# How Can I Fix My BAD CAT? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395 "2010-11-21T01:51:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![SparkleLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SparkleLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparkleLilly)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/61 "2010-11-24T02:14:34Z")
> [@Marienee](#): > > In no particular order: > > For the garbage problem you need to 1) get a latchable garbage can or a latchable cabinet and 2) quit letting him climb all over your kitchen. > > For the spilling problem you need to stop letting him get near your drinks. > > The way to stop him is to scruff him when he climbs all over the kitchen/gets near your drinks. Every time. Carry him elsewhere and put him down. Do not yell, do not get angry. A cat does not give a shit if you are angry, it just thinks you are a jerk. For level 10 violations you need to scruff him and tap him on the nose, then remove him to elsewhere. Do not strike him on the nose, tap him. With two fingers on the bridge of his nose. > > It will take a long time to convince him that you mean it. > > In the mean time, stop your kids from hauling him around and otherwise abusing him. What he does to you is no worse than what they do to him. He won’t appreciate it, cats don’t appreciate being protected as dogs and people do; but he will be happier and will be able to relax a bit. > > And get three toys: a ball that you can put kibble in that he can get out by batting it around (or a paper towel roll with kibble in it that you stop up the ends with tape, leaving a small hole so he has to work to get it out); a laser to chase; and a kitty hunter/fishing rod with feathers on the end. Play with him with the last two every day and leave the first one when you are not there. Rotate his toys and never let him have two at a time. > > Also, you might want to reflect on the ways in which you are encouraging your cat to act like this – cats read mixed emotions better than you might imagine and respond to them also. > > Get a copy of “The New Natural Cat” and also read it. It will give you some insight into how to deal with your cat. > > ET fix spelling Cat purrs when scruffed. Cat purrs when toted around by children. Children put cat down, cat nuzzles them. Currently cat refusing to leave their room, is guarding sleeping children. Nose bonks are amusing. Laser and feathers now boring. Will read book. Kitchen also does not have door. Unsure how to restrict cat from entering. Baby gate is unlikely to suffice. Cannot wait until cat and turkey carcass meet. Expecting “dogs in elk” redux. Nom nom nom. ---
**Author:** ![SparkleLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SparkleLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparkleLilly)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/62 "2010-11-24T02:16:21Z")
> [@Marienee](#): > > Seriously. I have had cats and bred cats and worked for the Humane Society and therefore had foster cats living with me for various reasons. And they can all be taught not to climb all over your kitchen. Cats are smart. You can teach them damn near anything. > > Only, you have to treat them like cats. Not like dogs and not like people. > > Never used a scat mat though, nor an air can. Double sided sticky tape on occasion for a stud cat with territory issues. Perhaps it is wrong husband holds cat like newborn and strokes gently and rocks it to sleep? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/63 "2010-11-24T02:30:48Z")
> [@SparkleLilly](#): > > Perhaps it is wrong husband holds cat like newborn and strokes gently and rocks it to sleep? No, that’s fine (and completely adorable!). You just have to be the hard-ass and startle him off of whatever he’s doing that you don’t want him to do. Cats don’t like being startled, and they’ll eventually leave something alone if you startle them every time they mess with something they shouldn’t oughta. That’s how I trained mine to stay off the kitchen cupboards - clapped my hands and hissed every time I caught them on it. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/64 "2010-11-24T02:58:19Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > No, that’s fine (and completely adorable!). You just have to be the hard-ass and startle him off of whatever he’s doing that you don’t want him to do. Hey, leave her husband alone…! > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Cats don’t like being startled, and they’ll eventually leave something alone if you startle them every time they mess with something they shouldn’t oughta. That’s how I trained mine to stay off the kitchen cupboards - clapped my hands and hissed every time I caught them on it. Oh. Never mind… ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/65 "2010-11-24T05:02:56Z")
May I tag on, rather than opening another BAD CAT thread? The terrors, now aged a whopping 3 months, have discovered the joy of toilet paper. And Kleenex. And any kind of paper. Used or not. We’ve moved the Kleenex to the linen closet. We try our damndest to remove any paper from their access. But the toilet paper. We took it off the roll, as it didn’t matter whether it was over or under, they destroyed a new roll in under two minutes. So we started keeping it in the cabinet under the sink. They have yet to figure out how to open the cabinet, thank heavens, but the second they hear the cabinet open they go crazy trying to get to it. I do close the door to keep them out, but sometimes TheKid forgets and ends up yelling at them (it’s hard to do your business and keep two terrors at bay). If they get hold of TP, it goes under the couch. I was laying on the floor tonight, looked under the couch, and there were wads of paper everywhere. Plus, they eat it. Help? ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/66 "2010-11-24T12:51:28Z")
> [@SparkleLilly](#): > > Cat purrs when scruffed. Cat purrs when toted around by children. Children put cat down, cat nuzzles them. Currently cat refusing to leave their room, is guarding sleeping children. Nose bonks are amusing. Laser and feathers now boring. Will read book. Kitchen also does not have door. Unsure how to restrict cat from entering. Baby gate is unlikely to suffice. Cannot wait until cat and turkey carcass meet. Expecting “dogs in elk” redux. Nom nom nom. I think I’m in love with BAD CAT 🙂 (no useful advice, sorry!) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/67 "2010-11-24T14:20:29Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Hey, leave her husband alone…!\ Hee - I laughed at loud at the mind picture of her startling her husband when he’s being bad. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/68 "2010-11-24T14:26:32Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > May I tag on, rather than opening another BAD CAT thread? > > The terrors, now aged a whopping 3 months, have discovered the joy of toilet paper. And Kleenex. And any kind of paper. Used or not. We’ve moved the Kleenex to the linen closet. We try our damndest to remove any paper from their access. But the toilet paper. We took it off the roll, as it didn’t matter whether it was over or under, they destroyed a new roll in under two minutes. So we started keeping it in the cabinet under the sink. They have yet to figure out how to open the cabinet, thank heavens, but the second they hear the cabinet open they go crazy trying to get to it. I do close the door to keep them out, but sometimes TheKid forgets and ends up yelling at them (it’s hard to do your business and keep two terrors at bay). If they get hold of TP, it goes under the couch. I was laying on the floor tonight, looked under the couch, and there were wads of paper everywhere. Plus, they eat it. > > Help? I know I’ve seen a guard thing that goes down to cover the roll, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen it. I wonder if you could find something like a coffee can (do they even make coffee cans anymore?) with a cover. My baddest cat will unroll the TP if I’m late getting up to get him breakfast. What a PITA to get it all rolled up again. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/69 "2010-11-24T14:39:33Z")
> [@SparkleLilly](#): > > Cat purrs when scruffed. Cat purrs when toted around by children. Children put cat down, cat nuzzles them. Currently cat refusing to leave their room, is guarding sleeping children. Nose bonks are amusing. Laser and feathers now boring. Will read book. Kitchen also does not have door. Unsure how to restrict cat from entering. Baby gate is unlikely to suffice. Cannot wait until cat and turkey carcass meet. Expecting “dogs in elk” redux. Nom nom nom. How does BAD CAT feel about foil? A lot of cats don’t like walking on it - mine don’t care, but you can try scrunching some sheets of foil up just a bit (don’t make balls, those are cat toys!) so BAD CAT would have to walk on it if he wanted to be on the counters. Double sided tape _does_ work for my cats - I have the fancy wide kind from the pet store, but when my boyfriend got fed up with them standing on top of the TV cabinet in front of the TV he taped down a Jimmy Johns sandwich wrapper and stuck a bunch of tape loops on it, and that works fine. So we haven’t changed it and it’s been a year. I don’t even see it anymore. Wonder what my mom thinks about that little piece of decor? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/70 "2010-11-24T15:03:57Z")
My cat was fine with foil on the counter, but I wasn’t. My cat was fine with double sided tape on the counter - do you know how gross double sided tape covered in cat hair is on your kitchen counters? My cat doesn’t like to get squirted, but my cat is a smart cat and complete understands “I don’t get on the counters when you aren’t here.” “No” means “not when you are looking.” (She is very dog like in the whole “guilty look when she gets caught doing something she knows she shouldn’t.”). Since we are not home during the day, the options are to live with a cat not trained to go onto counters when we are home, but who we know darn well walks on them when we are gone (and wipe them down before and after cooking - and become better housekeepers) or lock cat in basement for day - which no one wants to do. Her and the dog are in cahoots. She knocks the treats off the counter, he chews a hole in the bag, they get treats! ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/71 "2010-11-24T15:06:29Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > That’s how I trained mine to stay off the kitchen cupboards - clapped my hands and hissed every time I caught them on it. I had to laugh. A cat who is startled at mere clapping and hissing is not made of the stern stuff observed in BAD CAT. I used to have a BAD CAT upon whom I would **empty** my water pistol full into his face up to four times a night for pawing the door. He was neither impressed nor dissuaded. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/72 "2010-11-24T15:32:03Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I had to laugh. A cat who is startled at mere clapping and hissing is not made of the stern stuff observed in BAD CAT. > > I used to have a BAD CAT upon whom I would **empty** my water pistol full into his face up to four times a night for pawing the door. He was neither impressed nor dissuaded. … upgrade to water with vinegar? Makes it a little smelly, some cats don’t like that on their fur. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/73 "2010-11-24T16:59:07Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > … upgrade to water with vinegar? Makes it a little smelly, some cats don’t like that on their fur. MY BAD CAT passed away last January at the age of 17. He never stopped pawing the door until I moved and then he stopped completely without further attempts at discipline. I am not sure if it is connected but my MY BAD CAT came from a home with small children, whom he humored endlessly. Perhaps exposure to small children engendered in MY BAD CAT a core of steel beyond that of normal cats. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/74 "2010-11-24T16:59:27Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > … upgrade to water with vinegar? Makes it a little smelly, some cats don’t like that on their fur. Yeah, you aren’t in Bad Cat territory. They laugh at vinegar. Though, honestly, a Bad Cat is one who combines the naughtiness with a personality that has few redeeming characteristics. This sounds like “Naughty Cat.” Naughty Cats are far more charming - and their behavior never rises to peeing on your clean laundry on pooping behind the couch, having night long yowl fests, scratching your two year old niece with no provocation, or taking the ear off the dog. They knock things over, scratch the furniture a little (but don’t shred drapes) and compensate you for it by affection. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/75 "2010-11-24T17:25:52Z")
We have a BAd CAT lite\*. She was worse when we brought her home. She woud launch herself onto the middle of our dinner plates, during dinner in efforts to get food. I solved this by buying a harness and leash and tied her to a ceramic piggy bank. That way, she was still in the room with us, but not allowed near the food. \*She still tries to attack me through the plastic shower curtain everytime I take a shower. We have to put the dry food into a plastic container or she’ll rip holes in the bag and help herself. She has stopped jumping off the headboard on the bed and using my face a landing pad, though so for that I am grateful. I tolerate the 5 am sitting and tapdancing on my head in her dance for attention. She keeps briging live chipmunks into the house. We think she wants a pet of her own. This morning she caught a bird, ate some leftover gumbo my daughter left out, drank from the toilet, got soaked from the rain including very muddy feet and demanded I cuddle her until she was warm dry and clean, stole her feline sister’s collar… ---
**Author:** ![Marienee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Marienee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marienee)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/76 "2010-11-24T17:35:49Z")
> [@SparkleLilly](#): > > Cat purrs when scruffed. Cat purrs when toted around by children. Children put cat down, cat nuzzles them. Currently cat refusing to leave their room, is guarding sleeping children. Nose bonks are amusing. Laser and feathers now boring. Will read book. Kitchen also does not have door. Unsure how to restrict cat from entering. Baby gate is unlikely to suffice. Cannot wait until cat and turkey carcass meet. Expecting “dogs in elk” redux. Nom nom nom. That’s why you have to read the book. The idea is not punishment. Cats learn from punishment that you are a jerk, and that’s all they learn from it. Dogs learn from punishment, as do people. Cats do not. And for the rest…listen, just read the book. Otherwise I will have to type it out here and I don’t type that fast. 🙂 Really, honestly, this is not by any means the worst bad cat ever. But it is a very…feline cat. ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/77 "2010-11-27T21:52:35Z")
> [@SparkleLilly](#): > > So we got BAD CAT delivered (like the worst pizza ever) on the 4th of July. BAD CAT was so cute! BAD CAT was so good! We loved BAD CAT! BAD CAT was about 12 weeks old. > > Then BAD CAT got big. And BAD CAT went bad. First he became manic BAD CAT. Then he became hump 'n pounce BAD CAT. We counted the days and when he was 6 mos, we got his wee BAD CAT marbles snipped off. BAD CAT got a little better. > > BUT NOT FOR LONG. \ I would really love to see this turned into a children’s book some day! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/78 "2010-11-28T00:55:14Z")
Sometimes I think we love our cats because of their flaws, more so than because of their good points. Actually, sometimes I think that about my friends, too. ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/79 "2010-11-28T01:29:18Z")
DO NOT spank the BADCAT hinder for being bad! This is a very powerful cat reward! Please do not ask why I know this. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395/80 "2010-11-29T04:28:07Z")
People - If you can’t raise kittens without them turning into hellions, DON’T RAISE KITTENS Find someone who has to leave their adult, well-trained cat behind for whatever reason - you get a mellow, well -behaved cat, they get the relief that their beloved cat gets a good home. If I had a cat turn out like the ones described here, I would never again try to raise a cat (and have the current monster put down). Pets are supposed to fun, loving creatures! Where did you folks lose that point? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-fix-my-bad-cat/561395.md?page=5)