# Help with our cat's weird behavior problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 14, 2002, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419 "2002-09-14T11:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/21 "2002-09-21T22:10:56Z")
You might try something like [this.](http://radiofence.com/petmat.htm) We use one to confine our dogs in the kitchen without a gate. Works great. of course, it wouldn’t keep a cat in the kitchen, but it ought to keep it from sitting in front of the door and banging on it. Of course, it might just sit at the edge of the mat and cry, so this may be of no use. I am a dog person, so I can’t help too much. ---
**Author:** ![cdhostage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@cdhostage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdhostage)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/22 "2002-09-21T23:36:00Z")
I’m a firm believer in the handheld squirt gun technique. YOU MUST BE AROUND THE CAT AT ALL TIMES TO TRAIN IT TO DO OR NOT DO THINGS! Thusly, get new kittens in the early summer or whenever you have great deals of time around the house. 🙂 Maybe even bring the little puss to work. ---
**Author:** ![PosterChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e274bd/32.png) [@PosterChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PosterChild)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/23 "2002-09-22T03:18:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LurkMeister \* > **Once when I was playing with one of my kittens on the bed she bit me - not quite hard enough to break the skin, but enough that it hurt. I bit her back. Closed my teeth on one ear with just enough pressure that she felt it. She looked at me like _WTF?_ and we resumed playing. But she never bit me again. YMMV** I’ve done the same thing. When they bite or scratch, I tap\* them on the forehead and say “NO!” One cat that only partially worked and the “biting\*” back finished the training. One cute thing that resulted from the forehead tapping, is that when they fight each other, they now pull their heads back as if expecting a tap on the forehead before they attack. Let us know what works. 🙂 PC * * * \*No animals were harmed in the production of this post. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/24 "2002-09-22T07:42:22Z")
\ Does anyone have any suggestions for breaking a cat of licking? Licking people, that is, they can lick themselves all they want. Two of the three cats do this, and it doesn’t seem like normal cat behavior. Are they just tasting us to determine if they should eat us if we drop dead? That’s our theory 🙂 They’re both 11, and this licking thing (our hands mostly) is a fairly new behavior, just the last year or so- which is also when we went from five cats to three after we lost two to old age. I suppose some people would find it heartwarming and endearing, but I _hate_ being licked. We have two dogs that don’t lick (probably because they were never praised for it) and instead have two cats who do, go figure. \ ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/25 "2002-09-22T11:31:15Z")
My cat licks too. I can’t say I’ve ever considered it a problem. He’s been doing it ever since I got him. In fact, I named him Whiskey because of it. ---
**Author:** ![PosterChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e274bd/32.png) [@PosterChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PosterChild)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/26 "2002-09-22T16:01:12Z")
An UL (I assume) I was told was that a retrospective study was done on people who died, alone, who had cats or dogs. Dogs waited 2-3 days after their food ran out before eating their owners, cats waited 12-24 hours. Maybe your cats know something you don’t? 😉 I have a cat that likes to lick sweat. After a workout she won’t leave me alone until she can like an arm or hand. Maybe you could try letting them lick you after putting something bitter on your skin? PC ---
**Author:** ![phraser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e4f/32.png) [@phraser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phraser)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/27 "2002-09-23T01:14:14Z")
Cats tend to lick people for two reasons 1. we taste salty (from our sweat) which they like 2. it’s a social thing (grooming) they are showing concern for your wellbeing. There are solutions such as washing the part of you they like to lick with soap frequently (this will give you dry skin though) applying moisturiser lotion (makes it taste funny) wearing wool mittens (if they like to lick your hands) ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/28 "2002-09-23T02:54:32Z")
One thing you may want to try, **aoty** , in addition to the many suggestions so far: double sided sticky tape. You can get stuff like this at pet stores, specifically to try and keep your cat from scratching your furnature, but all it usually is is a large sheet of double sided tape. Stick that on the bottom of your door, and see what happens. Some cats don’t like it when their paws get all gunky: perhaps this will do the trick. This won’t work very well if your floors are carpeted, though. * * * \<\< MOP AND GLOW - Floor wax used by Three Mile Island cleanup team. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![Lab2490](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Lab2490](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lab2490)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/29 "2002-09-23T05:12:05Z")
I had a cat that was scared of brown paper bags , so whenever we wanted to limit her we blocked off the area with bags. Aoty, Does your cat have any small fear that you cloud use to your advantage? Is your cat scared of paper bags?:eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/30 "2002-09-23T22:43:50Z")
I must say, that fear of paper bags is one I’ve _never_ heard of. Every cat I’ve ever known has loved “nesting” in paper bags. As for the licking, I’m going to guess that it’s a maternal instinct of some sort. Mama cats lick their kittens. If your cat thinks she’s your mama (hey, I’ve known cats to think weirder things before), then she might be trying to groom you. Now, what to do about this, I’ven’t any idea. ---
**Author:** ![Jaystercom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@Jaystercom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaystercom)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/31 "2002-09-24T12:27:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > \*\*\ > Does anyone have any suggestions for breaking a cat of licking? Licking people, that is, they can lick themselves all they want. Two of the three cats do this, and it doesn’t seem like normal cat behavior. Are they just tasting us to determine if they should eat us if we drop dead? That’s our theory 🙂 They’re both 11, and this licking thing (our hands mostly) is a fairly new behavior, just the last year or so- which is also when we went from five cats to three after we lost two to old age. > > I suppose some people would find it heartwarming and endearing, but I _hate_ being licked. We have two dogs that don’t lick (probably because they were never praised for it) and instead have two cats who do, go figure. > \ \*\* Wellllllllll, since biting them when they bite you has been suggested, maybe licking them back might work 😃 Only kidding. It’s early and I haven’t had my coffee :eek: ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419/32 "2002-09-24T16:47:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lab2490 \* > \*\*I had a cat that was scared of brown paper bags , so whenever we wanted to limit her we blocked off the area with bags. Aoty, Does your cat have any small fear that you cloud use to your advantage? Is your cat scared of paper bags?:eek: 😃 \*\* Or maybe couch pillows? All three of ours are terrified by a pair of tan couch pillows we’ve had for years. If they persist in trying to get onto our laps, all we have to do is hold the pillow in the air and shake it gently in their direction. They _run_. No one knows why. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-our-cats-weird-behavior-problem/128419.md?page=1)