Bad Annie strikes again!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Bad Annie strikes again!
16
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 1:07am

Over the weekend, my new sofa was delivered. This is the sofa that I bought to fit specifically in one place in my family room. Right under the pass-through to the kitchen. I come home from work, and glasses and bottles are knocked off my kitchen counter. This is Bad Annie's MO....knock everything off a surface that she possibly can. We've been in the new condo 6 months, and she's never been on the kitchen counter, because she was scared to make the jump. The new sofa provides the perfect step-ladder.

So, any suggestions for detering her from jumping on the counter? She's almost 9, and I still haven't broken her from jumping on the table while I'm eating. She doesn't take no for an answer (which, for a deaf cat, is physical removal).

Just to rub it in...she spent most of this evening in the upstairs bathroom, yowelling and knocking things off the counter there. I ignored her. She WANTS me to come upstairs, so she gets attention. People wonder why I have 4 hairbrushes on my bathroom counter. It's because they don't break when they hit the floor!

** Noelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2004
Tue, 05-10-2005 - 9:25pm
I have a couple of cats that get in the cabinets and stay inside the box springs of a bed. I wish I lived close to you, I need a barn for some kitties that need a home! Donna
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-15-2003
Wed, 05-11-2005 - 10:00am

Hi... another trick is aluminum paper... same as with the sticky 2-sided tape, put it on there and most cats don't like the feel or noise of it and eventually she will learn!!

but as most have said, it's in the nature of cats!! One of my cat opens my closet doors because he likes to sleep in there and then my other cat likes to jump on the top shelve of the closet!!! But can't get down!!! so a bit of a problem!!! But they like to be up high and there isn't much that can be done about it!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2003
Wed, 05-11-2005 - 10:37am
Hi Noelle,
Annie may be a bit bored and need some new toys to play with or a cat tree to climb, etc. Another important thing is to spend some time (even 10 minutes) each day, though preferably twice a day, in an interactive game with her, with a toy like a fishing pole type toy with a feather at the end. Let her catch the feather many times. You'd be surprised how having regular play sessions will calm a cat down. If she knows she can look forward to regular playtime with you, she will probably become less interested in pulling things off shelves. It is also a good idea to rotate the cat toys you have out. Put a different one on the floor each day or in a differnt spot for her to find. Keep some in a drawer and rotate which ones are out. You can also leave out a large paper bag or box from time to time, which kitties find enjoyable to sit in.
Cynthia
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-07-2005
Wed, 05-11-2005 - 10:59am

We moved into a new condo a few months ago. That's when Annie got worse. But this condo has all kinds of high places for her to sit. She's had a large cat tree for years. Sometimes she lays in it, most times she wants nothing to do with it. She has toys out the ying-yang. I keep buying toys, but she only wants to play with yarn/string/ribbon. Her current favorite toy, is the tie to a pair of my shorts, which accidently got ripped off, and she's been carrying it around. I know she'll have more to interest her, once I can get the bird feeders outside. But the condo complex hasn't landscaped my yard yet, so I can't put out the bird feeders until they're done.

Noise deterents don't work with Annie. She's deaf. That's why I have discipline issues with her. My other cat, Chalimar...she gets into where she's not supposed to be, I say "Chalimar, DOWN." And she comes running right over. NO PROBLEM. Not so with Annie.

For the record: Chalimar is also capable of opening cupboard doors. It's why I've always kept all my household cleaners up high. I don't trust either cat. I don't own plants, I don't have cleaners within reach, I don't leave food out, I decorate with non-breakable items. I'll put up with Annie's shenanigans, because I adopted her, so she has a home for life...and she's so gosh darn cute. My mom says she's so cute, to make up for her being such a pain.

** Noelle

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-10-2003
Wed, 05-11-2005 - 11:08am
Noelle,
It really sounds as if you are a great cat mom. And Annie is a character. But do try the interactive play with her (if you're not doing it already). She may really enjoy some special private play time with you.
Cynthia
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2000
Wed, 05-11-2005 - 10:37pm

Okay I'm going to jump in here with a little twist on some of the info you've received thus far. First off, let me say that I agree with Cynthia on the interactive playtime. You would be amazed at what a difference it makes if you actually play with her with an interactive toy(such as Da Bird or Cat Dancer) rather than just leaving toys out for her to amuse herself with. It's bonding time.

I recommend the following as it's worked for me successfully for my jumper Zachary. Go to Petsmart and get Sticky Paws tape and then get a several cheap plastic placemats. Apply several strips of the Sticky Paws tape(not double sided carpet tape as that's too strong you could use double sided masking tape) to one side only of each placemat. When you leave the house cover the counters with the placemats. You have now made that surface very unattractive to her. You may have to do this every day for several weeks and then see what happens. She may eventually jump back on there and then you bring the placemats out to reinforce that you don't want her on there. She'll get the message if you're consistent. Howver, consistency is the key. Works like a charm when I work it.

Try these two techniques. Hopefully they will work for you as well as they did for me. Trust me I have a jumper and Houdini all rolled into one that I call Zachary. He's so good at opening doors etc. that he opened the cages at the vet's office when I was boarding them and went for an explore of the clinic! He's always in my closets and cupboards and for the most part I've given up in that area. As long as he doesn't get in food or dish cabinets and he doesn't we are okay in that area.

Good luck, Lynn

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