Cat + Toddler

[belongstoevie]

Where to start...

Evie used to be really great with Maiya when she was a baby. She LOVED her, would always cuddle up with us and groom her. But as Maiya gets older and more active, Evie is getting more and more tempermental.

Maiya is 14 months now, and LOVES Evie. She would follow her everywhere if I let her. Since I've been working with her since day 1, Maiya is actually very very gentle with Evie. She's NEVER hurt her, but she also can't read Evie's cues and doesn't know to go away from her.

Evie, of course, is a cat about the whole thing. She will not move away from Maiya when she starts getting irritated by the constant pettting. She will always lay right in the middle of where we're playing. We have a TON of baby proof areas that Evie usually loves (couches, couch backs, stairs, table, cat tree...), but Evie generally lays right smack dab in the middle of Maiya's play mat and toys. Which thrills Maiya to no end, and she starts petting her (honestly gentle pets), but Maiya can't "read" Evie's body language to know when Evie is getting over stimulated, and has been whacked by her many times now.

Evie is getting far less tolerant of Maiya as time goes on. She has started to smack her, with claws out, just when Maiya crawls up to her, before Maiya even touches her. You think Maiya would learn eventually, but I can't risk Evie hurting her any more than she already has!

I've tried everything I can think of, all the typical stuff. Maiya has even learned to pretty much leave Evie alone, despite how much she positively ADORES her "sister". The problem comes when Evie plops right down a foot away from her, in the middle of all Maiya's toys. Maiya can't ignore her then!

I spend ALL DAY trying to keep these two apart, but with Evie getting so testy and short tempered, I am getting very scared that one day I'll be a second too late and Maiya will be really hurt.

It's getting to the point where I want to lock Evie up in the bedroom 24 / 7, but that would be cruel. So I'm thinking of giving her up for adoption, but I LOVE Evie! It breaks my heart to even think about it. It's just so scary...

Do you have any other suggestions as to how to teach Evie to leave Maiya alone? Anyway I can keep our precious kitty??

Thanks in advance if you read this entire book!

 

[kit e cat]

Well the way I see it, at 14 months old, she isn't far away from being able to understand that if she pets the kitty for too long, she will get whacked. I would train Evie to not lay on the play mat, that way she's not laying in themiddle of things. You might have to deal with it for a little longer, but that is better off for Evie, as its veryhard to find homes for any cat, they're a dime a dozen it seems.

 

[arlyn]

Have you tried using softpaws?

 

[sarahp]

Oh I feel your pain! I have only just started letting Zoe pat Smudge without me holding her hand just recently. Smudge is also too stupid to lie somewhere away from Zoe. Smudge likes the attention, and thankfully hasn't whacked Zoe, but I'm always worried she will. Generally my way of dealing with it is to put Smudge out onto our back patio - Smudge loves it out there, and Zoe can't get to her.

I wonder if you can use a spray bottle or a can of air and use it whenever Evie goes near Maiya's play area to train Evie to stay away. Then once Maiya goes to bed, give Evie extra attention. That's essentially what we're doing. Once Zoe's asleep, Smudge gets lap time and lots of cuddles.

 

[belongstoevie]

Thank you everyone for the responses!

Originally Posted by Kit E Cat

Well the way I see it, at 14 months old, she isn't far away from being able to understand that if she pets the kitty for too long, she will get whacked. I would train Evie to not lay on the play mat, that way she's not laying in themiddle of things. You might have to deal with it for a little longer, but that is better off for Evie, as its veryhard to find homes for any cat, they're a dime a dozen it seems.

I know she will be able to understand soon, it's just the "until then" part that worries me.

How do I train Evie to stay away from the play mat? I will have to try some of Sarah's ideas.

You're right, though, that even if I do lock her in the bedroom 24/7, that eventually I'll be able to let her back out when Maiya's more responsible! Thanks for the reminder.

Originally Posted by Arlyn

Have you tried using softpaws?

I haven't. Would they help so she can't hurt her? I didn't think they were that good. I'll have to look in to them, thanks for the ideas!

Originally Posted by sarahp

Oh I feel your pain! I have only just started letting Zoe pat Smudge without me holding her hand just recently. Smudge is also too stupid to lie somewhere away from Zoe. Smudge likes the attention, and thankfully hasn't whacked Zoe, but I'm always worried she will. Generally my way of dealing with it is to put Smudge out onto our back patio - Smudge loves it out there, and Zoe can't get to her.

I wonder if you can use a spray bottle or a can of air and use it whenever Evie goes near Maiya's play area to train Evie to stay away. Then once Maiya goes to bed, give Evie extra attention. That's essentially what we're doing. Once Zoe's asleep, Smudge gets lap time and lots of cuddles.

Yup, too stupid, that's Evie!

We definitely give Evie extra attention when Maiya's asleep. And hubby and I take turns quite often, one with the baby and one with the cat, so she's not love starved.

As for locking her outside, unfortunately Evie spends most of her days now locked in the bedroom or outside! She really hates it, though, so I hate doing it to her. Have you seen my FB video of her when she's outside?? She stands at the door and paces and meows and meows and meows for 45 minutes! Does the same in the bedroom. I feel so bad locking her up, but if she doesn't learn to stay away from Maiya soon, I'll have to keep her locked up until Maiya knows how to ignore her even with her right there!


I'll have to find a spray bottle or air can like you said and see if I can train her to stay away from the play mat. I have so many kitty friendly baby proof areas, this would all be fine if she'd just use them!!

Thanks again everyone.