Training the Cat

[Balefulregards]

 About a month ago, we adopted a adult male cat from the local SPCA (same place we adopted Jackson the year prior). With the help of their rabbit coordinator, we tested this cat with shelter rabbits before deciding to adopt him. He Ran from the shelter rabbits when faced with them, so we took that as a positive sign that he didn’t have a strong prey drive and would be able to live with rabbits.

The cat got sick right after we brought him home (hazards of big city rescues and too many unimmunized cats!) so it has taken him a month or so to feel “normal” again. He had a pretty terrible case of Feline Rhino (cat herpes) and has had his sense of smell permanently damaged due to the virus. 

At any rate, Loki (the cat) was always curious about Coco and Jackson.  I supervised visits. I made Loki lay down and let Coco come and sniff him, while showing him that Coco is part of our family etc.  For the first couple of weeks, Loki was just watching. Which I allowed, since he wasn’t stalking.

When he did stalk, he got a spray from the water bottle and a loud Hiss from me to indicate that he was NOT to stalk the rabbits. 

Well, he’s only gotten sneakier about it – AND he watches for me, because he takes off as soon as he sees the bottle appear. Last night I caught him cornering Coco, who was growling at him as he attempted to wedge himself under a box she was in… 

She doesn’t seem scared, per se – but more annoyed and he doesn’t seem like he is trying to Eat them, just stalk. He gets great joy from simply racing into the room and stopping short – to see the two rabbits take off for under the bed. I realize this may be a inter-species play style difference.

My last option is to close the room off entirely to him ( he whines and scratches at the door, which is pain, but liveable) but I was hoping for some great trick to teach him to knock it off. However, even as I write that sentence, I realize how laughable that is. Teach a Cat not to be a Cat?

 

 

[bunny-yawns]

 How old is Loki?  If he’s younger, it may be more difficult.  My cat is 9, and when we first got Nibbles they got along just fine.  They pretty much ignored each other until the cat wanted to play ‘chase’.  That wasn’t a big deal though, since the cat is overweight and tired so easily.  He’d pretty much stand there while Nibbles ran around him!    Then Nibbles would tire of the game, thump her foot, and run into one of her cat proof condos.  Now, after oh…half a year or so….they pretty much completely ignore each other.  I do think that the cat’s age plays a part in it though.

[Karla]

He won’t harm the rabbits, he is only playing. I think if I were you I would play lots and lots of chase games with Loki (also giving him lots of play mice, feathers et.c), so that he won’t have the need to play with the bunnies as he is already fully content with the games you provide him with.

Give them time and they will get used to each other and then the bunnies won’t budge when Loki comes running for them hoping they will take off. Eventually, that will make them really boring, so he will stop doing it and just hang out with them.

[Karla]

I was just going to add that if you close off the room, you will make the bunnies even more exciting, which will make it worse. You need to make them boring to him.

[Balefulregards]

Loki is about 3 years old, and I agree – the more I restrict the rabbits, the more interesting they become for him. Yesterday and Today, I sat him down between my legs and had the rabbits come up and sniff him ( offering treats to the rabbits, of course). He is genuinely interested and curious about them and he clearly is looking to play with them…of this I am now sure. He approaches them the same way he would a cat to play – even flopping on his side.

His nails are clipped – not that this means much.

This morning, I played with him for a good 20 minutes – having him chase the feather toy and his hemp mouse – I thought I had worn him out.
Nope. As soon as he saw Coco emerge and head for her hay, he came charging in!

What I may do is put a small NIC gate on the door – something to at least break his Run/Charge.

I was thinking he may just have to experience Coco’s wrath, as well. They may be less appealing when she turns and truly growls at him.

This morning is even worse since he can’t get out into the yard to wear himself out – It is full on windy and raining here, so he is extra whipped up.

In many ways, we are still getting to know him – He was not immunized previously for anything and was only neutered when we adopted him. I think he was living in a house with other cats, but his owner was deported, so his history is really spotty.

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