kitty problems

[brycross33]

I love my cat to death and we've been having some behavior problems with him (my boyfriend and I) I don't know if it is because we moved last week or what, but my boyfriend and I are fighting right now about his problems. Today for example he kept getting up on the computer desk and that is a no no spot since its kind of an expensive computer. He knows not to go up there but he kept getting up there. And we know he knows not to because everytime we approched him he would jump off, but this one time he didn't and my boyfriend picked him up by the back of his neck carried him like that across the living room and just dropped him. (I'm angry about that also I found out that when I am at work and he starts acting up he locks him in the closet..which makes me soooo mad!!!) But I don't understand why my kitty keeps doing these things when he knows he is not supposed to. And it didn't help that today when I got home from work he knocked over the garbage can and picked through it, ripped the paper towels that were in there to shreds and then found some left over pizza and dragged it to our bedroom (looks like he took some bites too and my boyfriend was hanging out with his brothers last night and didn't come home until after I got home) My kitty did this again while we were both home. I was sleeping because I work night shifts and my boyfriend was on the computer and he didn't seem to notice he did this so I cleaned up the mess again. Also my cat has knocked over the trash can a few times and has actually eaten a mcdonalds cheeseburger and some buffalo wild wings with the hot sauce on it and has not gotten sick. I am so upset with my boyfriend right now and I want my cat to learn not do do these things so that we can all just get along. Also I had found my cat as a stray in feb of this year so I don't know his previous history or how long he was outside for. Also I can't seem to get him to use a scratcher at all any help or advice is welcomed.

 

[mani]

He was a stray so he's used to scavenging.  You'll just need to be careful about getting rid of stuff so he doesn't smell it.

But if you feel this behaviour is relatively new and you just moved, then the other issues, and even his old scavenging ones, are probably coming from that.  Cats virtually always take time to readjust to new spaces - they are very territorial.  He's acting up.

I think this is a good case for a Feliway diffuser.  They aren't cheap, but they can be quite effective in making cats feel 'at home'.

Make sure you have lots of elevated areas for him.. This is a good article on keeping cats off stuff and general info on negative reinforcement:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/get-off-how-to-discourage-your-cat-from-jumping-on-counters

Cat scratching-wise, I can't offer anything much beyond what people said on your other thread.. it's a matter of finding what works.

My cats will only scratch a dense cane chair I have.. I tried everything and ended up just saying OK, you can have the chair..

 

[brycross33]

Yea the counter jumping is new since we moved in. I actually just read that and might put up a piece of paper with sticky tape on it on the counter and the computer desk. I think i'll go pick up a feliway diffuser tomorrow and see if that works. He really likes scratching the carpet and the side of the bed. I looked all over for the carpet scratchers in any pet store I could find...and can't find one!! I have tried to redirect him every time he scratches the carpet to the other scratchers that we have, the vertical sisal ones don't do it and neither does it work if i lay it horizontally and same goes for cardboard...i wish i could just get a carpet one for him and put cat nip all over it so he would maybe use it. And thats true about the scavenging I didn't really think about that.

I'm just so frustrated at my boyfriend because he thinks that cats are the same as dogs and you can discipline them the same..and you cant. 

Dogs are simple and a little dumb (no-offense to any one who has a dog) they are loyal and if their pet parent tells them to jump they jump but a cat no they wont do that they will look at you like your crazy. I guess my other issue is training my other half how to live with cats.

 

[mani]

. I guess my other issue is training my other half how to live with cats.

I think you'll find you're not alone with that one...  It doesn't have to be husbands - if people don't 'get' cats it takes a while to, as you say, 'train' them. 

 

[brycross33]

lol I don't think you can ever train a cat, you learn to live with their behaviors

 

[tulosai]

You can absolutely train a cat! Don't let anyone make you think otherwise.  It just requires consistency and sometimes creativity. If you mean 'train' them to do 'tricks' like a dog would you are right, but if you mean getting them to act in desirable ways, 99.99% of cats can absolutely be trained to act in desirable ways.

Regarding your issues: Computer desk: just keep lifting him down, EVERY time you see him up there.  Gently will do.  The floor right by the desk should do too, but if he is being carried appropriately placing him further away won't hurt.  Ignore him after he does it for at least 5 minutes.  If necessary start making loud noises when he is up there to startle him.

Trash can: Make sure it has a lid.  If necessary put something heavy in the bottom so he cannot knock it over.  For one of my fosters this was a real issue and I literally ended up putting two dictionaries in the bottom of the trashcan, beneath the garbage bag.

Locking kitty in closet: Stress to your partner that if she is locked somewhere without a litterbox, you guys may soon have bigger problems. That said, if he wants to give her short-ish time outs in a large enough room with a litterbox, that is not the worst thing ever and won't traumatize the cat. I still lock my cats up in the kitchen on a semi-regular basis (probably at least weekly, for a minimum of 1-2 hours each time, sometimes longer). I don't do it as punishment but because it is necessary. There are two of them, but they seem to mind, at most, slightly. Usually they just hunker down for a nap. My fosters are always confined, at best, to a medium sized room and sometimes have to make do (up to 6 kittens and a mom) in a walk-in closet that I can barely fit into with them.  Many people do shut their cats in a different room while they eat if the cat hasn't been able to get the message any other way that the food/table are off limits at dinnertime for example. So I'd focus more on where is an appropriate place for him to put her for time outs or if he really needs her out of the way for a bit than on yelling at him for what he did- it's a more effective strategy IMO.

Good luck. I think your kitty will settle down once she learns her new surroundings are safe.