Poll of the Day > How do I get my cat to stop doing things I don't like?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Whenever I try to relax and do computer stuff or watch TV this idiot cat starts doing stupid stuff like clawing at the window screen and chewing on the internet cables. I try to play with it for a few minutes to tire it out but it just starts again when I ignore it for a few seconds. I don't have 4 hours a day to wave a wand around to entertain this stupid cat. I'm pretty sure physical discipline doesn't work. Not sure what to do.

You don't, it's a cat
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You just kind of live around it. My cat like to sometimes paw at my hand when typing, and hits buttons like caps lock. You just kind of have to live. You could always put them in a different room. Or close a door. It works for a while. Then they start crying because they want to be near you. Anyway, just live around it.

Oh! Also, for cords/cables, there's this stuff you put on it that taste gross so they don't want to eat it. You should be able to get it at a pet store. Some people just use hot sauce, as well... You could probably use it on other stuff, as well...
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Old laces. I have a cat that loves chewing string and lots of my cables have teethy marks. Leave some laces around as a distraction.
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Scratching post might help.
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I guess I can put another scratching post in that area... I leave some unsightly garbage around because she likes to play with it but if I'm on the computer she wants to play near me I guess? and that means cables and curtains around my desk. The idiot

Its probably learned that if it starts acting out that youll give it some attention
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you can try hitting it
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Mead posted...

Its probably learned that if it starts acting out that youll give it some attention

True. When my dogs are barking for attention in the house, I ignore them. Then when they stop for a little while, I give them attention. So they don't do it as much anymore...
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cat-a-pult
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Don't do it too much, but if you growl when your cat/dog does something you really don't like, it will stop doing it really fast, or at least always did for me, but they also don't get scared of you or anything like if you actually hurt it.

Not sure if it works for everyone, I have an inner wolf so that may have helped.

Anyway I never growled if my cat would bug me while typing, or layed on my hands, I just did it if she was gnawing on cords (that could be dangerous to her), or one time when I caught her trying to open a container of steak on the counter.

If you do it rarely, it gets the point across alot better then yelling.
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Just swat it and make a real loud PSSST! sound as you do it. Don't hurt it, just scare it. Be sure to make the same sound every time it's doing something wrong and give it a little swat. You do this a few times and all you'll have to do is make the sound and they'll stop whatever they're doing and run off. It's best to establish your authority over it when it's young, the older they get the harder it is to teach them.

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