Dear Christopher Cat
I bought my cat, Bart, a new bed. He ignored it, so I sprinkled a bit of catnip on it. That didn’t work, so I added an article of clothing with my scent on it. Still he won’t rest on his new bed. What am I doing wrong?
Christopher Responds
Now you know why people say we cats are finicky. I hope I can help.
For a week or so, place his new bed on top of the old bed, or position the beds next to each other.
You can add additional catnip or a more aromatic catnip, which excites and entices most of us.
Alternatively, you may offer Bart a peaceful haven by spraying his new bed with Feliway, a pheromone we cats associate with safety and familiarity. Feliway is available in most pet supply stores and on the Internet.
If Bart still doesn’t accept his bed, perhaps he’ll respond to what works best for me: a “dancer” toy. Mom puts something that attracts me –- a feather or a cluster of shiny foil ribbons -– on the end of a long string attached to a stick. When the feather or ribbons dance across the bed, I pounce and play on the bed.
If Bart doesn’t respond to these techniques, you’ll just need to give him more time to grow accustomed to his new bed. Good luck.
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