Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Susanne (urbantigers) on December 14, 2008, 17:34:20 PM

Title: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on December 14, 2008, 17:34:20 PM

Since Jaffa's spraying incidents a few weeks ago, he's been whining early in the mornings.  He's always had the potential to be a whiner and has a specific low whine for when he wants attention.  It is usually accompanied by his carrying his favourite mousey around (I can always tell cos Mousey has a bell on the end of his tail).  The last time he sprayed, it was in the early morning and was preceded by the whning/carrying of mousey.  He's taken to repeating the whining on a regular basis now, at any time from 3am to getting up.  Nervous about the spraying, I tend to leap out of bed and give him attention so that he doesn't spray.  Of course, I've just reinforced the behaviour by doing that.  But this morning I decided I'd had enough and ignored him.  After about 10 minutes he gave up, jumped up on the bed (with mousey) and settled down on his bottle and went to sleep :rofl: Bless him, he gives in very easily.  Mosi would have held out for hours.  Fingers crossed I can break the habit as it's bad enough having one cat waking me in the early mornings without Jaffa joining in. 

Of course, once Jaffa had settled down again, it was only about an hour before Mosi started but you cant' have everything!

Title: Re: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on December 17, 2008, 19:21:16 PM

Did it again this morning  :evillaugh:  Poor lad.  He soon realised he was getting nowhere so just came back up on the bed for a bit more sleep.

Title: Re: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: blackcat on December 17, 2008, 19:24:30 PM

Excellent ;D . I am a firm believer in the 'ignore it and it will go away approach to unwanted behaviour. Mind, I have had some nasty messes to clean up on occasion, but that way you at least learn when they really mean it, and when they are just yanking your chain ...

Title: Re: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: Mark on December 17, 2008, 19:28:55 PM

That is how I got Kylie to stop demanding breakfast at 5am. It took a few days but she gave in a waited until I got up after that  :)

Title: Re: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: Janeyk on December 17, 2008, 20:37:46 PM

Jolly good  ;D

Title: Re: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: Gwen on December 17, 2008, 21:30:35 PM

I dunno,Jaffa and Mosi havent trained you very well have they? :shify: :shify:

Title: Re: I called Jaffa's bluff and won
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on December 17, 2008, 21:35:44 PM

Quote from: Gwen on December 17, 2008, 21:30:35 PM

I dunno,Jaffa and Mosi havent trained you very well have they? :shify: :shify:

Well Jaffa's always been a good boy.  But the spraying has made me nervous of ignoring him and he's been getting away with murder ever since.  I think he's happier with having a longer lie in in the morning tbh  ;D  Mosi runs rings around me though.