Conference misery::feline

    I have this same problem at my house, because I separate some of my
    casts.  They always seem to be on the wrong side of the door, and are
    always scratching at the carpet.  
    
    I buy sheets of heavy plastic hall runner from Home Depot, and then cut
    it to fit under the doors.  You can cut it to fit around the door jams,
    which also tends to help hold it in place, or you can cut it just the
    width of the door frame and then either secure it with staples through
    to the floor boards, or with upholstery (sp) tacks.  It works well for
    me.  Just wish I had figured this out before they ruined the carpet in
    most of the doorways.
    
    Jo

    Aww, the poor thing.  Stuck in one room all day long?  I think
    I'd do one of three things...a) buy it a ton of toys, b) buy
    it a playmate! or c) ask your landlord if you can give them
    a pet security deposit (so you can officially have him and
    not leave him locked up)  Sorry, but just my 2 cents....
    
    

    re -1
    
    Aww, the poor cat would be dead right now if she had not been rescued
    from an obvious fate that happens when kittens grow into cats and
    cannot be sold or given away....
    
    I think a 12 x 16 ft room is more than enough room to play(she has lots
    of toys) in for 8 hours a day when considering the alternative.
    
    We love our cat alot but unfortunately we have to have this arrangement 
    until we can move into a house later this summer.  For now we're
    looking for a solution to stop her from chewing on the carpet(she chews
    on carpet corners in other rooms that she's not shut into also, so I
    don't think it's an attempt to get out).
    
    So if you can't offer something constructive, please keep it to
    yourself.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Rob

    Rob,
    
    If it the carpet corners or a specific part of the carpet that she
    chews, how about putting bitter apple on it. Bitter apple is a gel
    that can be purchased at a pet supply store. It has a horrible taste,
    and does not stain.
    
    I've had cats claw the carpet but never eat it. Does it make her sick?
    
                                               Alice
    

    
    Thanks for the advice Alice...
    
    For some reason she likes to chew on the carpet(and she has gotten sick
    on a few occasions but don't know if it's from that..) She likes to
    play this game where she attacks the bottom stair leading to the 2nd 
    floor and I think this is where she came to enjoy chewing on the
    carpet.
    
    We'll give the bitter apple gel a try.  We tried some lemon juice last
    week but I don't think it was strong enough.
    
    Rob

    Could you somehow put aluminum foil over the carpet...I hear
    cats hate the feel of foil!!!!
    
    Sandy

    re .4,
    
    That bitter apple also comes in liquid form.  I had to dab some on
    around my cats stitches last year to keep her from chewing at them.
    Worked great.  I think it was something like $6 or $7 for a fairly
    large bottle.
    
    Good luck,
    Sharon

    
    My sister's had good luck with duct tape to keep one of her cats from
    clawing the woodwork.  You make a loop with the tape so that both top
    and bottom surfaces are sticky and tape it to the wall (or floor). 
    Cats *hate* getting their paws stuck on anything :^}
    
    

	My cats ahte foil, just the sound of it being taken off the roll makes 
	them dive out of the catflap, they won't go anywhere near it.

	If the bitter apple doesn't work, tape some foil in the corner.


	Does the door open into or out of the room?

	If out of, then what about putting a scratching post with carpet base 
	in the place where the cat scratches.  

	Heather

    Thanks for all the advice.  We bought some bitter apple spray over the
    weekend and we'll see how that works.  She seems to dislike it as soon
    as we sprayed it.  How long should it last before we have to spray it
    again?
    
    Pam
    

    Well this isn't a carpet but about cats eating plants.
    
    
    One or more of my cats like to nibble on certain houseplants.  Aside
    from the fact they barf it up on my rug later on, I don't care for the
    way it makes my plants look(ragged leaves, holes in the leaves), nor for 
    the fact that eventually, they might eat one that makes them sicker than 
    just barfing.
    
    What's a good way to get them to stop it?  Bitter apple on the leaves?
    Will that hurt the plant?  It's not practical for me to hang all the
    plants from the ceiling.  I'd like to avoid having to get rid of all
    the plants too....  
    
    They do their munching when I'm not around to catch them.  
    
    Cheers,
    
    kim  

    There is a variety of Bitter Apple specifically for using on plants. 
    Don't know where you're located, but I found it at Pets Choice in
    Merrimack, NH.
    
    Worked for my plants!

    
    
    I think aside from spraying bitter apple on some plants, its good
    to provide kitty with their own plants. In most pet stores or even
    Walmart they have kitty grass, which grows withing days and cats 
    love it. 
    Our indoor kitties need to chew on some plants so bad that they had
    started to chew the straws off the broom. We grew a few trays of 
    the kittly grass, not only they love to chew on it, they also love
    lying on top of it and pretend they are in the garden. 
    
    Shaw

    I use wheat instead of kitty grass. Smokey likes it and eats no other
    plants, except roses I bring regularly for my wife. The roses are kept
    in the kitchen overday, and if we are home, we just have to say
    "Smoooookey!" to stop her if the roses are in the living room...
    
    Nat