Only in our family...

"Susan M" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:

I like to hear about Otis, but what a difficult cat he must be to live
with.
Unwanted behaviour is reinforced by responding to it, it gets rewarded by
attention and will always continue if you do. It needs to be ignored
from the first sign of it so there is no positive for them. This works
for dogs, cats and children. IME.

Christina - I hear you loud and clear and successfully manage this with
the kids and with Chester.

Otis is one of those rare almost un-manageable creatures, I swear on a
stack of bibles. We kept him in for 18 months when we first got him and
never once, in 18 months, did he stop yowling at the door and scratching
the door until his feet bled. 18 months is a really long time.

I sprayed him with water every time he went on the counter, consistently
for months on end. It just made him madder and he stood on the counter
and defiantly yowled and yelled at me without budging an inch.

I do admit that sticking him in the basement helps and he is subdued
afterwards for at least a night. We have had a logistical problem in that
we've had a live-in nanny for the past 8 months and we haven't wanted to
subject her to the cat yowling at the basement door for HOURS on end, as
he does.

I'm thoroughly excited to say that we've hired a new LIVE-OUT nanny. A
lovely cheerful woman who loves kids and who Andrew actually hugged after
the interview, which is unusual. So, now we have the ultimate weapon back
at our disposal. Stay tuned. He tends to get his revenge in the end
somehow though - like getting a bladder infection and peeing all over the
house from the stress of being locked in the basement though.


Yeah, I know that Otis is, well, lets say not easy, but sometimes I get
convinced that if I say one more time not to let him do it, it will come
right for you just because I want it to happen.
My cats are quiet in the night. They have everywhere to sleep except my
bedroom and they are kind enough to accept this. They do not try and wake
me up in the morning by meowing at my bedroom door if they fancy an early
breakfast (not that KFC can meow, but Boyfie can)
I am up at 7 during the week, but even at the weekend when I like a lie-in
no cat disturbs me for food or attention until I decide to get up. They
just sit patiently on the sofa.
My heart goes out to you, Susan, and I admire you for tolerating Otis's bad
behaviour.
He didn't ever get a head injury somehow did he?

Tweed