Biting Cables!

[Cay]

Hello all,

Duma is growing fast, and now is big enough to reach most of the cables in our house. We are computer technicians, so there's no way we can just 'keep the cables out of the way'. She likes to bite and chew anything that is a cord or cable! We discourage bad behaviour with water sprayers (little toy water guns actually haha) but that's not really an option in our server room (where we are mostly)! Any ideas? She's almost 8 weeks now! We could spray the cables with cayenne water, that worked to keep our previous cat from chewing foam carpets, but I'd rather a behavioural fix instead of her just not wanting to bite those certain cables.

 

[Rafiki]

Are the cables where you don't go? As in, behind the desk? If so, the Scat cans (motion detector that blasts air) worked for us. I was actually able to have a Christmas tree (although I didn't hang the breakable ornaments) this year in spite of Rafiki being less than a year old. The scat cans worked like magic.

 

[Sue Armstrong]

Hopefully your kitty will outgrow this bad behavior. There are cable protection covers of all different kinds that you could use. They can be found at any computer store, Best buy etc. I believe. If it was just a few cords what has always worked for me is to take a bar of soap and rub it all over them. Cats do not like the taste of soap. Sounds as if you have more than the norm though for cables and cords but there must be a way to put them in a protective sleeve of some sort. Check online. There are tons of them.

 

[Cay]

All of our desks are open, as in just four legs and a glass top. All cables in the house are accessible! I've never heard of Scat Cans (We live on Vancouver Island, Canada). And there are an inordinate amount of cables in our house lol. And I'd rather teach out this behaviour (also we'd go broke buying enough cable protectors, haha).

But the soap idea is neat; do you use just a dry or wet bar of soap? Also we use natural soap, so will that make a difference?

 

[Sue Armstrong]

Well then you are going to have to be extremely persistant in your training. And cats are persistant too!!! But I think if you can maybe use some treats and when you see Duma going near the cords, call him to you and he gets a treat. I would say NO very loudly to get his attention but then give him lots and lots of love when he comes to get his treat. Maybe put him on a really really long light weight leash and harness, say NO when he goes towards the cords and pull him gently towards you until he knows the routine? All I can think of.

 

[WitchyWoman]

As long as the soap tastes nasty it will work. When my 3 were kittens, I went to a home improvement store and bought some cheap plastic tubing. I can't remember which department -- electrical or landscape. I got 100 feet for under $40 and it worked like a charm. Even PVC pipe would work but I think it costs more. Just a few more suggestions in case the soap doesn't work.

 

[Cay]

Leash is a good idea; I may try that one! She is great on the harness already.

And plastic tubing is another great idea! Just run all the cords through one big tube!

 

[Dantes]

My cats eat my soap. You might try putting some vinegar & cayenne pepper in a spray bottle and spraying the cables. the pepper will definitely deter them.

Also check this out: http://www.savannahcatchat.com/thre...keep-most-of-the-cords-from-being-chewed.626/

I've since added a large picture frame with pet-safe screening from Home Depot over the "stereo cabinet" side of the server room (and also cleaned up the stuff on the shelves lol what a mess, why didn't I wait to take the picture?)

 

[Patti]

I agree with Sue, you will need to be persistent and diligent if you want to train your kitten not to chew on the cables. As many have commented here before, what they do when we are in their presence is one thing, but what they do when our backs are turned is quite another!

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http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_4nt3kwsg8y_e

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Tubing or cord covers of some sort are good options if soap or vinegar/cayenne options don't work...I've used just Tabasco in the past which pretty much I guess IS vinegar/cayenne.

I like www.crittercord.com for some of the cords here, and we loop up the excess wiring and use small tote boxes with holes cut into them to store with the power strip etc to keep away from kittens. Most of mine really only were terrible chewers as kittens and grew out of it....although my iphone charger cord is a continual draw of attention hence the critter cord protector is for that!