Is there a spray......? (carpet, foods, bite, domestic)
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Both my cats seem to have itchy lips! They are constantly rubbing their mouths on the rim of lamp shades, telephone antennae, any edge. What's with this?
For the umpteenth time this morning Oscar woke me up rubbing his face on the lamp shade on the bedside table. I want to know if there is a spray which won't stain these lamp shades and even the whole bedside table to keep them off.
I don't think they have itchy lips - they are rubbing the lampshade and "marking" it with their scent and declaring this as their territory. Every time they smush up against something (even you!) they are leaving their scent and claiming it as theirs. My cats do it to my lampshades all the time and I have just learned to deal with it and occasionally I put my lampshades into the bathtub and gently wash them, rinse well, and let them drain on a towel. Good as new!!!
Haha, yes, that's territorial scent marking instinct at work! Nothing to worry about, for years and years they will continue to at times mark edges like this. They rub the corners of their mouth and cheek and side of face, however you want to describe it, repeatedly onto objects. Sometimes it'll be new objects, sometimes the same ones they are done for years. The top of an open laptop computer is always a good one. But sometimes they pick the funniest things to mark against, like things that are flimsy, etc. Also, even your own hand, foot, elbow, etc. can become a target. The cat is marking you as his!
You can see this behavior in most/all the wild cats as well as domestic. It's quite normal.
When my cat does this near me, she's usually in a happy mood and purring and wishing for my attention it seems.
I know rubbing their faces on things is marking but I swear this really does seem to be scratching their lips. They go up to the lamp shades and it looks like they are going to bite them then they just rub their lips on them.
And how many times do you need to mark something as your own? the scent doesn't go away and it's just the 2 of them. But I guess you are right. Still is there anything i can spray to keep them off the tabletops? We've already had to replace 2 lamps from the destruction of these 2 itchy lipped kitties.
All three of mine do it. It does look like they're scratching their lips, but they have scent glands there. The boys used to bite too, but they know better now. I have one lampshade (the newest of course, it was a replacement for the original shade) I really should replace. Little toothmarks on it.
Yes, I've seen the maneuver. If you didn't know better it does look like they are going to bite the item. How many times? Over and over. And over. For years. Even an only cat does it.
To keep them off the tables you can try foil (some cats don't like to walk on aluminum foil) or a piece of something spiky like plastic carpet runner or chair mat (turned spike side up). Citrus scent may keep them away as well if it doesn't bother you.
There are some no marking sprays out there but I believe they're designed to deal with urine marking. Not sure if that matters though, maybe they would still work, but I wouldn't spray it on the table top unless it's like plastic or something (generally would assume wood). Plus, I think you'd have to keep spraying periodically. If you got a citrusy candle or something, maybe that would be enough, or the foil or spikes.
mine like to mark and nibble on corners. I have so many hardcover books with teeth marks on them! I know, they're just marking them - but I do wish they'd stop the nibbling. <sigh>
If it really bothers you, IE they are knocking over the lamp because they are rubbing too hard. You can take a cotton ball, and take some essence oil of cinnamon and citronella (buy at whole foods). Tape it to the inside of the lamp (careful it is not too close tot the bulb, or that the oil doesnt stain the shade).
It worked with my cat when she was determined to go after this picture frame- broke it twice
You can also put the cinnemon oil directly on the item. She hated cinnemon, other cats will respond differently to different scents. Also try lemon grass or citrus scents.
Oh I forgot to mention the corner of the bedside table has some nibble marks on it as well. Oscar likes to lay beside me early in the morning and nibble on the wood kind of like a pacifier.
Lord we must sound like a bunch of crazy people to put up with all these crazy cat shenanigans. But I wouldn't trade perfect lampshades and bedside tables for a home without cats. What would be the point?
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Nothing to worry about, for years and years they will continue to at times mark edges like this. They rub the corners of their mouth and cheek and side of face, however you want to describe it, repeatedly onto objects. Sometimes it'll be new objects, sometimes the same ones they are done for years. The top of an open laptop computer is always a good one. 
But sometimes they pick the funniest things to mark against, like things that are flimsy, etc. Also, even your own hand, foot, elbow, etc. can become a target. The cat is marking you as his! 
