Need Help, Bootz Is Getting Into Treats & Garbage!

[BootzNBrii]

Heyy all if your reading this, I thank you very kindly.
I tried to look on the forum if anyone else was going through this as well, and no such luck. So This Is Why I'm Writing This....

I've been having this certain problem for years with my Boo Boo.. Lately he's been getting worse. Anytime I buy him food or treats he always winds up scratching it up and getting into it making a huge mess. I started Putting his food in a huge containers because I buy the economy size Iams for him.

Also I can't give him the treats with the foil bags (plastic) he puts the bag in his mouth and carries it where no one can find him and tear it up to shreds eating most of the treats out of them. It's actually really cute to watch. Just a moment ago he had the plastic bottle of whisker lickens (crunchy style) carried it with his teeth into another room and busted the cap open and started eating them. When i just gave him some not too long ago.

Also, Bootz is getting into the trash cans as well. Every time I give him his wet food and give him all of it he's been going into the trash to look for the bag to lick out of making again a HUGE disaster.

It makes me feel horrible like i'm not feeding him.. But he always has dry food available and wet food in the morning . He's a 16.5 lb Cat. I know he's not starving. But the other thing that is really concerning me is that he's eating too much of the crude protein and crude fat which is a high percentage and will make him sick...

Anyone out there know what I can do for him?

Thanks A Bunch! Any Advice Is Strongly Encouraged

[librarychick]

First of all I highly suggest that you do some reading in the Health and Nutrition section of the forum. Iams is not a good food for your kitty, and could be part of the problem.

With my food stealer I've found the best defence to be a good...defence. I simply never put anything she could feasibly open where she could get to it. When I fed kibble I had a large storage container with a screw-on lid. Now all their treats go in the cupboard above my fridge, which they can't get to.

Putting the treats behind latched doors would help, like in a pantry. Or, if you don't have a pantry, a drawer would likely work. If he can open drawers buy a plastic container with a locking lid (ziplock works) and keep the treat pouces in that.

As far as the garbage goes, same deal. Prevention is key. Our garbage is in two places (thanks to our cities new collection method); the 'compostibles' go in a big bin under the sink, the rest goes in our normal garbage. We have a swinging top garbage can, but after I caught Jitzu IN the can I taped the lid shut. When I caught the cats using teamwork to knock the bin over I put a very heavy peice of concrete in it.

See the theme? Prevention is what works. Cats are natural scavengers. Luckily we, as humans, are smarter than our cats (generally, lol. I know Jitzu has outsmarted me occasionally...) so we can use that, as well as our nimble fingers, to beat them at their own game.

[MowMow]

I have a thief and I've had to do some major overhauling in my daily routine and kitchen.

I keep their treats in the fridge. I have a trash can with a lid that snaps shut and I painted a brick bright colors and put it on top of the lid ('cause he learned how to snap it open).

I have to make sure I put away *EVERYTHING* when I cook. He gets into dried goods, human snacks, and anything I forget to tuck into a cabinet. Oh, and I had to get childproof locks for the cabinets to keep him out of those.

You're just going to have to make sure you don't leave *ANYTHING* out. You've got a smart and determined cat.

[cooncatbob]

Originally Posted by MowMow

I have a thief and I've had to do some major overhauling in my daily routine and kitchen.

I keep their treats in the fridge. I have a trash can with a lid that snaps shut and I painted a brick bright colors and put it on top of the lid ('cause he learned how to snap it open).

I have to make sure I put away *EVERYTHING* when I cook. He gets into dried goods, human snacks, and anything I forget to tuck into a cabinet. Oh, and I had to get childproof locks for the cabinets to keep him out of those.

You're just going to have to make sure you don't leave *ANYTHING* out. You've got a smart and determined cat.

I can't believe that little black kitten would steal, he looks like such a good boy.

[MowMow]

Originally Posted by cooncatbob

I can't believe that little black kitten would steal, he looks like such a good boy.

I'm considering contacting an exorcist for him.

[cooncatbob]

I sure it's a case of mistaken identity, possibly he was framed by that grumpy cat.

[MowMow]

No way! That one is a perfect angel who couldn't POSSIBLY do anything wrong, much less deceitful.

[cooncatbob]

Originally Posted by MowMow

No way! That one is a perfect angel who couldn't POSSIBLY do anything wrong, much less deceitful.

Sounds like you have a classic case of good kitty bad kitty.