Picking up my beautiful new 8-week-old kitten tomorrow. I have a recliner in my room, and it takes quite an effort to push shut the footrest to get up, gradual closing won't do it. I'm scared for the kitten that I'll slam it on him. He will want to hide sometimes, and perfect place is under the chair. I've tried blocking the footrest so it can't close on him, but now I can't get out of the chair hardly. Mechanical solutions don't look likely. Can I spray bitter apple under the chair and the footrest, will it keep him away? All advice welcome.
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How effective is bitter apple?
- Thread starter dwdanby
- Start Date
Congratulations on your new kitten!!! I would not trust bitter apple to resolve your dilemma. Either leave the recliner foot down or up, but if you can't use it when the foot is up, then leave it down. Perhaps, if you leave it down, you can use something else for now as a footrest (portable foot stool, perhaps?).
Maybe he should have a better hiding spot? Even with a kitten that young, you should start out with a single small room to acclimate him to first, and then gradually introduce him to other locations, one at a time.
Bringing Home A New Cat - The Complete Guide - TheCatSite
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips - TheCatSite
Do you need other pointers on how to handle a kitten? Ask away!!
Maybe he should have a better hiding spot? Even with a kitten that young, you should start out with a single small room to acclimate him to first, and then gradually introduce him to other locations, one at a time.
Bringing Home A New Cat - The Complete Guide - TheCatSite
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips - TheCatSite
Do you need other pointers on how to handle a kitten? Ask away!!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thank you so, so much! I just went and got a box, put a folded small comforter on top and bungee-corded it in place. It's perfectly comfortable and you have solved my problem! Now I'll go read the articles you gave me.
bitter apple is more of a chewing deterent(it didnt work on graycie)you can try a can of keyboard cleaner just make sure not to tip the can it will spray liquid out that can injure your kitten.easiest and most simple solution would be just buying a new foot rest then you dont need to keep one eye on your kitten while trying to watch tv or read etc. in your recliner
It will cause fear. Fear solutions are not usually recommended as they can cause behavioural issues. The cat is also smart enough to know that the human is causing this (as it doesn't happen when human isn't around) and it can deteriorate the relationship.
Best to give Yes spaces to things and try to reach no.
Looks like the poster found a good solution for their home though.
We keep some treats by our recliner and toss one away from us before we get up. We don't use it often so it works for us.
Yes, this! Cats are MUCH more receptive to "yes" than "no." And training involving "yes's" generally works much better.
