How do I get my cat to stop biting my pumps?
How to Get Your Cat to Stop Biting Your Pumps
If your cat is biting your shoes, pumps, or other footwear, there are some tips to help stop this behaviour.
1. Make Shoes Unappealing
There are some substances that cats don’t like the taste of, and can be used to deter them from chewing on shoes. Spray the shoe with a repellent like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or pepper spray. Cats don’t like the bitter or strong taste, and will avoid the shoes.
2. Provide Alternatives for Your Cat
One way of preventing your cat from biting your pumps is offering them other objects to play with instead. Provide your cat with things it can bite, such as:
- Catnip Toys – Cats love the smell of catnip and many catnip toys are made of material cats can bite or claw.
- Scratching Posts – Cats have a natural instinct to scratch and attack objects, so giving your cat a scratching post or scratching pad will provide them with a safe place to do this.
- Tunnels – Cat tunnels or hideaways allow your cat to explore and hunt in a safe area.
3. Discourage the Behaviour
When your cat is biting your shoes, use a water bottle to spray them with a fine mist. Most cats will get the message that the shoe-biting behaviour is not acceptable and leave the shoes alone.
4. Use Positive Reinforcement
Train your cat to stop biting your pumps by giving them positive reinforcement when they choose not to bite them. Give them treats or affection when they go near the shoes, but don’t engage in any biting behaviour.
Conclusion
Your cat’s shoe-biting habit is inconvenient, but it can be solved with some patience and behaviour modification techniques. Make sure to provide your cat with alternatives to their biting habit, and to discourage the bad behaviour. With perseverance, your cat will learn that their shoes are off-limits and stop biting them.
