BS: cat & computer. Part 2

Subject: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:38 AM

There was an earlier thread where someone complained that his male cat is spraying the computer. Mine does that too. He used to do it occasionally, now he's doing it every few days. He is spraying it because he sees other cats outside, and he has to mark it so the other cats will know its his.

It's a mystery why the cat feels he has to protect the computer. It already has Norton Antivirus, SpyBot and AdAware.

(It's also a mystery why my neighbor wants her cats exposed to fleas, tapeworms, dogs, cars, and feline leukemia.)

Of course, I wish my cat wouldn't spray the compter, but this cat has many desirable qualities which offset the presence of a little sterile saltwater which is all that urine is. (Granted, some of the salts are smelly.) For example, he is wonderful at soothing upset people. He's a veritable feline therapist.

So I bought a pad of newsprint. I take a sheet, fold up the bottom two inches to make a pocket, and I tape up the fold. Then I tape the entire sheet over the computer. When it assumes a yellow, mottled appearance, I change it.

Where to put it? Put it with his litter box, so as not to start a new site which needs spraying.

It's not a perfect situation, but it works for me.

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:42 AM

y'know - it's wierd, but I have never lived with a cat that sprayed - despite over 35 years of sharing housespace with cats.

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:43 AM

I'd keep a squirt gun or spray bottle beside the PC and if I caught him in the act, he'd get soaked... I can't imagine he'd continue the behaviour much after a few attacks...

You don't want to be covering any of the vents on your PC tower for any length of time... over-heating is a serious problem for your processor

Is the cat fixed?!?! That often curbs most spraying behaviour

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 11:49 AM

It supposedly only occurs in dominant males asserting their territorial rights. If you have an older dominant cat (male or female) it shouldn't happen so often.

Of course, what a lot of people don't realise is, queens spray too. Female cats have been known to urinate in certain places as scent markers.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 01:59 PM

so why do people have neutered toms who spray?

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 06:34 PM

I had a male cat who was neutered late...he thought he 'ought' to spray things, but he had no ammo...

and I would NOT tolerate any cat spraying my PC, no matter what enduring qualities he had....I think Clinton may have the solution this time...spray him back!

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 06:59 PM

I've seen male and female cats mark territory by spraying. Neutered and unneutered. The squirt gun sounds like a good option--just so the cat doesn't decide to get sneaky and get real nasty in retaliation.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 09:08 PM

Yea, I had a spayed female (done early in life) who took up spraying late in life. Bitch sprayed everything...I put up with it for over 5 years (and her other un endearing traits too). Finally just put the thing down and I don't miss her at all. Still haven't got the carpet non smelly tho.

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 09:24 PM

The squirt gun will quite quickly teach the cat not to spray while you are there and have the squirt gun. It will not preclude the cat's coming back when you - or the squirter - are not around, and doing his "mark" just to prove it can get away with it. It most likely will not prevent the cat from checking to see if there's water in the squirter, and then doing it right there in front of you if you've let the thing run dry.

No cat will ever believe that anything a cat does is "wrong." If you squirt him, he'll leave to avoid being squirted. He may avoid coming back to where he got wet as long as you're there to do it again - and he will know that you were responsible and will punish you for it; but there is no way he'll associate being squirted with anything he did or might have done. Cat's are perfect, and entitled (according to one or two who have explained this to me).

John

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 09:32 PM

Talk back...
Sound Effects for Your Cat

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 09:33 PM

Neutering doesn't stop it every time... it just reduces the urge... I'm sure gents who've had the 'snip' will tell you that it didn't reduce their urges, even though there is no longer any ammo.....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: mack/misophist
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 10:02 PM

It may help to make the whole area unattractive. You can spread fly paper around or place empty plastic jugs around the machine so he'll knock them over and startle himself or put any small unpleasant items on the table, such as bottle caps with the edges up. At least, that's the advice my vet gave me for kitchen counters.

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 10:04 PM

tin foil or brown paper with a traditional mousetrap underneath, set, helps. The cat steps on the paper, the trap springs and the noise frightens the cat away.... don't know if it works though... with 3 cats we've never needed a mousetrap!

LTS00000000

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Jul 05 - 10:13 PM

Sorry... the OOOOOOOOOO's were added by Raven the kitten who is, for some reason, really interested in this thread.. his "accoutrements" are just developing and he's not sure what they're for other than licking.

It's really funny listening to him meow in kitten and adult voices - like a teenage boy trying to be grown up, it will always let him down when he's trying to be macho!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 10:01 AM

John is correct.....and I'm to cover my entire front room with foil????

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 01:05 PM

I think my cat's problem is that he was neutered too late in life. He wasn't our cat then.

The ideas for getting him to stop spraying the newsprint will only make my life harder. He would then start spraying somewhere harder to clean.

I'm not worried about the heat. Furniture stores sell fancy cabinets that block heat flow far more than a piece of paper, yet the computers continue to work.

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 02:01 PM

Our cat has a vaccine against leukemia, Frontline defense against biting insects, his stool is tested etc etc

Housecats are captives no matter how pampered. Like a person, a cat can know greater splendor than nature in its fullest.

Subject: RE: BS: cat & computer. Part 2
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 22 Jul 05 - 09:14 PM

There is a product available now called Feliway which is a synthetic replicate of a cat pheramone. If you spray it regularly where they spray, they will stop spraying there. (There's also another brand, whose name I can't recall.) The pheramone has a calming effect. It's also useful to spray in your cat carrier, if you have a cat which freaks out at travelling. If you have a territorial cat, they'll respond to the smell of their own urine as if it was that of another. The smell of the pheramone makes them think it's no big deal.

It helped our indoor cat a lot.

~ Becky in Tucson