The Cat Thread

My cat used to hide from our previous cleaner.

He really likes our current one though, follows her around and head-butts etc (as long as the vacuum is away).

I think it takes both parties to initiate some sort of bond/acceptance but you don't want the cat attacking anyone!

Your cleaner is a vampire/ghost and your cat is freaking out !
Animals know!!!

Until a week ago my granddaughter was living with us.She's just learning to walk and she took a tumble and banged her head on the floor.She seemed a bit dozy afterwards so we called 111.Long story short they sent an ambulance,have you any pets they asked ?
'Yes we have two cats'
'Can you make sure they are locked away when when the paramedics arrive'
My granddaughter was fine but the cats run for cover every time they hear a siren.

You think? Damn. Surely the agency would do background checks?

equal opportunities and all that

When one of mine was doing that it was to tell me he'd left two pigeons under our bed.

yummy!!

Some of you may remember a couple of months ago we were chosen by a cat that was living under some bins at my girlfriends office. Well, not chip and no collar means she's not going anywhere. Say hello to Biffa

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Great name!

Is that the cat that jumped onto your car without you knowing until you got home, or sth??

Cool!!

Biffa is a fantastic name.
Looks like a boss and great story.

I now have a cat. Some advice please.

There's only one place she's not allowed to sit and it turns out it's her favourite place to sit.

What can I do to discourage her?

You've got two options:

1. Negative reinforcement like a spray gun filled with water
   
2. Environmental punishers; cover the place she likes to sit in traps or things she doesn't like (tin foil, double sided sticky tape etc)
   
   

The first one is easy but the cat can associate the punishment with the person and grow scared of them. The second is more challenging but the cat will associate the place with bad things happening and not you.

pigeon spikes

Alternative two options :-

1. It's a cat, they will do things like this. Accept this at an early stage and things will be easier in the long run
   
2. Create a place she'll like more - elevated, warm, and a familiar smell. One of my cats will sit wherever I put worn clothes down
   

One of my cats will sit wherever I put worn clothes down

That's kind of adorable

That's kinda normal isn't it?

maybe, but still adorable (your smell is where they want to be)

Well, the trouble is it's my record player so I can't really put things on it and, for the reasons above, don't want to be using negative reinforcement.

Tonight, I also discovered that she likes to drink water out of glasses. I had been worrying that she wasn't drinking enough....

I was once told by Battersea Dogs and Cats that tin foil can work very well to discourage cats from sitting / jumping onto places they are not allowed to. They don't like the sound it makes... This could work for your record player as it weights nothing?

Mine sits on my amp!!!! Little bugger :-)

I'll try the tinfoil and see if it works!

Thanks all for the suggestions.

if i give my cats a screwed up ball of tin foil they will happily sit there and shred it.

My cats were also not fazed by tinfoil - happily chewed on the edges and slept right in the middle of a big sheet of it.
The only way I've found to stop them treading on things is to physically block it or the path to get there!