It's 2pm and no one is in the house except your cat. She's looking for something to do as she walks from room to room. She strolls into the bathroom and brushes against the roll of toilet paper hanging next to the toilet. Hmmm, she thinks, that looks interesting. She reaches up to touch it with her paw and before you know it, she has found just the activity she was looking for: toilet paper shredding. By the time you come home, your bathroom looks as if it has been littered with confetti.
A cat may also be interested in the toilet paper roll as an impromptu scratching post. As she scratches though, the paper continues to unwind and you're left with a pile of paper on the floor.
Here are some tips for dealing with a TP shredder:
· Before putting a new roll of toilet paper on the holder, squeeze it a little so the cardboard center is no longer round. This will stop the paper from rolling so freely.
· Put the paper on the holder so it unrolls to the back and out the bottom as opposed to up and over the front.
· Install a child-proof toilet paper holder. Safety 1 st makes one called the Toilet Paper Guard. You can find it in the baby safety section of many stores. It's also available online. Another type of child-proof device is call the TP Saver by Mom Inventors, Inc. This one is good if you're also trying to potty train your youngster while keeping kitty away from the paper. The TP Saver dispenses a measured amount of paper so it prevents toilet clogging.
· If your cat is shredding the toilet paper due to lack of stimulation in the environment, set up activity toys for her to enjoy while you're a work. Puzzle feeders and games such as the Peek-a-Prize or the Talk-to-me-treat-ball and paper bag tunnels are fun for cats. Rotate toys so kitty doesn't get bored with the same old toys every day. Put up an outside bird feeder so your cat can sit in the window and pass the time watching the outdoor activity.
- If your cat doesn't have a scratching post, get her a sturdy, sisal-covered one and place it in a convenient location so she'll see it as she's walking toward the bathroom. Once she used the post, she'll prefer that over the TP roll.
· Engage your cat in interactive playtime a couple of times a day to work off her energy. Try doing a quick play session before you leave for work in the morning and then do at least one more at night.
For more specific information on behavior training, refer to the book Starting from Scratch.
Starting from Scratch
Pam Johnson-Bennett is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant and owner of Cat Behavior Associates, LLC.
NOTE: Behavior problems are case-specific and can have underlying medical problems. If your cat is experiencing a change in behavior, contact your veterinarian. The information in this blog should not be used as a diagnosis or as a substitute for appropriate veterinary care.
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