Where did this come from? Chunk's dominating behavior

[Tina B and crew]

Oh, Chunk knows what the water bottle is for! I simply have to reach for it and he will run. But yesterday morning he was being pretty persistent, as he was this morning. (lots of Chunk NO! has been said already) Yesterday Lucy appeared to be pretty fed up with him and at one point when he postured toward her she gave him a serious of pretty good swats on top of his head (no claws though)...she never initiates it though, only does it in response to his behavior.

Traci, I wonder if attention is part of it. He did start this shortly after I returned from being out of town for a month. Usually a session of "throw the mouse" is enough to calm him down, but he has lost his favorite mouse and simply won't play with any other toy at all, not even his previous favorite mouse! (well, it isn't lost permanently, I have to move things to look for it and haven't had a chance, so we've been working with getting him to accept other toys...my mission today is to find mousey) He does seem to be going through a whiny, clingy, demanding stage.

[Traci]

Yes, the absence could have something to do with it, he could be testing you again, but chances are, he has residual stress from your absence - does hubby keep consistency with the squirt bottle and/or curbing his behavior with Lucy, when you're gone?

[Tina B and crew]

He wasn't doing it while I was gone. I wasn't doing it the first week or so I was back, just started it this past week. But yes, if I'm not here Tim nips it in the bud the same way I do.

I went out and bought some new toys today hoping to help keep him occupied. Naturally neither of them were interested in any of the new toys...yet. Come bedtime they will be I'm sure Oh, and I found his lost mousey, he seemed rather pleased about that.

[Traci]

Glad to hear you found his mousey!!

If you haven't already, maybe get a Kong Kickeroo for Lucy and one for Chunk - my cats LOVE them, I had to get several to accomodate the cats - I got mine at Petmountain, much less than Petsmart sells them for, plus more variety of the kickeroos They love them because they are nearly body-length and as the name implies, they love to roll and kick them with their back feet.

[Tina B and crew]

We have one of the smaller kickaroos I had bought for Willow ( ) but she showed no interest in it. Lucy doesn't either, but Chunk likes it. I'll check out the place you mentioned and get one of the bigger ones. Yesterday I bought home a couple of the Kong toys that you fill with catnip (I got the beavers because they have a wide flat tail...I have to cut tails and ears of toy mice or Chunk eats them) and within 15 minutes Chunk had a huge hole chewed in one of them. He had a blast with it though. It looked like a nasty piece of road kill when he was done with it...all wet and flattened out with a hole in its back

I swear I'm going to the dog toy aisle next time!

[Traci]

Yeah, my cats love the larger size kickeroos, since they can wrap their arms and legs around them. I do put mine away though when the cats aren't playing with them, it keeps the toys in better condition and it's like they are "new" again when I bring them out.

You could always get one of the dog stuffed animal toys that don't have stuffing.

[Tina B and crew]

Just an update. We have been pretty consistent in letting Chunk know his behavior is unacceptable and he has become much better about not doing it. He still tries on occasion but a simple Chunk! or picking up the water bottle and he stops. The only issue that remains is the fact that he starts in on her when we go to bed at night. As soon as the lights go out I can hear it start (Lucy growling and hissing) I can usually nip it in the bud pretty quickly by just raising my voice, but sometimes have to get up. If he hears me getting out of bed he stops.

We try to play with him (both of them actually) plenty early on in the evening, but that doesn't seem to do any good. At least he stops once I make it clear I'm not going to tolerate it.

[Traci]

Not sure how your sleeping arrangements are, but I keep a small squirt bottle near the bed (please, be sure this is kept far away from any electrical outlets or any other electric stuff - in the event of tipped or spilled).

Just the act of saying "Stop It" and the sound of pretending to get out of bed shaking squirt bottle usually does it for my cats. (yes if close enough, they'll hear the water bottle). Rarely do I have to go in another room, and if I do, they are trained when I say "go to your bed".

Mostly, I just wait and see if they calm down on their own.

[Tina B and crew]

Oh I do keep a water bottle next to the bed, I pick it up and give it a shake and he stops sometimes. I rarely have to get out of bed and confront him, just the sound of me rustling the covers typically does it if the water bottle doesn't. If he hears my foot touch the floor he knows he's in real trouble. They usually calm down then. It's just annoying that he/they always pick the moment the lights go out to start. Sneaky kitties.

[Traci]

You're not alone, Tina, LOL. My cats drive me nuts sometimes! But, most of the time, the looks on their faces just make me want to laugh - or scoop them up to love on.