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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:	Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:	FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:	MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO

Created:	Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5089
Total number of notes:	60366

1592.0. "Who did it?" by MARVIN::JUBB (Alison - Lead writer for PSI and LES) Thu Jul 28 1988 13:04

    Our two cats were difficult to house train, and occasionally lapse into
    their old ways.  This week has been particularly bad; they have soiled
    the carpet several times.  I think it may be because they are feeling
    threatened by a neighbour's cat which has come round a lot lately.

    I think it is important to give them a clear message that I want them
    to "go" in the garden, and do NOT want them to use the carpet.  When
    they were tiny it worked well, giving them negative reinforcement when
    I caught them at it, and extra strokes when they went in the right place.

    However now they are too cute to do anything in front of me.  I find
    their presents when I get up in the morning or come home from work.  In
    such cases, how do you give them the message that you don't want them
    to make their mess THERE, but you really are not sure who did it?

    Any help will be very welcome.

    Ali

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1592.1	try this	SHAPES::TAYLORS	Sharon, Dillan & Sammie in UK	`Thu Jul 28 1988 13:58`	20
	Ali Presuming you have a cat door, can they use it properly, I mean they are not frightened of using it (or any other means to get outside)? Another thing you could try is making sure that when you clean up the poo's you put it in the garden and carry them outside and make sure they know it's there...not much fun for you I know but it worked with my first two. The other thing is make sure you get rid of all traces of smell from where they have been before...remember they go by smell. Good luck Sharon
1592.2	Nature Calls	ESKIMO::JULIUS		`Thu Jul 28 1988 14:22`	4
	When you gotta go, you gotta go! You can't fault them for not being able to open the door and use the out-house. My suggestion is provide them with a kitty box.
1592.3	Litter box	MTADMS::ALANDRY		`Thu Jul 28 1988 16:01`	4
	Why don't you try a litter box? Zildjian
1592.4		CIRCUS::KOLLING	Karen, Sweetie, & Holly; in Calif.	`Thu Jul 28 1988 18:12`	2
	Are they altered?
1592.5	More information about Finbar and Tilly	MARVIN::JUBB	Alison - Lead writer for PSI and LES	`Fri Jul 29 1988 08:41`	31
	Hi, Thanks for the advice so far. I certainly will start to make a point of scooping up the poops and taking them into the garden. That should help give them the message! Some more information about Finbar and Tilly: o Catflaps:- yes we do have one, and they run in and out all the time. o Litterboxes:- we started them off with a litterbox, and they used it until they became used to going outside (which they preferred). Their starting to go outside also coincided with a dramatic improvement in their toilet habits. o Neutering:- Finbar has been neutered and Tilly spayed. o Their presents:- They have started leaving both solid and liquid. From their past behaviour, Tilly is 90% responsible for the poops. The urine could be either... Any further suggestions very welcome! Thanks, Ali
1592.6	Pestilential other cats	SUBURB::TUDORK	Kate n' IT	`Fri Jul 29 1988 12:57`	11
	You say theres a strange cat around. Like to bet that it sits outside your cat door and bops anyone going out through it? This has happened a couple of times with my two. There isn't really an answer if you're not home to chase the strange cat away. I leave a litterbox for my two now. Good luck K
1592.7	Yes, there are other cats	MARVIN::JUBB	Alison - Lead writer for PSI and LES	`Fri Jul 29 1988 13:25`	12
	> You say theres a strange cat around. Like to bet that it sits outside > your cat door and bops anyone going out through it? Funny you should say that, Kate. There's this black one that sits outside the cat door staring at them while they eat, and a big bruiser of a tabby that reluctantly leaves the garden when I come out to ask it what it's doing there.... I may have to go back to putting out a litter box for a bit. Ali