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Living with any roommate is usually a struggle. But furry, four-legged roommates can take your frustration to a brand new level. Those claws, teeth, and destructive habits can wreak havoc on any living space, particularly a small apartment.
In case you’re really hoping to maintain your apartment and belongings intact while living with a cat in a small space, you’ll should take some steps to forestall your kitty from destroying things in an try to amuse themselves.
Try a few of the following tips to maintain your sanity and your security deposit.
Set Up A Scratching Post
In case you’ve got a cat, don’t even trouble attempting to teach them to not scratch. It’s going to occur; it’s of their nature.
As a substitute, try to offer places where they’re allowed to scratch to their heart’s delight so that you’ll each be pleased.
Place a scratching post — or several — near places your cat already scratches or where they spend a number of time. In the event that they don’t take to it immediately, rub or spray the post with catnip, or consider getting a taller post or one made with a unique material.
Take Care Of Your Cat’s Claws
If scratching posts don’t work, you may consider doing something with the claws themselves. Trimming them often may keep damage at a minimum, or claw caps — small plastic caps that go over a cat’s claws — may prevent scratching damage.
Redirecting is one solution to “teach” a cat what to not scratch. Ignore declawing — it’s cruel and the equivalent of cutting off an individual’s finger to the primary knuckle.
Protect Your Blinds
Curiosity is an unavoidable feline characteristic, and plenty of indoor cats love looking windows to see what’s happening on this planet outside. In case you’ve got horizontal blinds, this habit isn’t as charming because it sounds.
Cats who attempt to get to the window often snap blinds in half or break off ends, leaving you with damage your landlord won’t ignore.
In case you don’t live to tell the tale a ground floor, it’s best to consider raising the blinds a bit in a window or two and giving the cat a simple solution to access the window.
If raising the blinds isn’t an option, try to maintain your cat off the window sill with foil or specialty double-sided tape sold at pet supply stores.
Spay Or Neuter Your Kitty
Spraying is an issue with unneutered male cats, and when you’ve smelled sprayed urine, you’ll always remember it. It’s removed from nice, and might stink up your whole apartment.
Neutering your cat, though, typically eliminates this territorial spraying and even makes the urine smell less strong.
Spaying your female cats will help prevent problems and messes that sometimes occur when a cat goes into heat several times without mating, including diarrhea and vomiting.
(Picture Credit: Getty Images)
With the following tips and just a little patience, you’ll have fewer messes to scrub up, and also you and your kitty can live in peace with one another — and never have an offended landlord to cope with.
Do you reside in a small space with a cat? Do you could have another suggestions or tricks to share with other readers? Please share within the comments below!
