Hello! So we've had our kitten Marie for about 2 months now, and its been great! She's very good about using the litter box and proper scratching posts. Her and our cat Rex (8 year old male) have adjusted to each other well and can be in the same space without trying to murder each other. They're in the playfighting to figure out what boundries are there stage, so lots of claws in wrestling and low growls that have been less and less frequent. They shall be besties yet!
Shes still learning when to not bite, since she seems to love nibbling fingers (a nursing habit shes kept) and occasionally biting your knees or feet if there's fabric over them. Thankfully shes been very good at learning not to do this, and has never drawn blood or anything. We think its probably a teething thing as well, as she hasnt lost her baby teeth yet.
The one issue has been climbing. She loves trying to get into shelves and higher surfaces. We've been curbing her table sitting habits, and it has become less and less frequent. But one surface seems much too tempting.
The bird cage.
We have a African Senegal parrot named Sig. Hes a very good boy, who screams a lot. Rex and our late Boodle have both been very good with him, theres never been any attack attempts. Rex will ignore him and his cage, even when hes out. Sig does get plenty of outside cage time, but this is only ever while there's someone home to keep an eye on things. When we're away, he stays in his cage to hang out and watch his bird TV.
I don't think Marie got the memo about him. Shes entranced by his birdy ways, and enjoys just sitting and staring at him. Now this is fine, but the issue comes in when she starts to paw at him or jumps up onto the front of his cage. Shes also managed to clamber on top of his cage and sit atop it once or twice. Theres never been an incident of her trying to attack him, and any time theyve been out together has been highly monitored. Shes dashed towards him once, but stopped on a chair and stared at him while we moved to get him off the ground.
She is very playful, and highly energetic. Im pretty sure this is a matter of new interesting thing to play with, but im concerned about her using the cage like a jungle gym. It only takes one bad moment, and either she gets bitten or he gets injured. Even if she bit him and didn't kill him, cat saliva is highly toxic to birds and that would do him in anyways.
We've been using water guns as a discipline method, but I'm afraid shes only getting used to it. Making loud sounds and telling her no is also only affective sometimes, and it feels like she doesn't listen very well. Obviously shes a cat so you cant explain it to her, but I'm running out of ideas to keep her from jumping up there.
Im considering getting a taller cat tree for her, the only issue being where we would put it in the house. It could be used as a jumping pad to get to other forbidden spots. The attic might work as we're renovating it into a master bedroom, but that will be some time away and I'd rather make a more permanent solution now. Does anyone have ideas for curbing this behaviour?
The bird cage (tall, tempting. Bird included.)
The criminal on trial (heathen. Adorable, but very very naughty.)
Shes still learning when to not bite, since she seems to love nibbling fingers (a nursing habit shes kept) and occasionally biting your knees or feet if there's fabric over them. Thankfully shes been very good at learning not to do this, and has never drawn blood or anything. We think its probably a teething thing as well, as she hasnt lost her baby teeth yet.
The one issue has been climbing. She loves trying to get into shelves and higher surfaces. We've been curbing her table sitting habits, and it has become less and less frequent. But one surface seems much too tempting.
The bird cage.
We have a African Senegal parrot named Sig. Hes a very good boy, who screams a lot. Rex and our late Boodle have both been very good with him, theres never been any attack attempts. Rex will ignore him and his cage, even when hes out. Sig does get plenty of outside cage time, but this is only ever while there's someone home to keep an eye on things. When we're away, he stays in his cage to hang out and watch his bird TV.
I don't think Marie got the memo about him. Shes entranced by his birdy ways, and enjoys just sitting and staring at him. Now this is fine, but the issue comes in when she starts to paw at him or jumps up onto the front of his cage. Shes also managed to clamber on top of his cage and sit atop it once or twice. Theres never been an incident of her trying to attack him, and any time theyve been out together has been highly monitored. Shes dashed towards him once, but stopped on a chair and stared at him while we moved to get him off the ground.
She is very playful, and highly energetic. Im pretty sure this is a matter of new interesting thing to play with, but im concerned about her using the cage like a jungle gym. It only takes one bad moment, and either she gets bitten or he gets injured. Even if she bit him and didn't kill him, cat saliva is highly toxic to birds and that would do him in anyways.
We've been using water guns as a discipline method, but I'm afraid shes only getting used to it. Making loud sounds and telling her no is also only affective sometimes, and it feels like she doesn't listen very well. Obviously shes a cat so you cant explain it to her, but I'm running out of ideas to keep her from jumping up there.
Im considering getting a taller cat tree for her, the only issue being where we would put it in the house. It could be used as a jumping pad to get to other forbidden spots. The attic might work as we're renovating it into a master bedroom, but that will be some time away and I'd rather make a more permanent solution now. Does anyone have ideas for curbing this behaviour?
The bird cage (tall, tempting. Bird included.)
The criminal on trial (heathen. Adorable, but very very naughty.)
