Newbie Question: How can we stop our Cat eating threads

Our one year old cat, Midnight, loves to eat threads and string. After her
first trip for surgery to remove gut bound string we thopught we Cat proofed
the house. Hah! She's recovering from her second bout of surgery as I
type. This time she required 7 incisions in her intestine to get all the
stuff out.

If we don't stop her she'll kill herself.

After she has recovered, I have thought of leaving out pieces of string
and/or thread and when she goes for them squirting her with a watergun,
basic aversion therapy. This is a bit cruel, but if necessary we'll do it.

Other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, The Lappin Family.

"Joseph Lappin" wrote in message
...
Our one year old cat, Midnight, loves to eat threads and string. After
her
first trip for surgery to remove gut bound string we thopught we Cat
proofed
the house. Hah! She's recovering from her second bout of surgery as I
type. This time she required 7 incisions in her intestine to get all the
stuff out.

If we don't stop her she'll kill herself.

After she has recovered, I have thought of leaving out pieces of string
and/or thread and when she goes for them squirting her with a watergun,
basic aversion therapy. This is a bit cruel, but if necessary we'll do
it.

Other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, The Lappin Family.



I don't think you can really train a cat not to eat string (or rubber bands
or other attractive -- but dangerous -- attractants). Many cats are
attracted to string, although it sounds like Midnight is tempted more than
most.

My opinion is that you need to make extra effort to cat-proof your home by
eliminating the sources of temptation (or at least reducing it as much as
possible). I place rubber bands in a drawer on in the trash (not accessible
to my cats) as soon as I get them. If I open a package with rubber bands, I
place them on my wrist if I can't immediately put them out of harm's way.
They are just too tempting to cats. The same thing with string and cords.
I have some cord that my cats like to play with (with me on the other end),
but I store it in the garage when I am not using it. Many cats have become
entangled in cords and toys with string attached if it is left available
when no people are around. And the same thing with string and thread.
Gather it up and either store it in a drawer or throw it away immediately.

I do realize from your message that you thought you had already cat-proofed
your house. I am just trying to encourage you to think of any possibility
because I doubt that you will really be able to train your cat to ignore
this temptation. Incidentally, one place to look is underneath your chairs.
There are often lots of loose threads hanging there.

Good luck!

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

"Joseph Lappin" wrote in message
...
Our one year old cat, Midnight, loves to eat threads and string. After
her
first trip for surgery to remove gut bound string we thopught we Cat
proofed
the house. Hah! She's recovering from her second bout of surgery as I
type. This time she required 7 incisions in her intestine to get all the
stuff out.

If we don't stop her she'll kill herself.

After she has recovered, I have thought of leaving out pieces of string
and/or thread and when she goes for them squirting her with a watergun,
basic aversion therapy. This is a bit cruel, but if necessary we'll do
it.

Other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, The Lappin Family.



I don't think you can really train a cat not to eat string (or rubber bands
or other attractive -- but dangerous -- attractants). Many cats are
attracted to string, although it sounds like Midnight is tempted more than
most.

My opinion is that you need to make extra effort to cat-proof your home by
eliminating the sources of temptation (or at least reducing it as much as
possible). I place rubber bands in a drawer on in the trash (not accessible
to my cats) as soon as I get them. If I open a package with rubber bands, I
place them on my wrist if I can't immediately put them out of harm's way.
They are just too tempting to cats. The same thing with string and cords.
I have some cord that my cats like to play with (with me on the other end),
but I store it in the garage when I am not using it. Many cats have become
entangled in cords and toys with string attached if it is left available
when no people are around. And the same thing with string and thread.
Gather it up and either store it in a drawer or throw it away immediately.

I do realize from your message that you thought you had already cat-proofed
your house. I am just trying to encourage you to think of any possibility
because I doubt that you will really be able to train your cat to ignore
this temptation. Incidentally, one place to look is underneath your chairs.
There are often lots of loose threads hanging there.

Good luck!

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

In article ,
enlightened us with...

After she has recovered, I have thought of leaving out pieces of string
and/or thread and when she goes for them squirting her with a watergun,
basic aversion therapy. This is a bit cruel, but if necessary we'll do it.


This rarely works, as the cat knows it is you who is doing the
squirting, so she will do her best to simply not be seen doing it near
you.

Other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You may want to look at WHY she eats string. Lack of good toys? Boredom?
Lack of something in her diet? OCD? I'd bring her to a behaviorist and
see if maybe the problem is treatable so that she won't want to eat it
any more. Conditioning may be an option, but you can't do that with just
a squirt bottle. You may also want to talk to your vet about possible
physical causes (diet, OCD).

In the meantime, cat-proof even more vigilantly (I know you already do)
and if you can't monitor her, keep her in an area where there is no
string or thread (extra-large cat cage, bathroom, basement, spare
bedroom with no furniture, wherever there is no cloth). If it's her life
that is at risk, a month or so confinement isn't too cruel while you
decide how best to treat her. It may also break what may just be a bad
habit.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
Jesus saves, Allah protects, and Cthulhu
thinks you'd make a nice sandwich.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------

In article ,
enlightened us with...

After she has recovered, I have thought of leaving out pieces of string
and/or thread and when she goes for them squirting her with a watergun,
basic aversion therapy. This is a bit cruel, but if necessary we'll do it.


This rarely works, as the cat knows it is you who is doing the
squirting, so she will do her best to simply not be seen doing it near
you.

Other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You may want to look at WHY she eats string. Lack of good toys? Boredom?
Lack of something in her diet? OCD? I'd bring her to a behaviorist and
see if maybe the problem is treatable so that she won't want to eat it
any more. Conditioning may be an option, but you can't do that with just
a squirt bottle. You may also want to talk to your vet about possible
physical causes (diet, OCD).

In the meantime, cat-proof even more vigilantly (I know you already do)
and if you can't monitor her, keep her in an area where there is no
string or thread (extra-large cat cage, bathroom, basement, spare
bedroom with no furniture, wherever there is no cloth). If it's her life
that is at risk, a month or so confinement isn't too cruel while you
decide how best to treat her. It may also break what may just be a bad
habit.

-------------------------------------------------
~kaeli~
Jesus saves, Allah protects, and Cthulhu
thinks you'd make a nice sandwich.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace
-------------------------------------------------