Shredding papaer/cardboard boxes & treats addiction (7 month old kitten)

[gethenian]

My kitten Nemo has developed a really annoying habit... She likes to spend evenings/nights with me in my room but recently has started shredding cardboard boxes and packing paper I have in here while in the process of redecorating the place and using the boxes for trash/storage.

I won't resort to the "squirt gun" method of discipline because my room is small enough that I am almost never in a place when I wouldn't risk squirting water on over $2000 worth of computer equipment or piles of hand-done art.

She doesn't respond to me making a "PSSSST!" noise or saying "NO!" or any other vocal cues... so I've been just getting fed up and tossing her outside my room and closing the door. I don't really WANT to do that, I WANT her to stay in my room with me, but is there any other way I can discourage her from constantly gnawing/shredding things in here that won't risk damaging my expensive electronics and hand-done artwork?

ALSO:

Nemo... has an addiction. To cat treats. We'll give them to her to reward good behavior but she will hunt down wherever I hide the bag and if she finds it, she will drag it around and chew through it to get at the treats inside if we don't catch her and stop her. She'll even keep trying to get into places she's seen me hide treats or throw away empty treat bags for now over a month after she's seen me put things there. She will chew into boxes, claw and gnaw at bags, dig under blankets and pillows, and generally make a neusance of herself. GAH!

How do I discourage these behaviors?

Thanks!

 

[minka]

Does she have a scratching post in the bedroom? If not, there's your problem! Get her a corrugated cardboard cat scratcher and praise her lots for using it.

She's crazy for treats because they are treats! They are made to be excrusiatingly tasty. :nod: I have to put Grim's treat in a cabinet drawer because anywhere else he can get them. It's just part of having a cat.

 

[princessesme]

Does she have scratchers and toys available? I keep multiple cardboard scratchers available since my kitties love cardboard. It might be worth getting the ones with a border (not just the refills) because if Nemo is anything like my Esme, she will gnaw on the scratchers too. She might like the texture in general and they do make some cardboard toys (mice, etc) so these might be worth a shot. I would also keeps lots of toys available for her to play with to keep her distracted from some of the boxes. Since having so many options available for Esme, she just plays inside boxes now, rather than eating them. Crinkle toys are always fun too (especially since they make the same sound as paper).

As far as the treats go, have you tried taking them out of the bag and putting them in a treat jar? You could also put them into a glass jar so it's airtight and she can't smell it so much. I've seen pretty decent sized glass jars at the dollar store.

Hope this helps.

 

[gethenian]

Does she have a scratching post in the bedroom? If not, there's your problem! Get her a corrugated cardboard cat scratcher and praise her lots for using it.
She's crazy for treats because they are treats! They are made to be excrusiatingly tasty.

I have to put Grim's treat in a cabinet drawer because anywhere else he can get them. It's just part of having a cat.

I don't have a scratcher in here yet because it's a room in the process of being overhauled and there's no space, but I will put one in here! That's a good idea.

Hehe, our other cats don't go as crazy for treats as Nemo does... but then I'm also thinking it's the same reason small children go crazy for candy. Nemo is a lot younger than any other cat I've ever owned, maybe I'm just not used to having to do that. ^_^;

The shredding boxes/paper still concerns me, though. I feel like she wants to spend time in my room but then she does that because she's bored... but I'm usually working in here, I don't have time to constantly entertain and distract her from doing that. :\

 

[princessesme]

Does she have a scratching post in the bedroom? If not, there's your problem! Get her a corrugated cardboard cat scratcher and praise her lots for using it.
She's crazy for treats because they are treats! They are made to be excrusiatingly tasty.

I have to put Grim's treat in a cabinet drawer because anywhere else he can get them. It's just part of having a cat.

I have to remember to put ours away somewhere closed too! After coming home to white powder stuff on the floor, I thought it was paint chipping or something, ended up being freeze dried chicken, I MUST make sure they are put away, rather than laying around.