aug 24, 2005

My little girl hates the vacuum. As soon as she sees it, she jumps up on the shelf. I just let her take cover before I start and then we have a bit of a pet and hug after I'm finished.

HELP...Kitten afraid of vacuum :(

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