Kitty Corner
Keep your feline fine: Kerrie McKeon, Bideawee's Feline Behavior Coordinator shows you how!
As much as we love our furry friends, most of us would prefer that they confine their scratching to acceptable, preferably non-furniture surfaces! Give some of these tips a try and you might be surprised with the results. Believe me, if you put in the time, you’re likely to see the results. My own couch wreckers proved that they could be reformed!
The Verticle Scratcher
Take a close look at what your cat is currently using as a scratching surface. Is it vertical, such as the side of a couch or a door frame? If so, your cat is a vertical scratcher who will need a scratching post, kitty tree with scratching areas, or a scratching pad that hangs on a door knob. Sisal rope or wood seem to please more cats than the traditional carpet surfaces. Be sure that whatever you choose is tall enough for your cat to get a full stretch!
The Horizontal Scratcher
If you catch your cat scratching at carpets or rubber mats, chances are you’ve got a horizontal scratcher on your hands. These cats will need several scratching pads, such as ones made of corrugated cardboard or sisal rope, or even a good sized section of tree trunk, bark and all!
Placement & Attraction
Place the new scratching area right next to your cat’s current favorite scratching spot and scent it with catnip, or place a few treats on it. If you absolutely must, you can very gradually move it to another location over the next few months.
Protect Your Furniture
The last step is to stick some double sided tape on the surface you’d like to protect, as most cats hate the feeling of anything sticky on their feet. Skip this last step if you see your cat starting to eat the tape, as my wacky Siamese did!
Last, but not least, remember the three p’s- praise, persistence, and patience! Happy Training!
About Kerrie McKeon, Feline Behavior Coordinator
Kerrie McKeon grew up in New Haven, CT with two loves: performing and cats. The former love (performing) took "center stage" early on and Kerrie graduated from Penn State with a degree in Theater Arts, then moved to Chicago, where she spent eight years working in theater. Eventually, the East Coast called her back and she came to New York, where the latter love (cats), a love that had never waned, inspired her to make a drastic career change and join the team at Bideawee.
Kerrie began her career at Bideawee in the Manhattan Adoption Center as an Associate and immediately impressed everyone—two-legged and four-legged alike - with her natural ability to communicate both with the cats and with potential adopters. Kerrie quickly became the star of the Adoption Center, embodying Bideawee's mission of getting to know each one of our animals and each and every one of our adopters so that we can make the best possible match.
In the past few years, as Feline Behavior Specialist, Kerrie has spearheaded initiatives to better the lives of our feline residents, such as requiring toys in every cage and encouraging the construction of even more cageless living space for the cats. She regularly holds educational workshops for the public and for staff at all three Bideawee locations in order to improve our understanding and our relationships with our feline friends. As a member of Bideawee's Case Management Team, Kerrie also has a direct impact on the cats living with us, constantly making adjustments and improvements to better the lives each and every one of them.
MORE KITTY CORNER COLUMNS FROM KERRIE:
What to do with Kitty while on vacation
Let's Talk Litter!
Let's Talk Litter, Part Two
Getting Kitty Ready for Baby
Moving With Your Cat
How to Get Some Sleep If You Have a Noisy Cat
Playtime for Seniors! Older Cats Are Frisky Too!
Ideas for Inexpensive, Homemade Cat Toys
Sew Velcro strips into the sock opening so it can be closed up and easily reopened. Next, fill the sock with batting, scrap fabric, or dried catnip, and seal shut. In no time, your kitty will have a new favorite plaything!
