Hi everyone. New problem...our kittens are starting to climb the television by the speakers. To give a better visual (hopefully) we have a big screen TV that sits on the floor and the speakers are attached to the sides of the television and go all the way to the top. We have tried the tape stuff, deterrant spray and blocking off the sides and they still get up there. Actually it's one cat more than the other! All deterrants have worked for one cat and none for the other. Any suggestions? I know about clipping the nails but I am very nervous to do this I don't want to even accidently hurt them. I'm willing to do anything though. I will NOT declaw! It's the only thing that really frustrates me because it's a nice TV. Please help!
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Kitties climbing up the television...
- Thread starter axroacs
- Start Date
This won't look very nice, but you can try wrapping aluminim foil around the fabric areas of the speakers. I assume this is where they are sticking their claws and climbing up.. They will give up eventually and you will be able to remove the foil.
Another thing you can try is blowing up some balloons and taping them around the lower part of the speakers. If the kitty tries to climb up the speakers, they will claw the balloon, which will pop and scare them away from the speaker.
I can imagine how frustrated you must be because we bought a new big screen at Christmas time and Dori kept climbing on top of it. Luckily though, I taught her that she can jump on the speaker that sits beside the tv and get on top, as opposed to clawing her way up
If you have a cat tree or somewhere else that they can climb, you can also redirect them to that place when you see them climbing the speakers.
Good luck!
Another thing you can try is blowing up some balloons and taping them around the lower part of the speakers. If the kitty tries to climb up the speakers, they will claw the balloon, which will pop and scare them away from the speaker.
I can imagine how frustrated you must be because we bought a new big screen at Christmas time and Dori kept climbing on top of it. Luckily though, I taught her that she can jump on the speaker that sits beside the tv and get on top, as opposed to clawing her way up
If you have a cat tree or somewhere else that they can climb, you can also redirect them to that place when you see them climbing the speakers.
Good luck!
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- #3
Exactly! Our tv is a little different... the speakers that are built into the tv are in a horizontal row under the screen. Thank goodness for that because she would have been climbing up them just like your kittens if they were vertical.
I really don't mind that she climbs on top, except that it is such a narrow space I don't know why she insists on being up there
hmmm, I never had that problem. Mine stayed in one piece and just had a hole in it.
Originally Posted by coaster
Maybe I just bought cheap balloons.
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- #9
Okay so we didn't try the balloons, my husband had the same concerns about them eating the pieces. We tried the aluminum foil and it seems to be working all though I think they are eating that or at least using it to chew on and play with! So needless to say we have moved it out of their reach but now it doensn't seem to be helping. Sometimes I have been finding it moved away from the TV to where it's possible someone got up there. They haven't been caught though. Any other ideas, anyone?
Oh how frustrating
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
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If you don't mind them being on top of the tv, why don't you provide a good way for them to get up there? Maybe put an end table on one side, and a box on top, and train them to do it that way.
Trimming their claws is super easy if the cat is patient enough. Grab a paw in one hand, and put your thumb between the main paw pad and the toes, and press until the claws pop out. Then, trim off the sharp parts. You can cut all the way down to where it looks pink inside. If you hold it up to the light, you will see that inside the claw is a claw-shaped pink/reddish area. That is the part you can't cut, although if you nick it a little it's only as bad as when we cut our nails to short and it is a little sore, you won't do permanent damage. I find the special scissors they make to work the best. They have little half-moon blades on them, available at any pet store. Human nail trimmers don't work as well because they sort of smush the claw and make the outside layers come off all the way down.
If you cut them correctly, the cats won't be able to climb the fine mesh that is the speaker cover.
I'm really surprised nobody has suggested Softclaws! They wouldn't be able to climb anything, and you wouldn't have to use them forever. Just long enough that they forget how fun it is to climb the speakers. If you provide another way to get on top of the tv, they'll get used to that and once you quit applying the softpaws they'll probably continue to not climb the speaker.
Good luck!
Trimming their claws is super easy if the cat is patient enough. Grab a paw in one hand, and put your thumb between the main paw pad and the toes, and press until the claws pop out. Then, trim off the sharp parts. You can cut all the way down to where it looks pink inside. If you hold it up to the light, you will see that inside the claw is a claw-shaped pink/reddish area. That is the part you can't cut, although if you nick it a little it's only as bad as when we cut our nails to short and it is a little sore, you won't do permanent damage. I find the special scissors they make to work the best. They have little half-moon blades on them, available at any pet store. Human nail trimmers don't work as well because they sort of smush the claw and make the outside layers come off all the way down.
If you cut them correctly, the cats won't be able to climb the fine mesh that is the speaker cover.
I'm really surprised nobody has suggested Softclaws! They wouldn't be able to climb anything, and you wouldn't have to use them forever. Just long enough that they forget how fun it is to climb the speakers. If you provide another way to get on top of the tv, they'll get used to that and once you quit applying the softpaws they'll probably continue to not climb the speaker.
Good luck!
If you don't mind spending a few bucks, the ssscat might work for you in this situation. Here's their website: www.ssscat.com but you can buy it cheaper elsewhere.
All you have to do is give them something higher than the top of the TV for their own.
I have much the same setup- a huge TV and tons of electronics, and I am adamant that the cats stay away from all of it. So we got cat trees that literally tower over the top of the TV, and now they no longer have a reason to go up there.
And I'd know if they did- it's dusty enough that I can check for footprints almost every day, and they don't go there.
Cats just want to be high up. Give them a higher place and they won't even remember the TV.
I have much the same setup- a huge TV and tons of electronics, and I am adamant that the cats stay away from all of it. So we got cat trees that literally tower over the top of the TV, and now they no longer have a reason to go up there.
And I'd know if they did- it's dusty enough that I can check for footprints almost every day, and they don't go there.
Cats just want to be high up. Give them a higher place and they won't even remember the TV.
Won't somethign like Soft Paws fix this.. We have a big screen tv and Angel has begun to try and climb on the speaker grill.. I yell at her all the time, "off Angel", but she still tried to do it.. I'm gonna try some taller toys and so forth,, but I'm also gonna try soft paws. Angel only stretches on it,, she doesn't use her back claws..
Heather
Heather
