Minchin is seven months old, and a holy terror. hehe He's currently going through the phase of scratching everything in sight. I'm finding it a real challenge to point him in the right direction. I'm frustrated, because I can't use voice to help train.
I have big cat trees in the living room and my bedroom with long sisal legs. I have cardboard and sisal scratchers everywhere, some flat, some upright. I've got him going to the scratchers now, but he sits on them while scratching the carpet around them. haha He especially likes my new upright speakers and my fairly new leather couch. Gah. And door jambs. I have bamboo chairs and room divider. he's completely shredded those. If I put two sided tape on the things he's not supposed to scratch, he pulls it off and tries to eat it He loves tape. I'm afraid it will make him sick, so, I've stopped using tape. I've tried lemon to dissaude him. He likes lemon. I try using treats to bribe him, and he will go to the item to scratch to get the treat, but like I said, he doesn't scratch it, just sits on it. I don't know if I should be rewarding him for this. I will take his paws and try to rub the surface to show him what I want. He goes limp, and sometimes bites to get away. I try to get him to look at my face to show displeasure when he scratches my leather couch. He just wiggles and won't look at my face. I'll put him on nearby scratchers that match the height of the item he's scratching, and he flops around, trying to get away. I'm not sure if forcing him to scratch things is just upsetting to him, which ruins the teachable moment. He might be so desperate to get away that he doesn't learn. If I do manage to catch his attention when he's scratching something I don't want him to, I'll point at him and scowl. When I try to get him to show him what is ok to scratch, he bolts, zipping in and around furniture. It's a game.
I'm sure this is normal training frustration. haha My hearing cats got it quite quickly, but I could reinforce with verbal praise. I could really use some suggestions on how i can reinforce good behaviour with him other than just treats. I'm clapping now, and smiling widely, hoping he understands this is good. (I must look like a goof.) I've looked into clickers, but am not sure how that will work with a deaf cat. I do have a laser pen. I haven't tried that for other than play. I'm not sure how to use it as a teaching tool.
Any ideas? I'm really frustrated. I don't want my stuff ruined, and yet I know that's what happens when you have a cat.
I have big cat trees in the living room and my bedroom with long sisal legs. I have cardboard and sisal scratchers everywhere, some flat, some upright. I've got him going to the scratchers now, but he sits on them while scratching the carpet around them. haha He especially likes my new upright speakers and my fairly new leather couch. Gah. And door jambs. I have bamboo chairs and room divider. he's completely shredded those. If I put two sided tape on the things he's not supposed to scratch, he pulls it off and tries to eat it He loves tape. I'm afraid it will make him sick, so, I've stopped using tape. I've tried lemon to dissaude him. He likes lemon. I try using treats to bribe him, and he will go to the item to scratch to get the treat, but like I said, he doesn't scratch it, just sits on it. I don't know if I should be rewarding him for this. I will take his paws and try to rub the surface to show him what I want. He goes limp, and sometimes bites to get away. I try to get him to look at my face to show displeasure when he scratches my leather couch. He just wiggles and won't look at my face. I'll put him on nearby scratchers that match the height of the item he's scratching, and he flops around, trying to get away. I'm not sure if forcing him to scratch things is just upsetting to him, which ruins the teachable moment. He might be so desperate to get away that he doesn't learn. If I do manage to catch his attention when he's scratching something I don't want him to, I'll point at him and scowl. When I try to get him to show him what is ok to scratch, he bolts, zipping in and around furniture. It's a game.
I'm sure this is normal training frustration. haha My hearing cats got it quite quickly, but I could reinforce with verbal praise. I could really use some suggestions on how i can reinforce good behaviour with him other than just treats. I'm clapping now, and smiling widely, hoping he understands this is good. (I must look like a goof.) I've looked into clickers, but am not sure how that will work with a deaf cat. I do have a laser pen. I haven't tried that for other than play. I'm not sure how to use it as a teaching tool.
Any ideas? I'm really frustrated. I don't want my stuff ruined, and yet I know that's what happens when you have a cat.
