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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ahuta!drutx!druri!jhs
From: jhs@druri.UUCP (ShoreJ)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Re: Cat Habit (ick)
Message-ID: <1081@druri.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Apr-85 15:47:26 EST
Article-I.D.: druri.1081
Posted: Fri Apr  5 15:47:26 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Apr-85 03:21:12 EST
References: <164@entropy.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 31

>  I have a new problem with my cat Bast. He has accquired the habit 
>  of hitting any new nylon quilt (or quilt-like object) that comes 
>  into a *particular* room with a waste liquid.... 
                                               --my emphasis (* *)

Since Bast is so consistent, it seems he is simply marking (what
he considers) his territory. Why the nylon/quilt objects specifically
might be interesting but immaterial (maybe he likes the sound, maybe
he doesn't like the smell?!). Spraying or marking behavior can be very 
difficult to break, especially when it develops before a male cat is 
neutered (is he?). 

Even when neutering is done before marking is established, some 
males still develop a limited version. My cat (Beast) started about 
two years after he was fixed: he began marking the wall and side of 
the cabinet next to his litterbox. Nowhere else (well, almost, except 
for an occassionally foray to the bathtub to express his displeasure 
over something). Fortunately, the solution here was simple--I just 
put up two "spray shields" that extend into the top of the litterbox.  
(Attempts at behavior modification to "correct" his very deliberate 
aim were unsuccessful and frustrating to *both* parties.)

For Bast, maybe the simplest thing would be to keep him out of that
room. You might be able to retrain him--but after two months of flame
and counter-flame on this net, *I* am not going to say anything in
public about the efficacy of squirt guns. :-) If he's not neutered
already, you should consider it. It might or might not help the
marking but it sure won't exacerbate it.

--Jeff 
"Where worlds collide ...."