How to train your...cat?
Discussion
Our Florence is a bit of character, and being part ragdoll basically spends much of her life acting like a dog. She is incredibly sociable with humans...to the point it's beginning to become a bit of a problem.
Since we adopted her and Fred, at night time we have tended to lock them in the (fortunately reasonably big) kitchen with the cat flap open so they can come and go as they please without disturbing us while we sleep.
However recently Florence has discovered a penchant for climbing onto the velux roof and either a) climbing in an open window and scaring the crap out of us by jumping on our chest and nuzzling our faces at 2am!!; or b) if the windows are shut, meowing until one of the boys gets woken up and lets her in.
This has resulted in many a sleepless night - not only are we woken but she is also a noisy purrer and likes to sleep as closely tucked into us as she can. Like having a newborn baby but worse!
She can clearly get up onto the roof despite my attempts to erect some defences on the trellis she is using as a jumping platform - the issue may be that she can't work out how to get down...or perhaps she knows perfectly well but is clever enough to know it won't result in human company!
Any thoughts on a) how I might train her to come back down (I have put out treats on the bench that sits below the roof); or b) how I might more effectively stop her climbing on the roof?
The only other solution is to lock them in the kitchen with the cat flap locked which I really want to avoid if I can.
Since we adopted her and Fred, at night time we have tended to lock them in the (fortunately reasonably big) kitchen with the cat flap open so they can come and go as they please without disturbing us while we sleep.
However recently Florence has discovered a penchant for climbing onto the velux roof and either a) climbing in an open window and scaring the crap out of us by jumping on our chest and nuzzling our faces at 2am!!; or b) if the windows are shut, meowing until one of the boys gets woken up and lets her in.
This has resulted in many a sleepless night - not only are we woken but she is also a noisy purrer and likes to sleep as closely tucked into us as she can. Like having a newborn baby but worse!
She can clearly get up onto the roof despite my attempts to erect some defences on the trellis she is using as a jumping platform - the issue may be that she can't work out how to get down...or perhaps she knows perfectly well but is clever enough to know it won't result in human company!
Any thoughts on a) how I might train her to come back down (I have put out treats on the bench that sits below the roof); or b) how I might more effectively stop her climbing on the roof?
The only other solution is to lock them in the kitchen with the cat flap locked which I really want to avoid if I can.
You are aware of the hierarchy of cats, humans and dogs?
I suspect cats are trainable but they tend to just get what they want via their approach.
They broadly sit above the female of the household and then the man followed by the dog. Which is why men and dogs rub along well.
Some unlucky men find themselves bottom of the pile…
I suspect cats are trainable but they tend to just get what they want via their approach.
They broadly sit above the female of the household and then the man followed by the dog. Which is why men and dogs rub along well.
Some unlucky men find themselves bottom of the pile…
Harry H said:
Not of any help but we've recently had to shut the cat flap in the utility room at night where the dog and the cat sleep.
Not because of the cat who is usually free to roam but because the dog has taken to sticking his head through it and barking for attention.
That at least makes me feel it wouldn't be overly cruel to lock them in the kitchen to at least catch up on a few nights sleep! Although the issue then is she claws at the kitchen door!Not because of the cat who is usually free to roam but because the dog has taken to sticking his head through it and barking for attention.
dave123456 said:
You are aware of the hierarchy of cats, humans and dogs?
I suspect cats are trainable but they tend to just get what they want via their approach.
They broadly sit above the female of the household and then the man followed by the dog. Which is why men and dogs rub along well.
Some unlucky men find themselves bottom of the pile
We have 3 cats and 2 dogs.I suspect cats are trainable but they tend to just get what they want via their approach.
They broadly sit above the female of the household and then the man followed by the dog. Which is why men and dogs rub along well.
Some unlucky men find themselves bottom of the pile
I can confirm this is the case, but I am definitely ahead of the dogs, who rub along absolutely fine with the cats, sleep next to them etc., but will *always* defer to them.
Unfortunately ‘sleep next to them’ includes them (all 5) plus my wife sleeping in the same bed I desperately and unsuccessfully try to sleep in as well. So maybe I am at the bottom of what is sometimes a literal pile.
My cat does similar. She jumps up on the roof on one side of the house, walks all the way round in the gutter and then jumps/runs up to hang off the window sill of the dormer window in my bedroom. Then meows loudly to be let in.
Best solution I have found is earplugs to sleep through it, and after a while of her technique not working she has given up and just goes back in through the catflap. If you keep letting her in through the window, it becomes a valid entry point as far as she is concerned. Time for some tough love!
Best solution I have found is earplugs to sleep through it, and after a while of her technique not working she has given up and just goes back in through the catflap. If you keep letting her in through the window, it becomes a valid entry point as far as she is concerned. Time for some tough love!
I have " trained " our 2 cats to come in for dinner to me whistling them but that only works if a) they can be bothered and b) if they are close enough to hear !
They like going up the willow tree but sometimes the more stupid of them struggles to get down and no amount of encouragement seems to work.
Eventually he sorts it by himself.
My wife's stable cat was feral and just arrived one day and over time became pretty domesticated.
If he was in the yard and a stranger arrived and she was in there he would growl at them.
They like going up the willow tree but sometimes the more stupid of them struggles to get down and no amount of encouragement seems to work.
Eventually he sorts it by himself.
My wife's stable cat was feral and just arrived one day and over time became pretty domesticated.
If he was in the yard and a stranger arrived and she was in there he would growl at them.
alscar said:
My wife's stable cat was feral and just arrived one day and over time became pretty domesticated.
If he was in the yard and a stranger arrived and she was in there he would growl at them.
Back when I was a teenager, a feral male cat turned up and in time became friendly with our family. We in turn got him neutered… he became really fat and then disappeared.If he was in the yard and a stranger arrived and she was in there he would growl at them.
Ungrateful bugger
.s p a c e m a n said:
Our half bengal d
head will sit, stay and give you a high five for food. We cant train him to stop him doing stuff that he wants to do though, he's a cat.
My Mrs has trained our cat to sit and give paw on demand, I didn't know training cats like that was a thing but I suppose with food involved you could probably train any animal within reasonhead will sit, stay and give you a high five for food. We cant train him to stop him doing stuff that he wants to do though, he's a cat.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff