Pet Lovers

[Mz iMac]

@software

Feliway products are cheaper on the Chewy website.  Expensive at PetSmart.  But worth every penny!

"are sensitive to human emotions."

Vet told me the same thing when I mentioned cat seems to know (gets aggressive) when I have a migraine.

"They enjoy playing with a variety of toys"

Plastic is like catnip to my cat.  He will play w/a plastic bag & plastic bottle tops all day.  He deep sleeps on top of garbage bags in the daytime & deep sleeps inside them at night.  He only takes cat naps in his bed.

[x Hedge]

Let me say it too. Please, no rubber bands or plastic bags. They'll swallow all or parts of both, and these collect in the gut with dire results. One of mine tears 'bites' out of plastic bags and swallows them if I don't stop him.

I make cat toys too, and join old toys together to create new favorites.

Nothing beats the possibilities of a cardboard box and duct tape. I shop at Aldi's for the bonus of a constant supply of cardboard boxes.

I bought heavy sisal rope from the home center and wrapped a couple of 3' 2x4's for scratching. Every morning I'd get up and stop at the scratching post in the hall and 'scratch'. Young cats follow and imitate me.

All day, everytime I passed it I stopped to 'scratch' for 10 seconds saying (don't laugh now) "scritchy-scratchy...scritchy-scratchy..." and praising them for scratching also.

One of them learned especially well, and I didn't even have to pretend to scratch anymore. All I had to do was say the words "scritchy-scratchy" and he would run to the scratching post and start scratching away like crazy. He never scratched furniture or anything in the house except scratching posts.

I also sisal wrapped 2 of the vertical support posts in the basement. One of my cats is a 'climber' and happily scrambles up the sisal post. Does NOT scramble up the draperies.

[software]

He loved this box until he destroyed it!

[x Hedge]

Oh Yes! Don't they love to think they can see without being seen?
Try one of those 'pop up' mesh hampers from Dollar Tree.
A old, sheer window panel can be draped between chairs like a tent, or over a cardboard 'play fort' set up for a Caturday.

[lynne6was7]

He's cute!  Sounds like he might like one of those long wands with feathers at the end.  You can wave it back and forth in figure eights and such, and hopefully he will chase it across the room and pounce and get tired out.  Good luck.

[lynne6was7]

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@x Hedge wrote:

Let me say it too. Please, no rubber bands or plastic bags. They'll swallow all or parts of both, and these collect in the gut with dire results. One of mine tears 'bites' out of plastic bags and swallows them if I don't stop him.

I make cat toys too, and join old toys together to create new favorites.

Nothing beats the possibilities of a cardboard box and duct tape. I shop at Aldi's for the bonus of a constant supply of cardboard boxes.

I bought heavy sisal rope from the home center and wrapped a couple of 3' 2x4's for scratching. Every morning I'd get up and stop at the scratching post in the hall and 'scratch'. Young cats follow and imitate me.

All day, everytime I passed it I stopped to 'scratch' for 10 seconds saying (don't laugh now) "scritchy-scratchy...scritchy-scratchy..." and praising them for scratching also.

One of them learned especially well, and I didn't even have to pretend to scratch anymore. All I had to do was say the words "scritchy-scratchy" and he would run to the scratching post and start scratching away like crazy. He never scratched furniture or anything in the house except scratching posts.

I also sisal wrapped 2 of the vertical support posts in the basement. One of my cats is a 'climber' and happily scrambles up the sisal post. Does NOT scramble up the draperies.

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Aw, @x Hedge, too cute.  I did something similar with my former-feral boys a number of years ago except I would scratch the post and sing the "Good Boy Song" - which, BTW is Billboard Music Award-worthy.  Topsy especially liked to run to the post to hear his favorite tune.

[feline groovy]

@software wrote:

He loved this box until he destroyed it!

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"IF I FITS, I SITS"

[software]

I like that idea.   I have a couple of bigger boxes and if I put some shred material in the bottom I bet he would love that.    He's not crazy about a plain box.   He loves shredding stuff.

@x Hedge

[software]

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@lynne6was7 wrote:

He's cute!  Sounds like he might like one of those long wands with feathers at the end.  You can wave it back and forth in figure eights and such, and hopefully he will chase it across the room and pounce and get tired out.  Good luck.

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Thanks, see the swirly stripes on his side?    I think he's handsome

Yes HE would love for me to wave a wand around all day, me, not so much!   LOL

But I'm going to try a little harder to play with him.

[jaxs mom]

If he's affectionate at all and tolerating living in a house then he's not an actual feral cat. Feral cats have never been socialized with humans and fear them. They don't come to you for affection and if they were given the opportunity to be indoor outdoor you'd never see them again.

The fact your cat tears things up is normal for a young cat. It sounds like he's not getting enough stimulation to burn off his energy.