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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Need to break new habbit quick!

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/20/2009


Question
My cat is an indoor outdoor cat. She generally likes to go out during the day, and sleep with me at night. I have recently noticed she is starting to sleep under the hood and on top of the fuel tanks of mine and my roommates vehicles. How do I break her of this habbit quick. I generally try to make noise and know where she is at before getting into my vehicle. I am concerned about my roommates though. I have mentioned it to them but I know it isn't on the top of their minds when leaving the house. Is there a way I can deter her from this behavior before the inevitable happens? Thanks, Nick

Answer
Nick,

That is a tough one to do. Basically you need to make it an unpleasant place to be. Get in the car and rev up the motor whenever she is near the vehicles to get her scared of them. If you think she is under the vehicles bang on the side of the car. Or turn the waterhose under there.

Other than that, you just have to be careful.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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