MY cat JJ always knocks down his bowel of food, everytime when I look at him and when Someone say the word VET, when I started saying that word, cause he's going to get fixed monday , does he know what's going to happen to him? And how can I stop this , he just like to push it over every where and into his water dish, and how can I get him to stop tipping over his food.
2007-02-08 08:02:38 · 10 answers · asked by kitty 6 in Pets ➔ Cats
And everytime my old female cat comes and gets a drink of water, he tips over the bowel of food on her and she runs , and how can I stop his bad behaiver.
2007-02-08 08:07:59 · update #1
Through "Pavlovian conditioning" (i.e. learned behaviour through reward/punishment/experience and association), JJ has formed these habits .. I have 2 cats.... it sounds as though JJ is knocking the bowl of food down for a reason - most probably the reaction to an action (do you give him more food or attention when he does this?).
The fact that he does it when the female is around and this leads to her departure, would suggest that the action is designed to gain your sole attention!
Cats understand the association of certain words (e.g. "Vet") with previous experiences ... I assume JJ has had vaccinations and check-ups... usually involving some form of incarceration (the cat carrier), transportation (usually traumatic for cats) and exposure to strangers (the vet who won't leave him alone).... he doesn't necessarily understand what's going to happen, but the association of the word and his past experiences is enough to make him uneasy.
I would try to find a way of stopping him from being able to tip over the food bowl (as already suggested - a heavier or shallower bowl) and maybe see if there is a way in which you can give him exclusive attention in order to adjust his behaviour.
I don't know how much help this has been... it all reminds me of the classic maxim: "Dogs have owners; cat's have staff!!"
Good luck.
2007-02-08 08:22:03 · answer #1 · answered by tattooed.dragon 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Cats are complex and it sounds like he's just tipping the bowl over for attention (especially if it wards off the other cat). A heavier bowl would work, or put the bowl in a box so that, when he tips it over, the food is contained. I have a cat that knocks food out of the dish and eats it off the floor.
If the cat has never been to the vet, he won't make the connotation. I think he'd have to go multiple times before he could make the connection. However, cats are empathetic and if you use the word "vet" with a tone of malice or taunting, the cat make connect it to a bad thing or bad behavior. (Just like they connect "no" to bad things and "good kitty" to good things). It's all about word association.
2007-02-08 08:22:47 · answer #2 · answered by wizbangs 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a small dog bowl. A ceramic one, they are too heavy for the cat to tip up. You have actually taught him that the word Vet, means tip up the bowl. If you say one word like that when a cat or dog is doing the same thing he learns the word. It's the basis of all training He would not be frightened of the Vet because NO he doesn't know what's going to happen! He's a cat not a human and they are incapable of thinking ahead like that or being frightened of something in advance! Cats are accidently taught the word Vet means a basket or cage and a trip to a very strange enviroment, because we say it when we put them in the basket. It's the reason they also start hiding when you need to take them to one.
2007-02-08 08:26:19 · answer #3 · answered by willowGSD 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OK, there are strategies to make it harder for him to tip the bowl over and in the short term the stop the behavior, but he will either find another way to get what he wants or he will act out in another way. You need to break his association of dinner time being play time.
1) I think I would start with separating him when it is time to eat.
2) I would not leave the food bowl out all the time.
3) I would also spend extra time playing with him before he eats and, assuming he hasn't thrown his food all over, after he eats as well.
Once he gets the idea that he can get attention for being good, he will start behaving better and you can try to reintegrate the cats eating together.
2007-02-08 08:36:00 · answer #4 · answered by Paul D 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
feed him on the floor in a heavy bowl that is skid proof (rubber bottom), have the water bowl the same way. you may want to mention this to the vet.
2007-02-08 08:21:26 · answer #5 · answered by insane 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't know why.
But, it seems the way to stop it is to not look at cat and saying the word "vet".
2007-02-08 08:08:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
check to make sure the bowl is wider than his whiskers as cats dont like their whiskers being touched this could be why he tips it over
2007-02-08 08:13:27 · answer #7 · answered by taharniegsi 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
get a heavier bowl that he can't tip over, perhaps one with rubber on the bottom so it doesn't slide?
2007-02-08 08:06:53 · answer #8 · answered by 'Lissa 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't say that word
2007-02-08 08:07:32 · answer #9 · answered by Sammy12oz 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
woot woot!
2007-02-08 08:35:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋