At my rope's end

[Chatanuga]

Well, Casey and Smokey tried getting into trouble today while I was at work.

I came home from work, and Smokey was hiding under the end table next to the couch acting scared. Casey was upstairs. Usually, he's right at the front door waiting for me as I come in with Casey right behind him. Normally, he only gets scared like that when visitors are here so my first thought was that somebody had broken in, which did happen in 2004 before I had any of my cats. Thankfully, that wasn't the case.

I looked around to see what was wrong. The first thing I noticed was that the stopper from the upstairs bathroom sink was now in the living room under the recliner. I hadn't put cayenne pepper on it since last weekend, so Smokey's been waiting for the taste/smell to go away apparently.

The other thing I noticed was that they got on the bookshelf from last week again. However, this time, no books were touched. However, there were footprints in the cayenne pepper that I'd put in the shelf. Apparently, somebody had gotten up on the shelf and gotten back off after discovering the pepper.

[Karen]

Sounds like it's working, in any case! Those telltale pawprints will do it every time!

[moosmom]

Sounds to me like it's two bored cats having fun. No harm done, so it must be working. They're working it out. Cats are GOING to get in place that probably aggravate you. But there are far more things to get upset about.

I also agree the cat tree needs to be in front of or near a window. Both mine are and my cats enjoy hours to critter watching!

[Laura's Babies]

I was going to say that the most important part of having a cat tree is LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION! But I see others have beat me to it.. It's a big waste to have one, but not by a window. I have 3 in my house for my 4 girls and they are ALL by the windows...That's not counting the toddlers bed I have for them that is by a window also.

I can't imagine having 2 as active as those are..Giz was my "bad girl" the one that bored easily and was constantly into something and when caught in the act, she'd do that "Who ME? I am innocent" look.. She was such a hoot and I really enjoyed her antics... but she was calm compared to how yours sound..

[mrspunkysmom]

I was going to say that the most important part of having a cat tree is LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION! But I see others have beat me to it.. It's a big waste to have one, but not by a window. . . . .

(Giz) was such a hoot and I really enjoyed her antics... but she was calm compared to how yours sound..

I need a thwack on the head. My first cat tree wasn't a success because it was in the corner.

LB (an the others) is/are right! Location. Location. Location!

I moved it a few feet where they could swat me as I walked by and it was a hit. It was an even bigger hit directly behind the couch on the way to the kitchen. It made the tree an extension of the couch.

Before I got my trees, they were always jumping in high places, driving me nuts. Every time i got another cat I would have to get another ottoman, so that I would have one for my feet and one for each cat. I stopped at 4 ottomans.

Three of my trees are by windows as is the feeding table. It's stone and gets warmed by the sun. I have a chair by another window with a bed on it.

The stone table by the window has a view of the birds flocking in the horse pasture. They can chitter at the birds for hours.

I've collected my furniture over the years, but I think you can improvise. I have also found out for my crew that the more stuff that I have on a shelf the less likely they will jump on it.

Chatanuga, Your kitties are lovely, beautiful.

BTW, LB, Giz sounds a lot like Mr. Spunky.

[Mellkat86]

The thing I found when I had Max was he loved boxes, so I would hide toys in them and change his toys around. Plus I found sometimes he did some things to get a reaction out of me. Like when he climbed the curtains. I just started ignoring him when he was up them and slowly he got bored, especially as I would give him a bigger reaction when he came down.

Now though, he lives with my mum after she kidnapped him. (I moved back in with my mum for a time and she got attached to him, and he's gotten attached to beating up two dogs and has his new buddy, Polly, after my nan died. Who are now beating each other, after Polly's teeth were sorted the other month). Now Max has his buddy though, I've been hearing he's getting into load of trouble with Polly.

This might sound daft, as he loves the plug so much, (I'm guessing its the plug), why not give him that one and get a new one? Then he might not be stealing yours.