:
: back again...
Well, I bought some Bitter Apple Spray (well, it was a dab top - couldn't find the spray - didn't matter as I applied it with a napkin anyway), and I started applying it to the wires in the living room, because I've seen Cleopatra attacking them, and I think she may be biting them as well.
I let her sniff the top to 1) satisfy her curiosity, and 2) make sure she didn't like it - she kept away for a bit, but kept coming back (she kept trying to play by swatting at and biting my hands - Generally, this hasn't hurt too much yet, but I'm trying to discourage it - she does bite hard, but I usually get my hand away in time). Anyway, I finished applying the bitter apple, and I started petting her - she was purring for about a minute, then went crazy on my hand! I shouted, which scared her off, then I went to my room and closed the door (where I'm typing) - she whined because she wants to be let in my room, but I won't let her since she automatically goes behind my nightstand to play with the wires there, then goes and hides under my bed.
I can see where this might be a reaction if some bitter apple is still on my hand, but she's actually been doing this for awhile. Amidst the running away and hiding from me half the time anyway).
So, I have two questions:
1) How often do I have to apply the bitter apple to the wires to keep her from playing with/chewing on them (She's now 4 months old - I don't think she's teething yet, but I figure she probably will be in the near future, so I'd like to take as many preventative measures as I can afford to).
2) Is there anything I can do to control this behavior? I've spent a lot of money on her in the past month, so I'm balking a little bit about getting a Feliway diffuser (especially sine it seems the refills are expensive as well), but I'm starting to lean more in that direction.
She seems used to the condo by now, so I don't feel like she's still adjusting. I can probably win back her affection a bit with treats, but that's just a temporary fix.
(I suppose the bright side to this is that she definitely has lots of energy, and I think she's over her URI - she still has occasional sneezes, but my place is a bit dusty, and it's not anywhere near as bad as it was before where she just kept sneezing. Vet said to just give her two more doses of the antibiotics and leave it at that.)
Any advice?
EDIT: Needs an edit because I think I may have overreacted to it. She's being playful, I think (when she's not running scared that I'm going to pick her up, anyway - at least I don't have to give her her antibiotics tomorrow). Still, I would REALLY like to discourage the biting, especially of the wiring, and of me as well.
Well, I bought some Bitter Apple Spray (well, it was a dab top - couldn't find the spray - didn't matter as I applied it with a napkin anyway), and I started applying it to the wires in the living room, because I've seen Cleopatra attacking them, and I think she may be biting them as well.
I let her sniff the top to 1) satisfy her curiosity, and 2) make sure she didn't like it - she kept away for a bit, but kept coming back (she kept trying to play by swatting at and biting my hands - Generally, this hasn't hurt too much yet, but I'm trying to discourage it - she does bite hard, but I usually get my hand away in time). Anyway, I finished applying the bitter apple, and I started petting her - she was purring for about a minute, then went crazy on my hand! I shouted, which scared her off, then I went to my room and closed the door (where I'm typing) - she whined because she wants to be let in my room, but I won't let her since she automatically goes behind my nightstand to play with the wires there, then goes and hides under my bed.
I can see where this might be a reaction if some bitter apple is still on my hand, but she's actually been doing this for awhile. Amidst the running away and hiding from me half the time anyway).
So, I have two questions:
1) How often do I have to apply the bitter apple to the wires to keep her from playing with/chewing on them (She's now 4 months old - I don't think she's teething yet, but I figure she probably will be in the near future, so I'd like to take as many preventative measures as I can afford to).
2) Is there anything I can do to control this behavior? I've spent a lot of money on her in the past month, so I'm balking a little bit about getting a Feliway diffuser (especially sine it seems the refills are expensive as well), but I'm starting to lean more in that direction.
She seems used to the condo by now, so I don't feel like she's still adjusting. I can probably win back her affection a bit with treats, but that's just a temporary fix.
(I suppose the bright side to this is that she definitely has lots of energy, and I think she's over her URI - she still has occasional sneezes, but my place is a bit dusty, and it's not anywhere near as bad as it was before where she just kept sneezing. Vet said to just give her two more doses of the antibiotics and leave it at that.)
Any advice?
EDIT: Needs an edit because I think I may have overreacted to it. She's being playful, I think (when she's not running scared that I'm going to pick her up, anyway - at least I don't have to give her her antibiotics tomorrow). Still, I would REALLY like to discourage the biting, especially of the wiring, and of me as well.