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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Why does my cat do this?

11 replies

MissHoney85 · 14/10/2020 17:47

I have a year old Burmese boy who is great fun but very naughty. Has has got a lot better over the last few months, but he has a really annoying habit I can't figure out.

He loves chewing wires. We have managed to improve this by playing with him more and protecting lots of our wires with conduit or hiding them away. However, a month or so ago he started to go behind the TV and chew the wires there. Obviously not good! Whenever he does it we remove him (in a pretty undignified scruff-off-the-neck way as it's awkward to reach him) and shut him out of the room.

Now he seems to do it just for attention - he'll go behind the TV and just sit there, not even chewing the wires, almost like a child trying to provoke a reaction or push the boundaries. It seems very much like an attention seeking behaviour, but he doesn't seem to join the dots and realise that the consequence is always less attention as he gets chucked out. Is it too much to expect him to learn not to do it? Is just removing him from the room enough or should I be giving more / less / a different reaction?

OP posts:
Butterer · 14/10/2020 17:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

iklboo · 14/10/2020 17:54

Put tin foil behind the TV. Just a few pieces scrunched up a little bit so it's lumpy & bumpy. You'll look like a mad conspiracy theorist but cats hate walking on it. Stopped ours going behind the TV.

MissHoney85 · 14/10/2020 17:56

@Butterer he can't be trusted to stay there and not chew. If I go and watch him he starts nuzzling the wires then gently mouthing them while looking at me, just like a child pushing boundaries. It is quite funny but also very annoying!

OP posts:
MissHoney85 · 14/10/2020 17:57

@iklboo that's a good idea, I'll give it a try!

OP posts:
Butterer · 14/10/2020 17:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Beamur · 14/10/2020 18:05

Cheeky little monkey.
You can also get guards for cables.
I have orientals too. One of which is a willful little madam...I recognise the looking at you whilst they do something naughty

Fluffycloudland77 · 14/10/2020 18:11

You can get chew proof covers for wires but honestly it sounds like that’s his signal for wanting attention.

MissHoney85 · 14/10/2020 18:22

@Fluffycloudland77 yes I think it is him wanting attention. I'm just not sure how best to respond. Currently I make a point of not giving him attention when he does it, just throwing him out with minimal interaction, but he doesn't seem to be learning not to do it.

OP posts:
blacksax · 14/10/2020 18:24

Leave a plateful of orange peel behind there for a couple of days, cats don't like the smell of citrus and it might put him off.

Fluffycloudland77 · 14/10/2020 18:25

They are little riddles wrapped in fur.

You could chew proof the wires and try ignoring him but it’s so hard when you can hear them merrily chewing away behind there while you wait for the tv to go bang.

fantasmasgoria1 · 14/10/2020 18:31

One of my old cats used to do the same. Three telephone extensions were bit through, my laptop cable (not plugged in) had very deep teeth marks in it. He didn't bother with television and cable TV wires just telephone extensions and laptop wires. I just used to move him because he would have this sneaky look about him then you would see him sneak over to the wires so I picked him up and firmly said no. And in time he learned not to. And my laptop cable was put away after use! My 18 month old girl I have has never been a chewers thankfully!

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