Satan The Cat .... playing mind games with my husband ...?
I have a 18 week old cat called Milly ... i love her dearly but we're having a few training issues! She's learnt to poop and pee outside ... learnt that she's not to go on the kitchen work surfaces... comes when she's called... that she's not to climb the curtains ...etc etc ... BUT no matter how hard i try i can not get her to stop climbing the TV, and i mean literally climbing up using the speaker holes as footings ... it's driving my husband insane as the TV is the love of his life! HELP!!!!!
2008-10-08T10:43:55Z
She has a tree scratching post and evidently loves water ... she often joins me for a nightly bath where she likes to dip her paws in and have bubbles on her head ... tried squirting her... she loved it! tried lemons and tin foil behind the tv too!
Rosenoir2008-10-08T12:05:17Z
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Ok, many people here are telling you to scold her or spray washing her. THAT WILL NOT WORK! That kind of punishement only work if you are always there to catch her. Now I doubt very much you can stand by the TV 24h a day. So when you're not there, he will go and when you'll be there, he will try because he knows that sometimes he gets away with it.
What you need is a "permenant" enemy that will "punish" him even when you're not there. The easiest solution that work 90% of the time in my consultations is the Duck Tape trick. Cut small bands of Duck tape and put it sticky side up on, either the launch place for his jump or directly on top of the TV where he lands. When he'll find himself stuck with tape on his paw once or twice, he won't go there for a while.
Now it's important that you cut small strips (6") so that your cat does not get entangled in a long strip. But most important is that you must leave the tape there for 14 days AFTER his last attempt. You'll see that your cat will try about three times before stoping. Then he will wait about a week and will try again. If you're sure he hasn't tried for 14 days straight then you should be good for long while. And even if he tries again, just put back the tape for a couple of days, and you'll see that he will stop right away.
That being said, Cats need to climb. They need to look over their territory form above. Holding them from doing so might cause you more behavioral problems. Provide him with a cat tree or a place where he can look over all the living room. What's the harm of going on top of the TV, the table or the counter. Cats are among the cleaniest animal you can find. Your hands are more dirty than his paw.
Obviously one thing you need to do is remove her whenever you catch her. She should be told NO. You must be consistent with this.
For those times when you're not around you can do something to the speakers. The double-sided tape may help. When it's not in use could you maybe cover them with cardboard or something? Something not difficult to slap on and take off.
Could they maybe be covered with something permanently that won't affect the sound (much)? I'm thinking of crinkly plastic bags or saran wrap or maybe even tinfoil. Just something where the immediate texture isn't so appealing.
Another thing you could try is putting a scratching post near the tv and douse it with catnip. Perhaps that will deter her by attracting her to something else - something that you can reward her for using. If she scratches it, give her a treat and praise her like she just cured cancer.
Another option would be to get a similar material to the speakers and make that into a scratching post. On the one hand you're giving her a material that she evidently enjoys. On the other you're maybe saying that it's good for her to climb on that type of material. I'm not sure which is more correct.....
Might it be that she's trying to get onto the warm tv? And it's not the speakers that are attracting her? If that's the case, you could try to find someplace else for her that's warm. I believe they sell pet warming pads. Or maybe it'll be acceptable for your husband for her to sit on the tv so long as she doesn't mess with the speakers. You could provide her with some way to get up there where she doesn't have to climb.
Or if all else fails, consider moving the tv, even if only for a while.
I have had the same problem with my 4 yr old cat and the computer. Your cat maybe going there because of the warm that the tv gives off, or because she likes being in high places,. Try making it harder for her to get on/up to the tv, or try setting up a place either near the tv or at the same height as it, and every time you see her about to or on the tv say "no" and place her the spot you made for her. I tried this on kitty and after a week or two she moved on, she now likes to either curl up at me feet or lay on the printer behind me as I do my work.
try putting some plastic over it. Or Aluminum foil... just until the kitten gets the idea that it's not fun.
Also I use commercial carpet to put over things that the cat likes to climb. Now on a TV... dono... Until the cat is old enough to just jump (if that is what you want) the carpet might work. otherwise get some of the off pads that you plug in and it vibrates and scares the cat might work. good luck
Be a little detached. For girls, cold war can be one of the good options to get their hubbies right. Husbands are such - they do the mistake, blame it on wife and shout/fight/etc. And bec we r emotional, we wives get involved with guilt and become low profile and that makes husbands happy and kind of that they have won the arguement. But this happens only few times coz women are stronger and more sensible than men. next time he does a mistake, try to control your anger and do the cold-war. cold war = dont talk to him. have a grumpy mood (u have all the right to do so). take up ur nail polish box and get busy doing something which does not involve him - watch tv or paint ur nails or read a book..do everyting that makes u forget that he is around. automatically, he will start missing u and come near u. when he does that, dont give him attention. do this for few hours until he feels so uncomfortable that he will either hug u or say sorry or become normal. i guess this works for most of the women as fighting and arguing can drain u out and as u said u r still studying, u need to keep that energy to pass ur exams and become independant.