[Yellwmonky]

I've recently adopted a wonderful 7 month old cat named haku. She's been great, but I think I made one mistake. I think I have spoiled her pretty bad. I was told by the SPCA to spray her with water if I heard her crying. I couldn't bring myself to doing that so now she cries whenever she's hungry, she's bored, she wants attention or if I leave the apartment. I've recently tried to train her not to cry by spraying her a little bit with a water bottle when I hear it. However, it doesn't seem to be working.

In all honesty, I'm not really allowed to have pets in this apartment but there is no way i can give her up now....My manager has heard her crying once and told me I need to get rid of her. So....If she hears her one more time that's a big NO NO.

Are there any other methods in getting her to stop crying? Is this incurable or does it just take time and patience? I appreciate any help you guys can give me~! THANK YOU !! please save my cat !!

 

[Aonir]

Some cats are just talkers. The water-bottle thing doesn't really work. It'll just teach her to not cry when you are around. I can't really think of a solution, sorry

 

[lapchern]

It'll just teach her to not cry when you are around

well that helps a bit

 

[kitkat]

Hmm I would suggest another kitty so your kitty can have someone to play with and everything but I doubt that you can get another cat in your situation.

 

[ospunkyo]

I don't think you can really train a cat to stop crying - it's how they communicate. Nor do I think you can spoil a cat (although I suppose that's debatable).

You could try leaving on a radio or television (not to drown out the sound of the crying) but so the apartment isn't quite so silent when you leave and she might not feel so alone.

Also try to feed her before you think she's hungry, play with her before she gets bored or wants attention. Also, before you leave her alone for a lengthy period, do a play therapy session to tire her out. She'll eventually sleep through the times when you aren't home.

 

[Parker]

I am in the same situation as you, but I haven't gotten caught (yet! knock on wood) and i have two kitties. I got both of my babies when they were very young. Dune has a tiny little meow (he's 7 weeks), and he's not really a problem, but Token (now 18 weeks) when he was little meowed VERY loudly and it was pretty constant. Since Token was so little (then 4 weeks old), he missed his momma and brothers a lot, so he cried if he was alone for even a few seconds. I finally got a huge box, and put in a fleece blanket, some cat food and water and litterbox, and put him in that and covered the box with another blanket leaving half of it uncovered (so that it was slightly dark) when I was leaving the house for class (I was gone around 8 hours a day) and when it was bedtime. He soon learned to associate the box with comfort and it became HIS place. He is still very attached to his blanket and will come running if I unfold it for him. As he got a little older, I decided the box was too big and bulky, so I got him a large pet carrier and slid it underneath my bed. I put his blankie, and some water in the carrier and let him adjust to that while I was home. Then he would go in there to sleep. I would close the carrier if I left the house, and he is very content to sleep in there while I am gone during the day. I also covered the carrier with the blanket leaving the back airholes uncovered (just the door part was covered) to muffle his cries when I first left. I also leave the tv on to drown out any sounds the kitties might make, and to keep them company and close my bedroom door. Now Token understands that when I leave, it is quiet time, and automatically goes to his "house" when I leave whether I cage him or not. He just associates that with comfort since I am not there to reassure him. I still don't usually leave him out because his meow is very loud and insistent and I know that he cries for a few minutes after I leave.

If you give your kitty a place to call her own, maybe she will stop crying while you are gone, and then you can use the water trick to keep her from crying while you are there.

Also, as far as having two kitties in the house, Dune, even though he is young, keeps Token from crying while I am at home or gone. I don't have to cover his house anymore, and he is much quieter now. The introduction process is still sort of rough between them, Token isn't very confident with Dune yet, but it has reduced his crying. I would say that anything to enable you to keep your baby is worth a shot. You might want to see if getting her a playmate would help, if only to keep her occupied. I would shoot for a less vocal animal, maybe an older cat, and one who is known to be patient with other cats. This has helped a bunch for me in your situation, and I hope this helps you as well!!

 

[RarePuss]

Hmm I would suggest another kitty so your kitty can have someone to play with and everything but I doubt that you can get another cat in your situation.

ahaha... umm, sound advice since she can't even keep the current one due to appartment rules :roll: :lol:

 

[kitkat]

Yea I know, doesn't that suck! Thats why I said I doubt in her situation that she would be able to get another cat, that is what I would suggest if the situation was different though, oh well 8)