Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I’m having yet another problem with my cat (the “occasional pee-er” for those of you who have read my other thread). Anyway, I got such good feedback on the other issue, I’m hoping someone can help me with this one too…
For personal reasons, there are two rooms in my house that are off limits to all animals. But one of my cats just doesn’t seem to get the hint. He will sit outside the door of a forbidden room and howl and whine - on a daily basis. It’s driving me crazy. Of course, I don’t let him in the room, because I don’t want to reward his howling and encourage that behavior (and aside from that, I really don’t want him in the room anyway, which is why it’s off limits).
It doesn't matter whether I'm in the room or outside of it...no matter what, he really seems to want to go in there. Yes, I know that I could just let him in, but I don't want to - it's off limits for a reason. He needs to respect that I make the rules around here (my other animals get it...).
Anyway, is there a good solution for stopping the howling and whining?
You sure he realizes you're not in the room? If so, how long has he done that? I mean, it's one thing if you're in the room and he wants to be with you, that makes sense and to a certain extent is a very hard habit to break. My cat for years, though, mostly did not bother me in the bedroom as I slept, even though I locked her out every night. Bedroom was off limits and she got that. Only if I slept late or something did I get in trouble. Now I let her in, and she doesn't stay anyway, just comes to visit for a bit.
If we're talking like a few weeks he's been doing this, that's one thing. If we're talking months and months, that is just odd and you do wonder what is going on and whether it's a behavior issue somehow related to the other problem.
One of the bedrooms upstairs is JJ's room, and is off limits to our other cat most of the time. Every night without fail she comes upstairs and howls to come in. If I do let her in, she runs around like an idiot for about a minute, then I open the door and she bolts downstairs. To this day I've never figured out what's that about.
As greg noted, we really need more information, especially how long this has been going on. Is there anything particularly attractive in that room, like plants or a window or food? I think some cats just get obsessed with wanting what they can't have, and a locked door is just too much to resist. But if this has been going on for quite a while, you may have to resort to other things to make him get the hint- like an alarm set up, perhaps, or a prickly mat just in front of the door (a mat with a texture that he doesn't like to step on).
On the other hand, do you spend a great deal of time in that room? He might just need more attention- if you're inaccessible most of the day, he may not be trying to get into the room but to get you out. And if you've been responding by coming out, he's learned that he gets attention when he goes to that area and screams (which is why he does it even if you aren't in the room)
Are you inadvertently doing anything to reinforce his bad behavior? Maybe he needs to see you go in a different room, like a bathroom, be outside, and carry on, then, he will see you in a few minutes, and realize just because you lock him out, does not mean he never sees you again.
Perhaps you should feed him prior to going to that room, canned food, he will be occupied, and forget about you.
I've got 2 empty spare bedrooms and my cats go to the doors and meow like they're in pain. They're just plain nosey! Cats are inquisitive, and always will be. Crush a mothball and drag a piece of tape over it then stick it to the bottom of the door. That will give them something to think about. Be prepared for some dirty looks.
I was just about to offer the same advice as the above poster. Some cats just can't stand a closed door. Putting a screen door in will keep kitty out, but he will still be able to see in. Worth a try anyway.
(I have a tiny one bedroom apartment and there is a screen door in my bedroom doorway. I installed in such a way that I can still shut the actual door if I need to, but that screen door is very handy. )
Or, if kitty doesn't like the vacuum cleaner, you could try parking the vacuum cleaner in front of that door.
Or, you might let the kitty have just one look around in there, then shut it back up.
A shallow pan of water in front of the door would keep him from sitting right in front of the door and may convince him to sit somewhere else.
It could be a bid for attention. Distracting him with an interactive Game when he goes to that door may be all he needs.
Or, if kitty doesn't like the vacuum cleaner, you could try parking the vacuum cleaner in front of that door.
.
I don't know why, but the mental image of this made me laugh so hard. I can see my girl Robin walking up and seeing the vacuum cleaner- and immediately going 'poof' with all her fur on end and running for the hills.
I don't know why, but the mental image of this made me laugh so hard. I can see my girl Robin walking up and seeing the vacuum cleaner- and immediately going 'poof' with all her fur on end and running for the hills.
Well, I don't know if it would even work. I have a couple of cats who run and hide in their safe spots when I get the vacuum cleaner out and turn it on, but the rest of the time it sits against the closet door and does not seem to bother them.
I have seen it suggested that the vacuum cleaner be left in the "on" mode, and unplugged, with the cord left near a handy plug some distance away. When the cat approaches the banned area, so it is advised, the person plugs in the vacuum cleaner (from a distance) startling the cat away from the area, creating an aversion to that particular spot.
It is to be hoped that this would only have to be done a couple of times before the cat learns to avoid the area all together.
As I was typing that it occured to me that the OP might have success with the sscat product, or one of those mats that emit an alarming sound when stepped on, placed in front of the door.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Now I let her in, and she doesn't stay anyway, just comes to visit for a bit.
)
