# Help! My cat is attacking the toilet paper! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2002, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116 "2002-05-21T15:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/1 "2002-05-21T15:58:33Z")
Clifford the cat has discovered a new pastime - shredding the toilet paper while we’re at work. He’s never done this before, but we recently moved into a new apartment. Aside from possible new-place nervousness, in this place, the t.p. is much more accessible to little paws. We’ve had to take it off the spindle and place it on a windowsill to keep him in line and maintain t.p. stock. Any suggestions on how to get him to stop? Me and my bottom thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/2 "2002-05-21T16:12:18Z")
Not sure if this’ll work, but try spritzing the area right under the toilet paper holder with some sort of ‘keep off’ pet spray. My ferrets hate the smell of the Bitter Apple anti-chewing spray - it barely registers for people, but they know it tastes horrible and thus avoid areas that have been sprayed with it. ---
**Author:** ![Calliope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Calliope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calliope)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/3 "2002-05-21T16:13:32Z")
Can you close the bathroom door? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/4 "2002-05-21T16:28:05Z")
If he’s attacking it with his butt, please have him cloned. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/5 "2002-05-21T17:03:23Z")
All my cats seem to love ripping up the toilet roll, and they only get near to the roll when I take it from the shelf just before use.(hmmm I think I should explain the imagry here but it’s not what you think, weirdos!) They only attack the roll, single sheets are not good fun I guess. They also like to rip songes to bits too, must be something about the texture they like. ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/6 "2002-05-21T17:20:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Calliope \* > \*\*Can you close the bathroom door? \*\* I can, but his litterbox is in there. We’ve considered moving his litterbox but that seems to be the best place for it. **Denise** , that’s gotta be a common item in pet stores, yeah? **lieu** , I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/7 "2002-05-21T17:33:19Z")
I just meant that I’d love to have a cat that actually used tp for it’s intended purpose, thus rendering the odiferous litterbox obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/8 "2002-05-21T17:33:19Z")
I seem to recall some type of cover that is available that can go over the roll, but unfortunately I have no idea where to obtain it. Maybe a search would help…nada, but lots of janitorial supply places might have them ooo, how about one of those big plastic thingys that the really BIG roll goes into, like they have in public restrooms? That’ll look REAL nice in your bathroom! oh, and lieu, i get it ! LOL 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/9 "2002-05-21T17:54:26Z")
Yeah, Bitter Apple is a common pet store item. They make other “stay off” warning-type sprays, but this is just what I have experience with. This is actually designed to discourage chewing, but the side effect has been to warn my ferrets away via its scent. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/10 "2002-05-21T17:58:49Z")
Maybe your toliet paper is evil and you should thank Clifford and give him a treat. (help my cat is making me post this) ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/11 "2002-05-21T17:59:07Z")
Maybe your toliet paper is evil and you should thank Clifford and give him a treat. (help, my cat is making me post this) ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/12 "2002-05-21T19:32:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*(help, my cat is making me post this) \*\* Twice! I have a mental image in my head of a cat’s paw pulling the phone cord out of the wall menacingly. **labtrash** , I’ve tried to install one of those giant t.p. holders but they don’t make cushiony quilted t.p. in the 5,000,000 sheets rolls. Go fig. I also tried to make it a pay toilet, but that didn’t fly either. As for the covers, I think I know what you’re talking about - I’ll take a look around! Thanks! **DeniseV** , thanks! I’m going to make a trip to the pet store and see what I can find. **lieu** , I guess the “attacking” with his butt threw me off. Or maybe I’m dense. Anyway, I’ve tried to show Clifford that Jingles the cat can do it in _Meet the Parents_, so why can’t he? But he just won’t have it. **casdave** , I’ll let you know if anything works. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/13 "2002-05-21T21:55:02Z")
My cats and my dog think Bitter Apple is a tasty flavoring. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/14 "2002-05-22T01:14:22Z")
I used to raise Siamese kittens, and they all loved to roll the tp around on the holder. I used to come home to piles of tp on the bathroom floor, and it drove me nuts. Then someone suggested I just turn the roll around, so that when they do their “roll” thing, the toilet paper stays on the roll and they still have all the fun. I hope I explained that well enough for you to know what I mean. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/15 "2002-05-22T02:13:08Z")
They only answer I found to the OP is a Priest. Through an ‘animal facilitator’ I was told by my cats that the newspapers, TP and various other paper products in my house were actually possesed by the spirits of Satanic Mice. These spirits would hide while humans were present but, once the humans left, would unleash horrors and terrors upon my cats that would quail even the bravest person. The only way my cats could protect themselves was to shred every piece of infected paper and therefore rindering the evil spirits too powerless to act. Through the facilitator I also found out that the Evil Mice Spirits™ were plotting to kill me in my sleep and that my cats acted to save me as well as themselves. These days all my paper products have an incantation(which, when translated from Latin, means roughly Three Blind Mice) read over them by a priest, who thankfully lives next door, and then annointed with the HolyCheese™. After that my paper products are clean of Evil Mice Spirits. Now if someone could help me rid my house of the Evil Dog Spirits™ that reside in every glass of water and can only be defeated by being dumped over my life will be perfect. OOPS, gotta run. I can’t be late. It’s time to feed my cats. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Luongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chris\_Luongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chris_Luongo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/16 "2002-05-22T02:43:45Z")
I read about this problem in the book “Train Your Cat.” The book isn’t at hand right now, and I can’t remember the author. Anyway, the book suggests that you precariously posistion empty soda cans atop the toilet roll. When the cat goes to play with the roll, the cans all come toppling down on and around him, which I think must be hilarious. Presumably, after a few episodes, the cat becomes too frightened to attack the thing again. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/17 "2002-05-22T04:39:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scotticher \* > \*\*I used to raise Siamese kittens, and they all loved to roll the tp around on the holder. I used to come home to piles of tp on the bathroom floor, and it drove me nuts. Then someone suggested I just turn the roll around, so that when they do their “roll” thing, the toilet paper stays on the roll and they still have all the fun. > > I hope I explained that well enough for you to know what I mean. 🙂 \*\* Coincidentally enough, I recently started having the same problem as the OP with my three-month-old kittens. I tried **Scotticher’s** idea, but they _still_ managed to unroll the tp. This morning I took the roll off the hanger and set it on top of the grab bar next to the toilet (on the assumption that if it’s someplace it can’t roll, they’ll leave it alone. A few hours ago I walked into the dining room to find the kittens playing with the roll of tp, which they had presumable knocked down and _carried through the kitchen._ ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/18 "2002-05-22T14:51:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chris Luongo \* > \*\*I read about this problem in the book “Train Your Cat.” The book isn’t at hand right now, and I can’t remember the author. > > Anyway, the book suggests that you precariously posistion empty soda cans atop the toilet roll. When the cat goes to play with the roll, the cans all come toppling down on and around him, which I think must be hilarious. Presumably, after a few episodes, the cat becomes too frightened to attack the thing again. \*\* This is a GREAT idea. My cat hates loud noises. I’ll set up my webcam (hee hee) and go to work. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_Schmeese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Marconi\_Schmeese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_Schmeese)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-my-cat-is-attacking-the-toilet-paper/110116/19 "2002-05-22T17:58:55Z")
Keep a roll of scotch tape in your bathroom for maybe a week. Every time you are done with the tp, put a little scotch tape on it securing the roll so the cat can’t “roll” it. The cat will probably give up after a few days. Just a thought.