The Pets City » cat training http://www.thepetscity.com Quick Tips and Information on Pets' Health, Grooming, Training, Nutrition, Supplies... Tue, 19 Jan 2010 05:08:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 How To Stop Your Cat From Eating Houseplants http://www.thepetscity.com/cats/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-eating-houseplants/ http://www.thepetscity.com/cats/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-eating-houseplants/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 05:39:05 +0000 Andrea http://www.thepetscity.com/?p=238 Although the costs of owning a cat are low such as food and the occasional veterinarian checkup, however, the amount of damage a cat can cause to our other processions such as furniture, clothes, shoes can be quite pricey. And for some reasons many cats just love to attack houseplants.

If you also have a green thumb for growing plants inside your home while at the same time own a “plant-loving” cat, then your job is to make your plants as undesirable as you possibly can to that cat. Here are a few tips that can help you solve the battle between your cat and houseplants.

3 Ways You Could Stop Your Cat From Eating Houseplants

  • Foul Condiments: Cats, in general, enjoy chewing on plants. One of the ways to get they off your houseplants is to make them taste or smell terrible. However, do avoid spraying any toxic material on your plants as it may also harm your cat. You don’t have to look far for those foul smelling products. A little vinegar with water or Tabasco sauce is good enough to do the trick—getting your cats off your houseplants. Do not underestimate these condiments; they are so potent that some cats won’t even need to take a taste test in order to be turned off. Just getting close and taking to a whiff of that spice and bitterness will be enough to send them running.
  • Scar Tactics: This technique may not work for all cats but give it a go if you don’t want your plants to smell anything like Tabasco or vinegar. What you could do is to make your houseplants look as unattractive as scary as possible. One method is to run aluminum foil wrapped around the sides of the pots and then extend a couple lines of foil rolled up and coiled 3 feet out, like a big bird claw. To us, it looks awkward but to the cats—it’s scary. You can brainstorm and find other ways to scare off your cats that may suit you better.
  • Go Up: If the above two methods—having a bitter aroma running through the house from Tabasco sauce or your living room looking like a science fiction movie with all the aluminum—aren’t your cup of tea. Then you have to use the “upgrade” version. Simply turn your houseplants into hanging plants. Unless your house or apartment is loaded with high levels that your cat can get to, turning your houseplants into ceiling plants is probably the most successful technique that can be used to keep your plant from becoming cat food.

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]]> http://www.thepetscity.com/cats/how-to-stop-your-cat-from-eating-houseplants/feed/ 0 How To Train Your Cat To Use The Cat Door http://www.thepetscity.com/cats/how-to-train-your-cat-to-use-the-cat-door/ http://www.thepetscity.com/cats/how-to-train-your-cat-to-use-the-cat-door/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:56:46 +0000 Andrea http://www.thepetscity.com/?p=132 If you mind opening the door each time your cat rings the pet door bell, then training your cat to use the cat door would be your best option.

What You Need to Consider Before Buying that Cat Door

You can find cat doors in most pet stores, online and offline. But before you do, consider these:

  • Cat doors can be installed right in your door or next to your door for a wall mounting.
  • Make sure you get the right size cat door so that it is big enough for your cat to get in and out without any difficulty. This will free you up from having to attend to your cat going in and out.To know the size of the opening, you will have to measure your cats’ height and width. When measuring the width make sure you allow at least a couple of inches more than the width of your cat. The height from the shoulders to the back of the front legs this will give the right height.

Tips on Training Your Cat To Use The Cat Door

Usually a cat will not automatically use the door without any training. You will need to train your cat to do so.

  1. Have your cat beside you while you open the cat door.
  2. Place your cat’s favorite treat on the other side of the door.
  3. Once she’s on the other side of the door, repeat step two to encourage to come indoor.

Make sure you hold the door open during the training. This allows your cat to come in and out freely with a reward of a simple small snack on each side. It may take a while for your cat to use the door without your help. But once you caught her using the cat door without your aid, remember to get her rewards for her behavior.

Do not push your cat through the door when you begin training. This will terrifies her more than encourage her to use the cat door.

Once your cat begin using the door you will experience the freedom of sleeping though the night or not having to stop what you are doing to let your cat in and out. It may be possible eliminating any future kitty litter or mess where they should not be doing.

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