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Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 2:19:16 AM

ShellyD

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I need some suggestions on how to disencourage my new cat- big and a couple of kilos- who has taken to sleeping on my feet. Not usually a problem, but I have a chronic pain condition in my feet, so bad I am on strong drugs and haven't worked for 2 years now. For some reason she sleeps on my feet, not beside or near but on, and I sleep on my side, so it must be uncomfortable for her. It wakes me in pain many times a night. I push her off onto the bed but she always returns to sleeping on my feet and the pain wakes me up.

Last night it was particularly bad and I would push her off my feet and tell her no! very firmly and for some reason she would return to my feet immediately. It got so bad that she was upset and sort of whimpering/mewing. I never hit or am aggressive with her, just a push from feet to bed. I have tried to shut her out of the room, but she has taken to hiding in my room just before I go to bed.

What I really need is some tried and true means of changing her behaviour...and why my feet? the only sore part of my body, must be uncomfortable for her, there is a huge amount of bedspace she could use but my feet are what she seems addicted to.......BTW she also choses to grab my legs with her claws and bites my feet/toes during the day.....my pain is really bad at all times and I had to get my dog a new home because of his roughness with me and inability to walk him, so I would hate to find her another home. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated, by both Lolly and me, it distresses us both.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 2:43:40 AM

Aneirin

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Maybe the cat knows your feet hurt, and thinks it is helping you, or thinks it can help, warmth is help, an ill patient, keeping them warm often works, we all know this, why not animals too.

I can appreciate you think different due to how you feel, but the cat doesn't know that, your booting it off at night might to the cat seem like rejection when it thinks it is helping you.

An idea perhaps which might help both of you, put an open box under your covers and shove your feet in that, maybe the cat will sleep on top of the box that is under the covers thus keeping it's weight off your feet.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 3:16:57 AM

angelikaJ

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If you have chronic pain, likely you have inflammation and inflamed things usually give off heat.
It may be that she is laying on the warmest spot.

It may also be that she thinks she is helping.

Perhaps you could gut a hot water bottle under the covers in another spot on your bed and see if she likes that.
Likewise you could try a Purr Pad .

If those don't work (assuming you can't shut your bedroom door) is there a room you could put kitty in for the night (with water and a litter box)

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 3:18:17 AM

sirsholly

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I do not recall the name, but pet stores sell a spray that will keep cats away. It does not smell too bad to us, but they hate it. Perhaps if you sprayed this stuff on a towel and laid it on your feet?

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 4:12:03 AM

ShellyD

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Thanks for your replies, No thanks to the box Anierin, I also have hypersensitivity and that seems like it would be too uncomfortable to sleep. I have an electric blanket on my bed so bed is warm at night, but it is the earlier hours that becomes worse...so maybe the heat she searches for. Thanks for that link Angelika, What does catnip actually do for cats??? And Holly I will see if the stores here hold that product. Thanks again, I am happy if she sleeps on my bed, just not my feet!! lol. I really need a cat-talker who can relay the info, stay off the feet.....

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 4:30:25 AM

Aneirin

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From: Tamaris
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Another thing, ever notice how a cat loves to be near anything that smells reesty, pure natural smells to a cat, yukky to us in our fragranced world. Not saying your feet might be reesty, but a cat will go to a place where it's scent is. Find a smell the cat is not impressed with and chuck it on the place the cat sleeps.If the cat sleeps in the place, the cat will take on the smell, which will not impress it at all.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 6:57:12 AM

Rainfire

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quote:

ORIGINAL: sirsholly

I do not recall the name, but pet stores sell a spray that will keep cats away. It does not smell too bad to us, but they hate it. Perhaps if you sprayed this stuff on a towel and laid it on your feet?

Are you thinking of Apple Bitters, holly? Plus there is something called "Cat-Away" that also works. We can't really smell them but the cats sure can. Also, a water spray bottle with a touch of plain vinegar added to the water and a little squeeze works great as well. That one is good because it has the combination of strong scent (cats HATE the smell of vinegar!) and water.

Other than offering a preferred alternative for kitteh to sleep on, I would say maybe closing your door for a while to her. Help her break the habit of sleeping on your bed while you're in it.

Good luck and best wishes, Shelly!

{{{HUGS}}}

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 6:59:09 AM

lizi

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The best thing to deter a cat is a spray bottle with water. Perhaps if you kept it by your bed and gave her a little squirt. It works wonders with the cats I've had in changing their behavior and doesn't harm them at all.

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Post #: 8

RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 7:07:56 AM

GaryandBarb

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TARGET PRACTICE,

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Post #: 9

RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 7:08:52 AM

ShellyD

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Ok then, it seems a water/vinegar squirter is the easiets to achieve at present, will shop for said water sprayer tomorrow....I am still confused why when she has a whole half a queensize bed as well as the option of sleeping beside my feet or body, she chooses to lie on top of them, balancing because I sleep on my side with my legs togather so it is a lump about 6 inches high and 3 inches wide?????

Thanks Rain for the hugs,

( by the way we are having one of those cold, dry spells, you know the ones, bone chilling cold, luckily sunny days though, Victorian winter...not that it can compare to Canada cold...

)

(in reply to lizi)

Post #: 10

RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 7:22:03 AM

sirsholly

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quote:

a water spray bottle with a touch of plain vinegar added to the water and a little squeeze works great as well. That one is good because it has the combination of strong scent (cats HATE the smell of vinegar!) and water.

it would not hurt to spray a bit on her feet before bed.

And Rain...the Apple Bitters was not what i was thinking of. I thought that was used to keep a puppy from chewing (though Listerine works just as well). Probably the Cat-Away...

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 7:46:34 AM

ShellyD

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My feet or the cats feet Holly? Have just seen Aneirins' suggestion re:smelly feet...(also not applicable due to winter time and no sweating....) I am now very sensitive about my feet smelling....

lol, time for sleep, have a good day all. Tonight she gets shut out of the room....

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Post #: 12

RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 8:48:04 AM

UglyTruth

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Joined: 7/14/2008
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ShellyD

I need some suggestions on how to disencourage my new cat- big and a couple of kilos- who has taken to sleeping on my feet. Not usually a problem, but I have a chronic pain condition in my feet, so bad I am on strong drugs and haven't worked for 2 years now. For some reason she sleeps on my feet, not beside or near but on, and I sleep on my side, so it must be uncomfortable for her. It wakes me in pain many times a night. I push her off onto the bed but she always returns to sleeping on my feet and the pain wakes me up.

Last night it was particularly bad and I would push her off my feet and tell her no! very firmly and for some reason she would return to my feet immediately. It got so bad that she was upset and sort of whimpering/mewing. I never hit or am aggressive with her, just a push from feet to bed. I have tried to shut her out of the room, but she has taken to hiding in my room just before I go to bed.

What I really need is some tried and true means of changing her behaviour...and why my feet? the only sore part of my body, must be uncomfortable for her, there is a huge amount of bedspace she could use but my feet are what she seems addicted to.......BTW she also choses to grab my legs with her claws and bites my feet/toes during the day.....my pain is really bad at all times and I had to get my dog a new home because of his roughness with me and inability to walk him, so I would hate to find her another home. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated, by both Lolly and me, it distresses us both.

I'm just wondering if your condition has been identified. That might be a better way to fight this than trying to correct the behavior of your cat.

(in reply to ShellyD)

Post #: 13

RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 9:17:39 AM

Gauge

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Perhaps giving the cat an alternate place to sleep. My cat sleeps on my bed on a fleece blanket she claimed within hours of me bringing her home. The fleece blankets are fairly cheap and offer the heat retention that cats are so fond of. Maybe place the blanket next to your feet or if you can stand it for a day or two place it on your feet. She will sleep on it and kind of get used to it. Then move the blanket off to one side and see if she will take to sleeping on that rather than your feet.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 12:38:14 PM

pahunkboy

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Easy fix.    Fed ex me your drugs and it all gets better. ;-0~~

lol.

I have injuries and pain bouts- my bed always has alot of pillows in it.   I inherited a cat from my best friend Jim.   I can wake up out of a nightmare- go to the bath room 100 times I also kick alot in bed.   There is an extra throw on the bed- that cat will sleep on that. He is used to my being now and will yawn over it.

If this is new- the cat or any pet wants to KNOW everything YOU.   That means your scents. Just bunch the covers up and arrange them.   Next lightly kick the cat when it is near your feet....crowding it out-- do not baby talk the cat when he goes near your feet. If you do you reward him. A cat loves us to talk to it. So do NOT talk to the cat when it goes on your feet.   If you arrange it right - the foot twitches- the car falls out of the bed. (maybe into a wet foot bath) you are calm- you do not talk.    After a few dips the cat will stop.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 3:14:57 PM

angelikaJ

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You should be able to find the pads where you live.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 3:47:45 PM

soul2share

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Shelly, about the mention of the size of your bed....I actually went out and bought a king-sized bed just so I'd have room for me on the bed! In anything smaller, my cats tend to sleep around the border of my body....which is not condusive to a good night's sleep when one is used to sleeping in a cold room. Now, I have the middle and everyone else has their spots. As for why they pick their spot.....no one knows....men think women are a mystery.......CATS are the true mystery! I've had cats sleep in some very strange spots! Some made sense, others...well, who knows?

I'm not too fond of shooting the cat with vinegar water...I use plain water in my bottle.....in order for it to work, you have to use the stream setting, and hitting them in the eye at a close range would do damage. All I have to do now is just pick up the bottle and set it down where they can see it, and they stop whatever they are doing and skedaddle. I've gotten vinegar in my eyes before, and it burns....I guess kitteh would remember that, but I don't like them associating any pain with me.

those purr pads are great.....my cats have always loved them, but KB will actually rip them apart....I don't know why, no one else I've had does it...he grabs a mouthful and pulls it apart, not tearing it up...more like "fluffing" it. Wal Mart used to carry them, I know Petsmart and Petco have them. Maybe just putting a piece of clothing on your bed that smells like you would do the trick.

Good luck......cats train us...we don't train them!

And that's coming from a life long kitteh slave, so I know of what I speak!

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 5:32:08 PM

SavageFaerie

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OMG its GAUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mega hugs from the Fae

Off topic but damn it is Gauge

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/16/2009 9:41:43 PM

Arpig

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lizi has the simplest solution, and one I have used for over 30 years in modifying undesirable feline behavious. Just any old spray bottle or dollar store water pistol will do, when she settles on your feet, just give her a shot (no need to add vineger or anything else, just plain tap water). Cats, as a rule, hate being wetand will very quickly learn to not settle on your feet.

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RE: Cat lovers advice needed. - 7/17/2009 12:50:32 AM

ShellyD

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quote:

ORIGINAL: UglyTruth

I'm just wondering if your condition has been identified. That might be a better way to fight this than trying to correct the behavior of your cat.

Yes Ugly Truth, it was diagnosed 18 months ago as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. The fact that it is stabilised and no better at 2 years means it is most likey going to be with me for life, and considering it goes to 8-9/10 on the pain scale every step I take makes it difficult to get around, although I am yet to accept a wheelchair.

I think this is the condition Dr House has, from his symptoms and treatments, ie ketamine infusions giving some, but time limited relief. I hate it, it has destroyed my professional life, and social life has gone....it has also given me a dependency on narcotics......depression and loss of libido all add up to one unhapppy me. My daughter got me the cat to make up for the dog needing re-homing as I couldn't exercise her, this is why I made my first ever thread here seeking assistance.

I locked her out of my room last night....she shit in the toilet doorway, not far from her clean litter tray!!! one way to show displeasure

..will try the spray bottle tonight, minus the vinegar as the smell in my bedroom will not be nice, might clash with the lavendar...lol.

< Message edited by ShellyD -- 7/17/2009 12:58:30 AM >

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