Kitty advice

[tctrek]

To train cats to use a scratching post, rub some catnip on the post ... they really love the kind that is sisal rope wrapped around a post. You can make one yourself pretty easily. I don't use carpet scratching posts, 'cause that gives them the idea it's ok to scratch carpet.

I have nine indoor cats, all with claws and none of them scratch my furniture.

[Biciclista]

oh yes, SISAL! if you can find a cheap source of sisal, get some elmer's glue and make sisal spirals on a board. instant kitty scratch post!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

... they really love the kind that is sisal rope wrapped around a post.

Yes, the sisal rope one can be popular!

[tctrek]

Oh yeah, wrap/glue the sisal around the board and then staple a big loop of sisal at one end. Hang the loop on a door knob, rub a little catnip and stand back and watch happy kitty go to town.

[smilingcat]

Litter:

+1 with Eden. We use Wheat Scoop. Kittens may accidently injest the litter and with wheat scoop, it passes through their system. Clay litter does not. It can potentially become life threatening if they injest too much. For this reason alone, our rescue group recomment the Wheat scoop for kittens and wheatscoop or pine litter for adult cats.

Small amount of Wheat scoop does go down the drain when I wash and disinfect the litter box. The wheat litter decomposes and does not clog the pipe. Clay litter just turns into solid "brick" and clogs the pipe.

Also tried the pine litter but we prefer if the stuff would clump, not turn into dust.

We also do not like the smell of the clay litter with its perfume nor the clay dust it generates. And the clay dust is not good for the cat in the long run. Thinking of Silicosis (similar to black lung disease).

Water bottle:

my cats see that bottle coming out and they are gone under my bed in a nano-second. No need to squirt them anymore.

[Tuckervill]

I keep an old wooden stool around, unpainted, that sat around out on the porch for a long time and got weathered, just so the one cat can scratch it. He grew up scratching that stool and I don't want to take a chance on him scratching something else. I guess I could glue some sisal to the legs and he would love it that much more, but maybe not.

Karen

[badger]

spokewench: you have a 23 year old cat?!?! wow!! I thought I was doing pretty good with my 16 year old that still jumps around like a kitten.

The SPCA I volunteer at uses the pine pellets exclusively. For the price you really can't beat it.

Have any of you tried the Cat Dancer? It's just a stiff piece of wire with a couple of rolled up pieces of cardboard. My older one goes insane when I pull it out.

[Aggie_Ama]

We went to the shelter yesterday and home came a manx cat. She is a year old, vocal and sweet as pie! She is medium hair, white and brown tabby markings with a stumpy tail and seems like she will be huge. Oh and DH, she loves him and he spent all night petting "your cat". He likes her a lot, in spite of himself. The previous owner declawed her so I guess that settles the debate on indoor/outdoor and tearing up furniture. We are trying the pine all natural litter, hopefully with routine cleaning DH won't notice the box.

They called her "Telly" but she doesn't answer to it so we are letting her name herself. I had a manx growing up but was looking at kittens but this little girl said "look at me, I am your perfect friend". We tested her with some shelter dogs and she gets along. Heidi is smitten and kitty is tolerant of her new hyper friend. Pics to come.