B#stard cat tricks

The cats kept me from having a good night's sleep last night. The
cupboard under the sink has a two-part cover, and the top section is
screwed on from behind, presumably so it can be removed to deal with
the plumbing. The screws were too loose, and they came undone. The
panel was hanging loosely for a few days, but last night it gave way.
I"m not sure whether it was natural or cat-assisted but there was a
crash at midnight when it hit the floor... followed by a series of
'thumpetythumpetythwackthwack's as the cats investigated the new toy.
I got up and staggered out to the living room. Two cats were sitting
there looking innocent. I thought they were playing with the plastic
bottle lying in the middle of the floor so I took it away from them
and went back to bed, after scooping up the poopies that somebody
scratched right out of the door of the covered litterbox
(@#%^&*^%$##$%^^%)

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

Okay, so it wasn't the bottle... I looked into the kitchen and saw the
cupboard, swore a little and closed the door firmly with the panel
shoved inside. Now to get some sleep.

The cats had other ideas.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

They pawed the cupboard door open and climbed in and out a few dozen
times, knocking the loose panel halfway out onto the floor. I got up
again and shoved it back into the cupboard and closed the door firmly.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

This time I got out some plastic bags and taped them over the opening

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

#!@$%^%$#@ cats! I closed the door one last time, added a few more
strips of tape, gave the cats a good squirting with the vinegar bottle
and staggered back to bed. This morning the plastic was chewed and
scratched and hanging halfway off the door. They obviously kept on
playing with it half the night, but I was out like a light. I had to
take the plastic off so I could use the sink, and I figured the cats
had learned their lesson. NOPE.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

I saw Silver's rear disappearing into the cupboard, so I called her
out sweetly. She came out a few moments later, to be met by the spray
bottle of vinegar. I picked up the plastic bags that I'd sat in the
corner and taped them over the front of the doors to keep them closed.
Surely that would work... alas I think the cats took that as a
personal challenge.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

Silver was pawing at the cupboard so I sprayed her again... she looked
at me like 'why on earth did you do that meowmie? I wasn't doing
anything!' then I heard clatters from INSIDE the cupboard, and I
realised that Scout was nowhere to be seen. Next moment she came
slithering out of the missing panel, and I sprayed her good. She was
NOT amused...

That was an hour ago. Right now the cats are both sleeping on the bed
and smelling vaguely of salad. They're pretending to be innocent but
I'm almost certain I'll have to repeat the process several more times
before we can fix the cupboard. John has tomorrow off work so we'll do
it first thing in the morning - it looks like a two-person job. One
person has to stick their head inside the cupboard to fasten the
screws, and the other has to hold the panel in place from the outside.

Karen AKA KajiKit wrote:
The cats kept me from having a good night's sleep last night. The
cupboard under the sink has a two-part cover, and the top section is
screwed on from behind, presumably so it can be removed to deal with
the plumbing. The screws were too loose, and they came undone. The
panel was hanging loosely for a few days, but last night it gave way.
I"m not sure whether it was natural or cat-assisted but there was a
crash at midnight when it hit the floor... followed by a series of
'thumpetythumpetythwackthwack's as the cats investigated the new toy.
I got up and staggered out to the living room. Two cats were sitting
there looking innocent. I thought they were playing with the plastic
bottle lying in the middle of the floor so I took it away from them
and went back to bed, after scooping up the poopies that somebody
scratched right out of the door of the covered litterbox
(@#%^&*^%$##$%^^%)

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

Okay, so it wasn't the bottle... I looked into the kitchen and saw the
cupboard, swore a little and closed the door firmly with the panel
shoved inside. Now to get some sleep.

The cats had other ideas.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

They pawed the cupboard door open and climbed in and out a few dozen
times, knocking the loose panel halfway out onto the floor. I got up
again and shoved it back into the cupboard and closed the door firmly.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

This time I got out some plastic bags and taped them over the opening

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

#!@$%^%$#@ cats! I closed the door one last time, added a few more
strips of tape, gave the cats a good squirting with the vinegar bottle
(snippage)

Sorry to be laughing but they sound like... well, kittens! And determined
ones at that.

Question: why do you use vinegar rather than water? And is it a good
balsamic or just plain vinegar? (teasing)

And congratulations on your marriage, too!

Jill

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 09:22:00 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Karen AKA KajiKit wrote:

#!@$%^%$#@ cats! I closed the door one last time, added a few more
strips of tape, gave the cats a good squirting with the vinegar bottle
(snippage)

Sorry to be laughing but they sound like... well, kittens! And determined
ones at that.

Question: why do you use vinegar rather than water? And is it a good
balsamic or just plain vinegar? (teasing)

And congratulations on your marriage, too!

Thanks Jill... it's not pure vinegar - the bottle is mostly water, but
with vinegar added - they're supposed to not like the smell, only I
think these little beggars enjoy it! It doesn't seem to stop them from
being norty anyway...

Little Kitty Adventures leading to Little Kitty Salads. ROFL. Mine
sometimes open my cupboards at night & rattle around in there. There
are mousies hidden behind the cupboards, so it's a very inviting place.
;o)

"Karen AKA KajiKit" wrote in message
...
The cats kept me from having a good night's sleep last night. ...

Hi Karen,
Sorry about your sleepless night. They sound like healthy, resourceful
kittens.
I'm sure that fixing the panel will go a long way toward solving that
problem and you might get a couple of good sleeping nights until they find
some other challenge.
I have to say that by calling the kitten out of the cupboard and then
squirting her with the vinegar/water solution, you are punishing her for
coming and will teach her not to come when you call her.
Just remember that whatever "training aids" you use, either praise or
deterrent, the kitten will associate it with the current immediate action
and not something that took place previously and not something that will
take place in the future.
If you want to deter the kittens from getting into the cupboard, you can get
some plastic carpet runner with nubs on one side. Get the least sharp nubs
that you can, and you may want to file them down a little. You can do this
by rubbing the nubs on some concrete, such as a sidewalk.
Cut a piece to fit in the cupboard and put it in with the nubs up. You
don't want to hurt the kittens, but make the cupboard uncomfortable and less
attractive to them so they will go find other ways to keep you up at night.
Congratulations on the wedding.
Cheers,
Annie

In article , Karen AKA KajiKit
wrote:



The cats kept me from having a good night's sleep last night. The
cupboard under the sink has a two-part cover, and the top section is
screwed on from behind, presumably so it can be removed to deal with
the plumbing. The screws were too loose, and they came undone. The
panel was hanging loosely for a few days, but last night it gave way.
I"m not sure whether it was natural or cat-assisted but there was a
crash at midnight when it hit the floor... followed by a series of
'thumpetythumpetythwackthwack's as the cats investigated the new toy.
I got up and staggered out to the living room. Two cats were sitting
there looking innocent. I thought they were playing with the plastic
bottle lying in the middle of the floor so I took it away from them
and went back to bed, after scooping up the poopies that somebody
scratched right out of the door of the covered litterbox
(@#%^&*^%$##$%^^%)

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

Okay, so it wasn't the bottle... I looked into the kitchen and saw the
cupboard, swore a little and closed the door firmly with the panel
shoved inside. Now to get some sleep.

The cats had other ideas.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

They pawed the cupboard door open and climbed in and out a few dozen
times, knocking the loose panel halfway out onto the floor. I got up
again and shoved it back into the cupboard and closed the door firmly.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

This time I got out some plastic bags and taped them over the opening

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

#!@$%^%$#@ cats! I closed the door one last time, added a few more
strips of tape, gave the cats a good squirting with the vinegar bottle
and staggered back to bed. This morning the plastic was chewed and
scratched and hanging halfway off the door. They obviously kept on
playing with it half the night, but I was out like a light. I had to
take the plastic off so I could use the sink, and I figured the cats
had learned their lesson. NOPE.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

I saw Silver's rear disappearing into the cupboard, so I called her
out sweetly. She came out a few moments later, to be met by the spray
bottle of vinegar. I picked up the plastic bags that I'd sat in the
corner and taped them over the front of the doors to keep them closed.
Surely that would work... alas I think the cats took that as a
personal challenge.

Thumpetythumpetybangthwap...

Silver was pawing at the cupboard so I sprayed her again... she looked
at me like 'why on earth did you do that meowmie? I wasn't doing
anything!' then I heard clatters from INSIDE the cupboard, and I
realised that Scout was nowhere to be seen. Next moment she came
slithering out of the missing panel, and I sprayed her good. She was
NOT amused...

That was an hour ago. Right now the cats are both sleeping on the bed
and smelling vaguely of salad. They're pretending to be innocent but
I'm almost certain I'll have to repeat the process several more times
before we can fix the cupboard. John has tomorrow off work so we'll do
it first thing in the morning - it looks like a two-person job. One
person has to stick their head inside the cupboard to fasten the
screws, and the other has to hold the panel in place from the outside.



Giggle errrr sorry Karen. Aren't kittens "fun".
Suz
Macmoosette
=^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^= =^..^=

"People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life."
--Faith Resnick



|\__/|
(=':'=)
(")_(")

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 10:15:45 -0500, Karen AKA KajiKit
wrote:

The cats kept me from having a good night's sleep last night.

Oh, happy days (or nights) with a couple of rambunctuous darlings!!
Love hearing your tales about them.

I love the names Silver and Scout but am curious about them. Did
you name the kitties yourselves or were they already named when you
got them? For some odd reason, every time I see the names I envision
Lone Ranger horses!! Hardly appropos but....

Jeanne