Monday, January 19, 2009

Teaching an old Cat new tricks


















Our lovely two cats have managed to knock over two glasses of water from the dresser in the past 2 days. One of them, full of water, on Tristans head, in the middle of the night, and woke him up. This coupled with me constantly having to keep them off the counters and out the cupboards and away from Leche's food, makes me very agitated. I constantly hear how "that is what cats do" and "you will never change them". When I say that they can be trained not to do something, just like a dog, I get met with things like you can not train a cat. Well that is just not true. I was watching a program on TV yesterday where a Russian couple had about 15 cats that they have trained and are doing circus tricks. So if they can teach a cat to shimmy along a pole, we can teach a cat to stay off the counters, surely...

The problem is that it obviously takes longer to teach cats, and they are able to manipulate better, so people give up faster. Its also not so difficult to go outside an pick up their poo. I manage to find the little doggy treats every time I pick up my dogs poo, so its not hidden from the world.

I constantly get told that the cats are not going to stop eating the dogs food, so its better for me to remove it. Well, the dogs are not going to stop eating the cats poo, so its better to remove it....

3 comments:

Tristan said...

I hunted for the poo. This morning. There was nothing. No poo. The dogs were helping me look as well. The cats just went out for a wee. But then as I brushed my teeth the cats went out again, quickly followed by the dogs. The poo was eaten and gone by the time I spat out the toothpaste. So no poo to find. There never is. The dogs dig it up as soon as the cats bury it.

Lady D said...

You CAN teach cats. Totally. My cats dont climb on the counters or tables, dont claw my furniture and know when I tell them to go inside.

However! Do NOT assume that what your cat does infront of you is how they behave when you are gone. Even though they are never on tables when I am around, I have tiny pawprints on my countertops as proof when I get home.

They are still, afterall, curious, evil, self-gratifying, sneaky cats (that I adore).

Crystal Conexion said...

Butch also eats the poo, so much for me saying he is a fussy eater!! saves me scratching in the sand box - yep little madame still has a box - as per usual ALL my pets have issues!!

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