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+--- Thread: Bad Kitty! (/Thread-Bad-Kitty)
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Bad Kitty! - SleepyTexasGirl - 04-22-2020
My cat is really demanding about food and would often wake me up early in the morning wanting to be fed. And then he'd pig out on food so quickly he'd throw up. So I got an automatic cat feeder that goes off four times a day. One evening, he was being particularly bad about jumping on the keyboard, and the next morning he woke me up early and was being very persistent about wanting attention. Then he started biting my CPAP mask and hose. So I got up.
And then I noticed that the automatic cat food feeder bowl was empty (which wasn't unusual) but that the unopened cat food bag had a lot of bite marks on it. And I realized that the automatic feeder was empty and probably had been empty the night before.
The problem is, he's kept periodically nipping at my CPAP mask and hose since then. Not necessarily the heated hose, but the translucent plastic hose that extends from it to my mask. And I'm trying hard to conceal the hose in the gap between my mattress and the wall, and the gap next to my pillow. I've thought about getting a fabric cover for the hose, but the mask parts are a bit harder. It's not like he is leaving bite marks, but it's more like rubbing his face on it to mark it with his scent, and also taste testing whether it's food. He also likes nibbling random stuff around the apartment to see if they are crumbs dropped from snacks, trying to steal my meals, sniffing the air any time I heat up dinner, eating people food that isn't normally cat food (rice, cornbread, cheese), eating bugs...
I suspect the reason he's going for the CPAP hose is because it is something moving that is a little bit like string or rope, and he goes nuts for anything resembling string.
I've seen that there are fabric CPAP hose covers and some mask parts can get covers, but I'm not sure everything can get covers. Does anybody have thoughts? I've heard suggestions that if cats try to bite things like computer cables, coat it in hot sauce, but I don't want to do that with something that's next to my face.
RE: Bad Kitty! - SarcasticDave94 - 04-22-2020
The CPAP hose and hot sauce may not be a good idea, but the hose cover should be fine. I just have a feeling hot sauce in the eye may disturb the sleep a bit, or Mr. Cat gets sick.
RE: Bad Kitty! - Big Guy - 04-22-2020
I guess I'm lucky. We have two cats and they couldn't care any less about my CPAP machine and it's hose.
Forgot to say, they stay in our garage at night. But, even during the day when they roam our house, they don't bother the equipment.
RE: Bad Kitty! - wordjoy - 04-22-2020
Can you get a little fabric bag and hang that off the bet and put the end part in the bag?
RE: Bad Kitty! - SleepyTexasGirl - 04-23-2020
(04-22-2020, 09:43 PM)wordjoy Wrote: Can you get a little fabric bag and hang that off the bet and put the end part in the bag?
I could put the mask into a bag, but the main problem is that the cat is nibbling on the mask while I'm wearing it and the CPAP's in operation.
RE: Bad Kitty! - themadsleeper - 04-23-2020
My first post! I have been using a CPAP for six years and dealt with some similar issues in the beginning. Luckily I think I have a pretty good solution.
Every morning I disconnect the tube from the machine, put the tube and mask in a small tote, and store it under my bedside table. This has a few benefits:
- Cats can't mess with it.
- Will never get lost in the sheets. I.E. Partner won't accidentally crush the mask between the wall/headboard/etc.
- More tidy looking. Leaves most CPAP equipment out of sight, which is really great in a small apartment where guests see my bedroom.
This has made my masks and tubes last at least twice as long as they did prior. Hope this helps!
Edit: Realized this doesn't help you regarding your cat during the night. Perhaps you can approach this from a cat training perspective? Just a thought. Good luck
RE: Bad Kitty! - wordjoy - 04-23-2020
Got it...
That is harder.
One might try some dishsoap on the tube and mask, like the chili oil but not as severe.
RE: Bad Kitty! - Homerec130 - 04-23-2020
Hose cover works great with our three cats. Another option would be is to get some sour apple spray and put it on the exposed parts during the day. Cats don;t like it and there is no harm to the plastic. Sour apple works great to get them to stop chewing on wires.
RE: Bad Kitty! - Zorki1c - 04-23-2020
Get a dog ?
RE: Bad Kitty! - Big Guy - 04-23-2020
(04-23-2020, 12:14 AM)SleepyTexasGirl Wrote:(04-22-2020, 09:43 PM)wordjoy Wrote: Can you get a little fabric bag and hang that off the bet and put the end part in the bag?
I could put the mask into a bag, but the main problem is that the cat is nibbling on the mask while I'm wearing it and the CPAP's in operation.
I'd try a good swat on the butt. The cat I mean............
