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Kitten chaos

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1.4K views 10 replies 6 participants last post by  lperry82  
#1 ·
After much discussion and planning, we have welcomed a little fur baby in to our home. She is an 8 week old domestic medium haired silver tabby and her name is Alaska (she looks like a little snow leopard!)
She came home with us a week before Christmas Eve (not as a present but because I have several long weekends during the festive season and could be home with her) and she has a very lovely and sweet nature.

Dexter and Scout were obviously scared at first of this little furball running around the house during playtime, but VERY quickly adjusted. I am very surprised by how quickly actually!
It has been a little over a week and it feels as though Alaska has been here for years!
I am quite sleep deprived so maybe that is making it feel like a lot longer... HAHA!
The midnight feeds and litter box changes... It is really like having a newborn!

This was a HUGE decision for us to make as our birds have been the centre of our world for over a year and a half now, but we have both always wanted to bring a kitten in to our home and it was not a decision that was made lightly.
Alaska is still getting settled in here (she is a baby after all) but my biggest concern is her constant desire to climb the bird cage stand.

She has almost ZERO interest in the birds themselves, but LOVES to climb their cage stand and I am looking for some advice from cat owners on how they have dealt with this kind of thing??

I want to get this bad habit under control while she is still a baby.
I have been removing her constantly and giving her a firm 'NO' but she continues regardless. Obviously she is a BABY (and a CAT haha), and like the birds, will take a while of constant reinforcement to squash bad behaviours... I was just looking for some pointers as I have not had a kitten/cat in quite a few years!
They are so similar to birds in so many ways - I never noticed until now!
Independant but cuddly and needy. Curious and clever. Stubborn and cheeky... and are EXCELLENT at training their humans!
We are going to buy her a big cat scratching post/cat tree thing - I hope that this gives her something of her own to climb all over and stops her interest in their stand.

Alaska is NEVER left alone with the birds, even if they are in their cage.
She spends the day in our bedroom while we are at work.

So I guess my question is, how do you find the right, healthy balance with birds and cats?

I would really love to hear peoples stories/experiences!
:)
 
#2 ·
I haven't got a kitten/cat but if i did i would keep them away from the birds
person who comes to mind with cats is DallyTsuka so she might help you out
 
#4 ·
I done that method on my bunnys with wires and carpet wallpaper being chewed yes it does work, i did join a rabbit forum but they were so nasty about it.
It does sound cruel but i dont think i would have got where i am today with baby as he is out of cage 24/7 bunny
 
A
#5 ·
Water pistol is definately the way to go. Squirt, then redirect to something she is allowed to climb on - a cat tree/ scratcher is ideal, all cats should have one, it'll save your furniture too!
Don't let her see you squirt her, that way she'll think its a result of climbing the cage, rather than you just being mean to her. And always aim just above her head, to avoid getting her eyes and causing harm.
Don't yell, don't do anything else, just put her where she is allowed to be. You can even do this with out the squirting, just remove her and put her on her scratching post, but it takes patients and consistancy:)
Thats how I taught my cats to not jump on the counters, now they won't even go on them if I leave food out.
Good luck!
 
#6 ·
it USUALLY works unless the cat LIKES water. having trouble with our new kitten and the cage tops as well but water pistol is useless. she likes water. she jumped in the shower yesterday. it can work, i have all three of my cats currently in the same room with the birds whether in or out of cage but out of cage REALLY depends on the cat and i would never allow them to be close. my cats have little interest in the birds and my elderly cat is down right terrified of them. the new kitten of mine is curious of them but is learning. the one year old is curious but knows she'll get a squirt if she gets too close. it can work. just get to know the cat and how she is. cats are like birds in one way--they like high places. so thats prolly why shes climbing the cage. my boyfriends cat does it and you have to watch. the kitten can give the birds nightfrights if she jumps on the cage at night. thats how tsuka had a nightfright a few times while he was at my boyfriends house.
 
A
#7 ·
Yeah, I have one that likes water, thats how I discovered that it works just as well if you just lift her down, redirect her and say nothing, they get the message eventually.

You could also try loud noises - but that will probably fighten your tiel and for me, the cats just looked at me, then continued what they were doing.

You can also try citrus peel around the cage, cats hate the smell of citrus, so some orange or lemon peel may put her off.
 
#9 ·
the citrus would likely work. even something mint. those smells are too strong for them. but id worry bout the birds respiratory if its not natural... some cats cant be swayed. i gave up with the kitten and for tsuka's sanity i had to put him back with dally and just made the cage taller. the cat cant climb that high (the cage is 6-7 feet tall with stand) so if nothing else works, get a taller cage.
 
#10 ·
I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences with this kind of issue :)
I decided to try the squirt bottle (it seemed mean but my fids deserve peace an security!) and the little strategically timed squirt of water has worked wonderfully!
It only took a couple of squirts and the kitten now stays off the stand and away from the cage :D I didn't want to 'punish' her for being curious but my feathered babies mean the world to me and falling in to the 'prey' category means their needs have to come first - and Alaska is now learning what is off limits to her before she gets too old (next lesson is the kitchen table!)
Thanks again for the advice
 
#11 ·
People was snotty to me as i done this method with baby but to this day im so glad i did.
He don't have a cage/hutch and i trust him 100% all thanks to a spray bottle
 
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