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[Important/Help] Cat Problems - Might loose Cocoa
14 years ago
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So I was just told by my Dad and Cheryl that Cocoa is becoming a problem. Apparently Cocoa smells, a fact which escapes me since I'm used to her and they are not. A second problem is that because she is upstairs and that is where those two sleep. There is their bedroom and a side bedroom for toys and things. Along with the flooring being carpet, the banister is wooden.
Taking that in mind, I was told she was tearing everything up. Apparently destroying their furniture among the banister and floor. Back at my old home, Cocoa never did any of those things. Taking in mind that fact, she was in inside/outside cat, my lack of furniture, and tile flooring, she didn't have much to go after anyway. However: Cocoa did use a wooden post that was out on the back porch for a scratching post.
I can see why she would be using the banister. It is wood like what she was used to using as a scratching post. Unfortunately this is very bad now because she is going back to the banister.
I can't use a nail trimmer with her because I would be too nervous that I'd hurt her. There is the option of getting her declawed, but I can't afford that and it would feel really cruel to do that do her. She would never be an outside cat again, which she may want to do, but I'm really not sure that'd be a good idea for her.
I really need some advice for what to do about these problems with Cocoa. If I can't get these problems with her solved, I'm really worried and afraid that I'll have to do the one thing I do not want to do: give up Cocoa.
Anyone have some suggestions, ideas, or otherwise to solve this dilemma so I can keep the cat?
And, if possible, ideas of how to get a 10 month old male boxer to get along with the cat? Mostly so she can move around the house more and not get chased back upstairs by the dog thinking she is a toy?
Greatly appreciated for any help you guys can give.
Taking that in mind, I was told she was tearing everything up. Apparently destroying their furniture among the banister and floor. Back at my old home, Cocoa never did any of those things. Taking in mind that fact, she was in inside/outside cat, my lack of furniture, and tile flooring, she didn't have much to go after anyway. However: Cocoa did use a wooden post that was out on the back porch for a scratching post.
I can see why she would be using the banister. It is wood like what she was used to using as a scratching post. Unfortunately this is very bad now because she is going back to the banister.
I can't use a nail trimmer with her because I would be too nervous that I'd hurt her. There is the option of getting her declawed, but I can't afford that and it would feel really cruel to do that do her. She would never be an outside cat again, which she may want to do, but I'm really not sure that'd be a good idea for her.
I really need some advice for what to do about these problems with Cocoa. If I can't get these problems with her solved, I'm really worried and afraid that I'll have to do the one thing I do not want to do: give up Cocoa.
Anyone have some suggestions, ideas, or otherwise to solve this dilemma so I can keep the cat?
And, if possible, ideas of how to get a 10 month old male boxer to get along with the cat? Mostly so she can move around the house more and not get chased back upstairs by the dog thinking she is a toy?
Greatly appreciated for any help you guys can give.
There's a product I saw at my local PetSmart that is, essentially, a gel cap that you place over the claws of your cat to prevent them from scratching things. I'm pretty sure they're a one-size-fits-all kinda thing and I don't remember them being too expensive, so I'd try using those to keep her from scratching things up.
As for teaching the dog she's not a toy... not a clue. I haven't been able to keep my Labradors from thinking my cats are fetch toys, so I couldn't say.
I think I know what your referring to there.
Is the cat living with you? It sounds like your saying she is living at that house and your not..
As for the dog, you just have to reprimand the dog and tell it to lay off from badgering the cat. It could also just be in the boxer's nature with its high energy to want to chase the cat around.
Yeah she is. I live in a two story house with my Dad and Cheryl, his girlfriend. Cocoa spends her time upstairs in their room, the side room and the hallway. There's a door blocking the stairs up. It stays closed because the dog keeps whines when he sees her and tries to chase her if she is at ground level.
It doesn't always work with Butch. They're fine when separate or if Cocoa is up higher than the dog. They have stared at each other with Butch sniffing her. Moment she jumps down, he is off like a rocket after her. And Butch isn't my dog, so he really doesn't listen to me. Nor really my Dad to say the least, even though we have tried to deal with him.
Cocoa did grow up with a boxer, so she can be fine around dogs if they're not trying to use her as a toy. It really is just getting Butch to chill out, which he literally is a ball of energy, so he wont whine when he sees the cat or tries to chase her. I'm probably repeating myself now, but, damn. The above problem with the scratching/smell is the main.
I do not look forward to trying to give her a bath to solve one of two problems.
As for the dog, my brother has a boxer and they tend to be hyper-active at that age...even later. The dog needs proper discipline, which takes time and effort. Alternately, you can put the cat under something....like a laundry basket, or something with holes. Let the dog sniff at her through there. It might be enough to get him used to her, get all that "I wanna chase the cat" energy out of his system. You might have to do this a little each day over the course of a week or so to get him fully used to her.
Hope this helps.
As I mentioned to Dragoncast, Butch and Cocoa know each other are there. They're fine when Cocoa is above him. He stares and sniffs. Moment she is down, he'll bolt. Of course it probably didn't help when we first arrived, my Dad took Cocoa out of the box to introduce Butch to her, he immediately thought she was a toy and tried to chase her. Cocoa nearly clawed my Dad, fell on the stove, opened the stove trying to get on top, then bolted into the door cage as my Dad was yelling at Butch for doing so. So the both of them ended up in the dog cage. We had to get him out to get her out and she's mostly been upstairs since. Only comes down at night when Butch is in his cage. A whole out of sight/out of mind deal.
Discipline with animals is not really a strong suit among my family. We've had dogs before, rather my Dad has, and they were not well trained. Never my dogs and I never know how to train them. Mainly since if I did one thing, it probably wouldn't go over well/dog would forget when someone else does something like always. Great way to confuse an animal.
So advice helps. Its just bad I'm not the greatest at talking with him. ._.
Sadly, it seems the behavior is stemming from that one bad incident. It is correctable, but would take time and even more patience. Your best bet is to have a specific place for her to go when she wants well away from the dog. If you try to designate a spot for her where she feels safe, it might keep her away from other unwanted areas.
My Dad's fault for that encounter. He took Cocoa out of the box to introduce her to Butch and Butch to her. *Sighs* Well as I mentioned above, Cocoa hangs out upstairs where the dog can't get her and he'll whine when I go upstairs to tend to her needs. The only time she feels safe coming down is when Butch is caged. Usually while we're gone or at nighttime. Like last night she came into my room and slept with me.
Though that is sort of what "set it off" per say, since I have a small allergy. Well, as my Dad put it, my left eye, always the left eye, had gotten puffy and red. This was before my allergy pill kicked in. Nothing really fairs well... but nothing that an allergy pill can't solve.