Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All! I haven't posted here in awhile, but guess what? I'm getting a cat this summer (not for sure, but pretty sure!) I haven't owned a cat before and I'm psyched! I really wanted a ragdoll, but today I thought it over, and after watching some of the "Animal Heroes" show on AnimalPlanet, I decided that I NEED to adopt! There's just way too many homeless cats and too many in line to be euthanized that I'm sure are just as friendly as any ragdoll! Anyways, I might have a few issues, that I was hoping you guys could help me out with. I need the cat to stay off of the kitchen counters, and the dinner/breakfast tables. I'm planning on getting the cat at least one cat tree, and a few scratching posts. What is a good way to go about training a cat to stay off of the counters? Have you had success with this method? What kinds of things should I look for when selecting a cat tree for my cat? Another one of my concerns is that I have a pet cockatiel bird. He has his wings clipped, and isn't flighty. I never leave him out of his cage unattended, and I'm going to move his cage to a corner, where there's no furniture that the cat could get get onto to get to his cage, at the cage level. What other precautions should I take? How can I train my cat to leave my bird alone and ignore it? Are there any breeds that you think I might want to look for in rescues that would be better with my bird? (I realize that cats are natural predators of birds, and no amount of training will ever curb their instincts.) Also, I have a dog that's sort of "wild," (although she's left my bird alone for the time that I've had her!) What kinds of things should I teach my dog before getting a cat, and what traits should I look for in a cat that would make it better adapted to life with a dog? Thanks so much for your help, and I'm sorry that this is so long, and there's so many questions! Even if you can only answer one question, of just help me out a little, please do, all advice is appreciated! :-D

Sincerely,
SpookyScales

Hi!

Out of my hat I only have one suggestion regarding your kitchen counter question. There is a product called SSSCat, a device you place on the counter (or table etc). It has a sensor and when the cat jumps up it will hiss air at it. It's not cheap though, but you might find a good deal on ebay.

I mull your other questions over for a while ... might get back later!

Good luck with your little family!

Tilda

Our cats stay off the table and kitchen counters when we are home and awake. We just have always told them no and take them off. As they grew older they stayed off. I am positive they get up there when we go to bed (the little devils lol).

As for introductions when you get the cat make sure to isolate it in a bedroom for a while. Let the dog sniff it under the door. Do you crate your dog? I would let the cat out to roam and explore the house with the dog crated.

The cat trees are a great idea. When you buy one make sure the base is large. I bought one at Walmart and the base isn't large enough to hold my six pound cat. She runs and jumps onto it, and the cat tree comes crashing down. So unless you can find a way to tie it up I would make sure to get one with a large base. I know someone on this site has made a cat tree. They posted directions a while ago. If you want I can try to find them for you.

I don't know how to introduce a cat to a bird.

Good luck with your search! Let us know when you adopt.

PHMoxie