I need cat insurance...

[slvrwhispr]

Not insurance to protect the cats, but insurance to protect my STUFF from the cats.

Emmy is going through the "I must knock EVERYTHING OFF OF EVERYTHING" phase. Izzy went through this. When she did, I lost a laptop, a phone, and a guitar, among other items.

With Emmy, I have now lost my camera (yeah, the brand new one... thankfully I bought an extended warranty), a number of coffee mugs and drinking glasses (including one hand-etched by a friend, irreplaceable) and a very expensive shirt I got to wear once. And she's discovering things I don't even know how they got in the house. She's running around with a red hair scrunchie right now. It's not mine. And I haven't had a female friend stay over since last... August! Who knows where THAT'S been hiding. And I finally had enough a couple of days ago and just cut the lining out of the bottom of the couch because the two of them had shredded it so bad it was starting to come off in chunks which they were trying to eat. SIGH.

Izzy got over it. I'm hoping Emmy will soon. Also, Emmy needs to stop climbing up the inside of the lampshades. I can't squirt-bottle in there for obvious reasons. I don't know why suddenly none of her toys are interesting enough. Maybe I need to go raid the pet store for something new...

[E's]

So sorry about this... yes, in my experience, young female cats are worse than the males in this playful stage. May have mentioned this theory before, but a relative of mine recently told me he had seen studies which indicate cat towers actually give indoor cats a sense of freedom and being outdoors (stalking prey from trees, right?) But as you and I know, the towers cost like $200.... However, there also kitty shelves... my DD has several attached to her bedroom wall like a stairway - beginning sidetable height and ascending in a slant across the wall and up to the ceiling. A couple of the cats love this and use it a lot. Sasha, the tiny Siamese female, sleeps on the very top shelf, up by a corner of the ceiling, and it has definitely helped her attitude.

Other than that - you know the drill, right? More interactive play sessions and a little catnip - to tire them out... but you've probably already thought of all this.

[E's]

http://www.katwallks.com/katwallks_s_model.htm

egads - at those prices you could have a tower or two But as DD says, this way the cats have more running area and not so much floor space is used... plus you can reconfigure it (but have to buy more of the special fasteners) and they're made by a "real nice guy in Oklahoma" - if that helps

[slvrwhispr]

Not allowed to drill holes into the wall in the apartment, E's.

If I can find a good price on a reasonably sized cat tree, I'll probably spring for it. The spare bedroom is already The Cat Room... lol.

[E's]

Roger that, re apartment restrictions... I am in a 2 bedrm apartment too, and call the spare "the boys' room" hee hee, although my 2 make it clear they think the whole darned place is theirs, and they just let me live here.

At first when I looked at the katwalk site, I thought, well, maybe a couple of bolts wouldn't be a problem when I check out - but I see now you are right - it would be a big deal. I wonder if there is any market for used cat towers... If I got to go back to my house in N.O. I would improvise, but I am reluctant to invest in another large piece of "furniture" here.

Meanwhile, I am having some luck with the Spring Rowdies by having tasty treat sessions (each has to wait his turn, no biting or jumping up on the couch) and several newly flipped corrogated paper scratch boards - haven't defrosted any catnip yet.

[momPaws]

Hmmm maybe there is something called the Spring Rowdies. Angel has been friskier later. I know that happens to me in the spring, too. She has been running around more and hoping onto places she usually doesn't. I love to see her full of joy! But then, SW, my older kitty doesn't do a lot of damage to stuff.