Transcription
A Twitter post by Dana Schwartz @DanaSchwartzzz that reads Whenever I scold my cat, I use the royal we" so she doesn’t feel so ashamed. “We don’t eat that. We don’t chew on electrical cords," I say. It’s as if I, too, have a problem with eating wires or plastic I found on the floor and she and I are working on that problem together.
I do that with my dog. “We don’t need to pee on every bush we pass”.
Speak for yourself.
OMG I just realized that this is how my therapist talks to me.
Are you a cat?
You don’t have to answer that!
We don’t have to answer that.
Yeah. What we said.
I don’t… think so.
I mean, she’d have to tell me if I was a cat, right?
I’m pretty sure that’s the law
Oh thank god :3
… like you are an idiot child?
Either you are, or you have a very bad and disrespectful therapist.
My cat started chewing the recharger cord while still conected. She is extremely traumitized so I can’t be too loud or mean with her but I am worry she will electrecute herself so now I charge my phone in the bathroom and leave the door close. am I crazy? yes. But I don’t have the heart
I had to banish my first cat from the bedroom. He’d start chewing wires to get me to react - which worked, because I didn’t want him to be electrocuted - to get him breakfast.
I loved that cat, and I hated to do it, but I can’t have him chewing wires.
Later in his life he was allowed back into the bedroom. He’d come into the bedroom while we were prepping for bed, then curl up under the blankets with me for a while, then leave for the rest of the night.
That’s so sweet. We bottlefed my first soulcat. The rest of their life, they would drape themselves on top of my arm for comfort. They slept on top of/along my arm at night. I haven’t slept well since they passed
We have one now, actually the successor to the cat I mentioned above, who likes to relax on my arm. Right now he’s catloafing on one of my legs, not sure what’s up with that, but his usual position is to lay across my left arm.
We have another that cuddles with me at night. Occasionally I’ll wake up, and he’ll realize I’m awake and demand cuddles. He’s pretty good about not waking me up, usually.
“Oh my love, I love you much * scoop * here are some kisses. Let’s not play with cords. Cords are not safe. Oh look here are some spring toys!” * plays with spring toys like they are my favorite thing *
Spring toy! Do you also have the bird toy :3
I just say no in a firm voice and flick my hand at them like it’s a paw.
They find the flick very offensive for some reason, so it seems like an effective scolding technique.
Of course if there’s an alternative they should be doing I try redirecting them to that, but sometimes there isn’t (like climbing on the top of the kitchen cabinets and staring down from the ceiling).
“is that an approved scratch-/chew-/biteable?” is what I use. I think they understand because they react with shame abs go to the approved scratchers and stuff
“We don’t bite our friends”
That other cat is chill as fuck.
Plot twist: the cat is training her human to pay attention to her…
You’d make an excellent parent of a human, too.
I just verbally abuse her in a nice tone and she gets excited.
Not eating plastic is a constant battle in my house. Thin shopping bags are a favorite.
I just want to know how to make them stop with the cable chewing. I’ve repaired or replaced so many electronic cords. I’m losing my mind.
I’m learning that I am not a cat person.
Give them something better to chew on. We have flowers growing outside most of the year, so our cats get wildflowers to chew on
Yeah my house plants are also victims in this situation. They literally destroy everything I love.
I tried putting chili oil on the cables and now I’m convinced that my cats could eat the most potent of Indian food and remain unscathed.
I think they crave it now…
Clearly it can’t be the cat’s problem.
Yep good make sure your cat doesn’t feel like you’re singling them out for criticism.
Couldn’t that be confusing for the cat, saying we don’t do something that they are currently doing?
