4 feline house:

Your post was uncalled for. I love my cat and I spend special time with him. Just because he can't snuggle in bed with me doesn't mean that I can't get on the ground and snuggle with him. We also have special time when I take him outside to brush him. He loves it. In fact I can hold the brush and he will rub himself against it. I also take time to play with him. I have had him for over nine years and we have a great bond. I got him while I was in college and we have been through a lot together. At times he was all I had.

Since these chairs were recently purchased, I believe that he can be broken of the habit. I have broken him of other habits such as jumping on dressers and on the couch. He understands the word no, and I had misstated in the last post that he jumps on the chairs when we are home, when he in fact stays off the chairs even when we are sleeping. I simply need a deterrent for when we are not home.

He is well taken care of and has a beautiful house in which to live, plus plenty of comfy spaces on which to sleep (the carpeting is plush, warm and well padded). He has window sills on which to perch and glass doors in which to sun himself. I also have a husband who I love dearly and want to make his life as stress-free as possible. He does not have the same views as I on pets. That's fine. He accepts my cat because of how much I love Kitty. In turn, I can abide by his wishes of not allowing the cat on the furniture. Cats are incredibly smart creatures, and they know what they can get away with. Kitty is not being unduly punished or locked in a room when we are not home. His reprimands are: being squirted with water, being told no, clapping our hands (he hates loud noises) or some combination. Since he is not exhibiting this behavior when we are home, we can't catch him in the act. I figured the easiest way to deal with that is to keep him away from that area, period. So when he goes under the table or chairs he gets reprimanded. And it is working as he is avoiding that area of the house when we are home. This is from when he used to sleep under the table and chairs most of the time. He has since found a new lounging spot under my piano bench.

I have found some other advice and have placed aluminum foil on top of the chairs. He doesn't like the sound. Hopefully that will work. If not, I have a couple of other plans, plus any ideas that might be given here. He is not about to be thrown out onto the streets, as you fear. As much as I have made a commitment to raising and caring for Kitty, I have made a commitment to my husband and to my marriage. And part of that commitment is finding a solution that will make all of the parties happy.

[This message has been edited by missers (edited November 15, 2000).]