[Sca-cooks] Robin the Bandit - Help!

[Stefan li Rous]

Helen replied to Suey with:

<<< OK, Suey-it is time for lessons in Kitten training.
Do you have a spray bottle you can fill with just plain, clean water?
When you catch him in the act of doing something he should not do,  
shake the bottle, and then spray it, towards his face.
This works beautifully, but you must be consistant! >>>

Yes. With rewards it helps to be inconsistent, but with punishment  
you need to be consistent.

<<< I am in the midst of domesticating feral kittens, and it works  
like a charm. It is keeping them from clawing furniture, staying  
under the furniture and it is keeping the Grown cats from beating up  
on the baby kittens. >>>

Yes. We also found that temporarily covering the sofa and chairs with  
two-sided tape, also available in wider sheets from pet stores, did a  
good job of persuading our cats not the scratch things they shouldn't.

<<< In fact, if you use this, and a cardboard scratching post, there  
will be no need to declaw your kitten. If it worked with my 9 year- 
old Siamese, it will work for Robin. >>>

We use both carpet and/or rope wrapped vertical cat scratching posts.  
They need to be tall enough that the cat can stretch all the way out  
and still have room on the post.  We;ve also found that the combo  
scratching post/platforms work well. They also give the cats a place  
to escape to from the dog.

Our cats also like the cardboard boxes filled with vertical  
corregated cardboard, with the edges up. These lie horizontal on the  
floor rather than being vertical. Sprinkling the cardboard with  
catnip was also useful in attracting the cats to them initially and  
we still occasionally dribble some more over them. (the boxes of  
cardboard strips, not the cats)

<<< Get a spray bottle filled with plain water and keep it with you. >>>

Yes, having it at hand is one of the problems.  You need to spray  
them while they are doing the wrong thing.

<<< You may need to go back to the whole seat for a while. A lot of  
cats do not take well to change of any variety.. A new person or just  
changing the furniture around, can get them upset and they regress in  
their training. >>>

Suey, have you been using the shredded newspaper before you opened  
the hole in the seat? If not, then the two changes together are  
likely too much change.  I also wonder if you kitten just doesn't  
like the newspaper as litter.  Some cats are picky, even about the  
brand of litter in their box. How fine do you have it shredded? It  
may not be shredded finely enough for your kitten to see it as  
litter, especially if you've previously been using one of the clay  
litters.

<<< BTW-When I have to get after the Siamese now, or the Big kitten,  
all I have to do is shake the bottle. They stop and behave...until  
they can find more mischief to get into. <G> >>>

Yes. Toys and such do help to keep them from getting bored and more  
likely to get into things.  A wad of aluminum foil rolled into a  
ball, makes a good, inexpensive toy.

<<< Helen
Anyone want a kitten? Two adorable diluted orange and white tabbies  
ready to be your household Princess.... >>>

Nope. :-) Already have one large orange tabby and two black cats. Tis  
enough, especially since we now have a dog as well.  At least the dog  
and cats are getting along better now. The 16 pound miniature   
American Eskimo pulls a wooden wagon at SCA events and helps with  
waterbearing.

Stefan