alwaysamess
06-24-2007, 08:34 PM
I know how this started. *raises hand guiltily*
For the past two weeks, my cat Cobra has had to take antibiotics in the morning and at night. It is easiest to sprinkle it on food. When I first got cats, I made a smart vow to never ever feed them from the hand/table. I've always done that.
But then, she had to take antibiotics and I started to give both of them a little snack in the morn so she can take her meds. I thought that as long as it is in their bowls, it's ok.
Well, all of the sudden, Cobra got vocal, and I mean VOCAL! This was 4 days ago. She would cry and yelp in the middle of the night. I first worried that she was hurt, as she was never noisy before. (The vet checked everything today and he said she's perfectly fine.) Now she screams like an angry baby in the kitchen while I'm trying to sleep. She does it randomly throughout the day, too. I read up on the internet and it says I have to ignore it.
While I'm sleeping, I sleep with a water bottle. When she gets on the bed, cries and wallows in the blankets next to me, I hose her down, trying to make her crying a negative experience. Then she'll go outside the door and yelp in the kitchen. I noticed that when she's near me, she whines and cries, but when I can't see her, she wails and yelps and carries on like the end of the world is a certainty. She always comes back for more, too. She's been getting kicked out in the middle of the night. For a while, she is quiet, but then she starts again, but a little more half-hearted. This morning I saw the reflection of her snout under the door and she was whimpering just for me. Cute, but annoying.
It's not just in the morning. It's all day long, too. As a matter of fact, I just fed her and now she's moping around crying.
I'm not sure why she is crying, as she didn't even eat all of her food. Perhaps now it is a habitual plea for any attention. My cats are NOT mistreated. Lord knows those spoiled kitties get plenty of attention. I haven't left the house in 2 days!
What should I do?
Regardless, I am not rewarding her bad behavior. I don't look her way and I say nothing. I pretend I can't even hear it. If I get frustrated, I hose her, which I'm not sure is effective in the long run or not. And since I've been doing it this way, it has not gotten any better, nor any worse. Will she ever learn to be a little more quiet? I know it may take some time.
For the past two weeks, my cat Cobra has had to take antibiotics in the morning and at night. It is easiest to sprinkle it on food. When I first got cats, I made a smart vow to never ever feed them from the hand/table. I've always done that.
But then, she had to take antibiotics and I started to give both of them a little snack in the morn so she can take her meds. I thought that as long as it is in their bowls, it's ok.
Well, all of the sudden, Cobra got vocal, and I mean VOCAL! This was 4 days ago. She would cry and yelp in the middle of the night. I first worried that she was hurt, as she was never noisy before. (The vet checked everything today and he said she's perfectly fine.) Now she screams like an angry baby in the kitchen while I'm trying to sleep. She does it randomly throughout the day, too. I read up on the internet and it says I have to ignore it.
While I'm sleeping, I sleep with a water bottle. When she gets on the bed, cries and wallows in the blankets next to me, I hose her down, trying to make her crying a negative experience. Then she'll go outside the door and yelp in the kitchen. I noticed that when she's near me, she whines and cries, but when I can't see her, she wails and yelps and carries on like the end of the world is a certainty. She always comes back for more, too. She's been getting kicked out in the middle of the night. For a while, she is quiet, but then she starts again, but a little more half-hearted. This morning I saw the reflection of her snout under the door and she was whimpering just for me. Cute, but annoying.
It's not just in the morning. It's all day long, too. As a matter of fact, I just fed her and now she's moping around crying.
I'm not sure why she is crying, as she didn't even eat all of her food. Perhaps now it is a habitual plea for any attention. My cats are NOT mistreated. Lord knows those spoiled kitties get plenty of attention. I haven't left the house in 2 days!
What should I do?
Regardless, I am not rewarding her bad behavior. I don't look her way and I say nothing. I pretend I can't even hear it. If I get frustrated, I hose her, which I'm not sure is effective in the long run or not. And since I've been doing it this way, it has not gotten any better, nor any worse. Will she ever learn to be a little more quiet? I know it may take some time.