# Punishment or torture??



## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

As I mentioned in the Complaining thread in the Lounge, Star chewed through the cords of my ex husband's headphones. My ex wants to take all the cords from the other headphones that Star has chewed through, soak them in Tabasco sauce and leave them hanging of the edge of the kitchen/dining room table to "teach Star a lesson". He wants to keep doing that until Star doesn't chew on his headphones anymore. Of course, putting his headphones away is too simple. :roll:


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

..I'd be inclined to let him try it. I'd bet Star would smell the tobasco and not touch it or if he did... it would only be once and that he'll STILL chew on the cords without the stuff on them.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Immaturity and stupidity is more like it.

And it won't work. Tabasco has an odor, sure he'll avoid the ones he's already chewed...might not even take a taste, the smell might be enough to deter him. But if the headphones that are still intact don't smell like Tabasco they'll be fair game. 

I'd give him a bag or case he can store the headphones in and tell him to act like an adult and take care of his belongings.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

While you're at it...buy him a pair of big boy undies. :wink


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## asrowley (Dec 17, 2011)

Some cats like Tobasco. Pinky loves it, I had a bit left on my plate after my burritos and she licked it off. -_- good job Pinkers....


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## asrowley (Dec 17, 2011)

Oh, however to stay on topic, it is overboard. That's not a way to "punish" a cat because then Star won't know why she is being punished really. He needs to get new headphones and put them up where she can't chew them. Simple as that.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

I have to go along with those who believe Star will not touch the doctored head phones.

Why not rub Tobasco or some other repellant on the cord of new head phones and Star will probably not touch them. Lemon juice and let it dry?

But we men have a thing about putting things away. It comes from more primative times when we kept our weapons close, or out in the open so they'b easily grabbed. (grin)


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

That's true. You never know when an intruder is going to bust in your front door, and that'll be the *one* time you put those deadly headphones away. :grin:


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## asrowley (Dec 17, 2011)

Headphones can be used as a weapon. Which is another reason why they should be up, a cat can easily get tangled in them B| This is a strong subject for me. This is a problem with me an my fiance, Pinky doesn't chew cords but gets stuck in them.


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## Milky's Mammy (Oct 17, 2011)

Wish my husband would learn to put things away instead of yelling at me when Milky goes to play with his things!


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

doodlebug said:


> Immaturity and stupidity is more like it.


^THIS!^

He said the Tabasco sauce is better than "beating the mess out of Star". _That's_ what he wanted to do. Oh, and when I told him that if he were to poll cat owners about what Star did and that 99.99999999% would agree with me, he countered with, "Well non-cat owners would tell me to get rid of the cat?" Hmmm, is that a veiled threat? I'd love to see him try to get rid of my Pookie Bear (my nickname for my baby boy). If he thinks what Star did to his headphones is bad, just wait and see what _*I'LL*_ do if he gives away my boy.:cussing:evil:


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## asrowley (Dec 17, 2011)

Lol I don't know him, but seriously, Um dude, stop being such a man about it. I'm glad he decided against BEATING the cat but... it's just a pair of headphones....


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

asrowley said:


> it's just a pair of headphones....


Expensive ones at that. I think he paid about $80-$90 for each pair that's had to be replaced because my cat was doing what cats do...I feel NO sympathy for him at all.


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## asrowley (Dec 17, 2011)

Men, can't live with them can't feed them to the sharks.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

You can if there are no witnesses and you have a CSI friend who will clean the crime scene for you.

I'm just saying....


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## asrowley (Dec 17, 2011)

:3 Way to make me laugh so hard I almost had juice come out of my nose!!!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Then my job here is done. :grin:

I work with lawyers, so I spend a lot of time imagining different scenarios.....


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## Konotashi (Oct 20, 2010)

Why not use something that's made specifically for preventing chewing, such as bitter apple spray, and spray that on his headphones? It's SUPER bitter, and there's not really an odor. I don't see why that would be bad to spray on them. (The cord only). 

My dog chewed up 2 pairs of my bf's headphones. (This was MONTHS ago). He makes it sound like Ozzy's out to destroy everything he owns, and for the sole purpose of ruining his life. 
He likes to say things like, "If he does this, I'm going to ______ him." (Blank = kick, get rid of, throw, punch). I quickly defend him with, "Then YOU'RE going out the window, along with everything you own, and you're not welcome back, EVER." 
I know he's joking (mostly) but it still pushes all the wrong buttons. There are some things you just don't joke about, and hurting one of my babies is one of those things!


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Spraying the cord of the headphones with bitter apple might prevent the cat from chewing, but every time the guy touches them he'll get bitter apple all over his hands which will then transfer if he touches his mouth or eats anything etc. Can't see him dealing with that....

What is this...the 4th set of headphones? At this point I think the guy is just being stubborn and looking for something to fight about.


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## Muzby (Jan 9, 2008)

Doodle... that sounds like a GOOD idea actually! I'd love to see his face after eating a bitter apple sandwhich! LOL

I must be on of the only ones with a spouse who's headphones got chewed and HE knew it was HIS fault for leaving them where the cats could get them. We constantly remind one another when we find something chewed/yakked on/etc that it was OUR fault for leaving it where we did. They're cats, not people. They do stuff for fun, not for malace - and if you don't want it ruined, you learn to pick it up or suffer the loss. 

My boyfriends headphones were also over $100. Men and their gadgets, I tell ya!


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## CindyG (Jul 5, 2011)

Wow! How many times does it take for a human to learn a lesson? Don't leave them where the cat can get them! I am a first time cat owner and am very fortunate. I leave my crocheting out and she doesn't touch it! Not even food!

I say, put the headphones away when not on your head. But then, we all know how guys can be at times! Lazy! Including mine!!


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

doodlebug said:


> What is this...the 4th set of headphones? At this point I think the guy is just being stubborn and looking for something to fight about.


I think so. I've lost count on how many times he's left them out. His excuse this time is that he had just came home from the grocery store and had set them down on the table while he got the rest of the groceries out of the car. My question was ""Why didn't you leave them in the car until you were done putting up the groceries?" As usual, no response. Just a lot of hemming and hawing, with him finally saying that HE wasn't going to change his behavior, but that Star would. Yeah, let me know how that one works, buddy. You'll excuse me while I scream with laughter at the prospect of an animal, who lives for the moment, changing his behavior to accommodate the stupid human.

And yes, he's VERY stubborn. He doesn't get that we're the ones who have to be diligent on putting our stuff away. He truly believes that the cats should conform to him and not the other way around. Know why? Because he pays for their food and provides them with shelter and vet care. 8O Yeahhhhh....


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Why are you still there? You've been separated/divorced/whatever for 2-3 years now. I'd be living in a one-room apartment and working at 7-11 just to get the heck out of there. I know it's complicated, but geesh!!!  Is he NEVER going to pay you the settlement money?? What's his latest excuse?? (sorry, this situation makes me crazy, I could never live with an ex)


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

I would tell him put on his big boy pants and put away his headphones and if he touched my cat I would punch him in the face.

I mean the tabasco might work, I have heard of other people doing it, but what is going to happen when HE touches his headphones afterwards and touches his face or eyes? He is going to get a sting and then he will be disgruntled about that.


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## MzWiz0915 (Jan 31, 2012)

I personally vote that if you wouldn't allow someone to do it to a small child, then why allow them to do it to an animal?!

Cats don't speak english and therefore don't get why we're upset if you don't redirect them in the act.

I'm glad you're standing up for your cat though! I threatened to call the police on my OH early in our relationship for using packing tape on the bars of my hamsters cage to deter her from chewing them...warned him if he did it again I would put the tape on his short, curly hairs as retaliation!

After that event, I doubt we'll have any abuse problems in our home  I made it very clear it's intolerable


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

I know this approach happens with dogs sometimes, never heard it tried with cats and I don't know about its success... but I don't think I'd be against it. 

At the very least the headphone probably wouldn't be chewed on that have the taste/smell, it wouldn't be torture since the cat likely would only try once, if that. I also might be in favor of it just in the hopes that it turns the cat off chewing all cords in the future, it's worth a shot... a cat chewing cords of any kind isn't good, a family cat electrocuted itself that way before I was born.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I agree with Marie, it's time to move on...I would be thinking 'What is he doing when I'm not home'/'What is he teaching my kids?'

In any case, tabasco sauce is a TERRIBLE idea. Think about it. The last time you ate something really spicy, did it burn once and then stop? Nope. It burns for a while. How can you be sure that the cat will associate the burn with the headphones and not something else? The honest truth is you can't be sure, and you could be causing your pet pain for no reason. (Not that I think it's ok to cause them pain FOR a reason...but that's another story.)

Tell your ex to grow the heck up, set a good example, and be a big boy. And yeah, and this point I'd say it just like that. If he doesn't want his things broken he should put them away. End of story.


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## feedmycats (Jan 31, 2012)

I'm not looking forward to kitten proofing again, that's for sure! I'll probably just put up cords rather than slather them with anything. But if I did I'd use something more along the lines of lemon juice to repel those usually adorable little kitty mouths. And to agree.. I'm also not looking forward to my boyfriend yelling when he doesn't put something up either! It's practically inviting them to play! :lol:


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## jason420 (May 17, 2011)

CindyG said:


> Wow! How many times does it take for a human to learn a lesson? Don't leave them where the cat can get them! I am a first time cat owner and am very fortunate. I leave my crocheting out and she doesn't touch it! Not even food!
> 
> I say, put the headphones away when not on your head. But then, we all know how guys can be at times! Lazy! Including mine!!


 
That's funny because I happen to know far more lazy, self-entitled women than I do men.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

Not this again...
Who cares? He's clearly stupider than Forrest Gump, so throw away any headphones away you see lying around.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

bokitty said:


> You guys don't need to get all offensive and call the guy names... who's immature again?





bokitty said:


> I think you would be a pretty crappy pet owner NOT to create some type of solution


...not offensive at all....




bokitty said:


> library chick-- worried about what he's doing at home with the kids--- "now kids.... this is how we feed cats Tabasco sauce".... Lol that sounds pretty far fetched. I think you know this....


Sarcastic and unattractive comment. I think she was referring to the fact that this is at least the third (if not more) time that her ex husband has left his crap lying around (other previous threads on the topic) and then gotten mad at the animal for chewing it. No, that's a crummy example to set for the kids. They need to learn that if you do something STUPID you can't get mad at someone else for it. 

On that note...welcome to the forum...


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

bokitty said:


> Oh myyyyy.... huge attack on this poor guy!!! It's a bit of tabasco sauce, not hydrochloric acid! You guys don't need to get all offensive and call the guy names... who's immature again? The cat could easily chew a chord that's in an electrical outlet and fry itself to death.... which ones worse? I think you would be a pretty crappy pet owner NOT to create some type of solution ( whether Tabasco sauce will be effective I don't know) so that the cat wont do something worse to itself. Better headphone wires rather then something plugged in.
> library chick-- worried about what he's doing at home with the kids--- "now kids.... this is how we feed cats Tabasco sauce".... Lol that sounds pretty far fetched. I think you know this....





bokitty said:


> For the record-- I'm not a man feeling sorry for this guy, I'm a woman feeling sorry for this guy.


Did you even bother to read the whole thread? This is NOT the first time my ex has threatened to "punish" my cat for his (meaning my ex, not my cat) stupidity. My ex is rightfully being ripped a new one because he REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT *HE* IS THE ONE THAT NEEDS TO PUT HIS STUFF AWAY. Don't make comments on a situation you know absolutely nothing about. Or at least read the whole thread.

I'm done.


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## GhostTown (Jan 12, 2012)

_***__*Steering as far away from the example story as possible........**_


If my cats were chewing on anything, I would diligently try and find a way to curb the destructive behavior. You shouldn't have to worry about any object being chewed on, and it can not be good for the cat.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

However, if you KNOW that the cat is chewing on a specific item, then you should be diligent in making sure that the cat does not have access to it, especially if it's an expensive item. I don't know what it is, but there's something about the cords of these particular headphones that Star finds irresistible. Maybe it's the way they smell or the way they feel in his mouth when he chews them, but there is SOMETHING that attracts him to them.


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## Victoriax (Feb 25, 2012)

I have to ask "why is your EX even leaving stuff around if he is your Ex" lol

when meeca was a kitten my mum came round to visit & had headphones in her handbag, we could here Meeca tapping something about behined the sofa & when we looked to see what she was doing........ yes, she had stolen the earphone's from mumma's bag & had chewed the ear peice of & was having a wail of a time batting it about lol

I couldnt help but laugh as she looked so cute & as if to say "arent I clever mummy" hehe, my mum was understanding but since then she never leaves anything in her bag that she doesnt want to risk being stolen & played with

I gave my cat's the earphones that came with my phone because I wouldnt ever use them & one day I was playing with "them" with Meeca but the second earphone was getting in the way so I cut it off - when my boyfreind went in the droor for "his" earphones all I heard was "oh no whats happend to my earphone" lol I had cut his off because he had put them in my draw lol


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Sinatra-Butters said:


> what is going to happen when HE touches his headphones afterwards and touches his face or eyes?


Why did you have to go and warn them. You ruined all the fun


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Can't he get a case to put them in when not in use? Even a ziplock bag would do.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

Not my business, but if this is an ex, get him to move out & get a new roomate... many years ago I spent the summer with my sister, so her ex would have to move out. They were divorced & it was amicable, but he just wouldn't leave on his own.


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## my5kitties (Sep 13, 2005)

I was really hoping that this wasn't going to into "why are you/him still there if you're exes" BUT since it has (and this isn't directed at you, Nan), I will explain my situation.

I'm the one who is supposed to be moving. However, since I don't have a job and therefore no income, I can't. I'm stuck here. There are some other issues that are involved and librarychick is close to why I'm still here when she made this comment: 


> 'What is he teaching my kids?'


. I'm not going to leave our two younger sons alone with a man who is so wrapped up in himself that he doesn't see past his own nose. I also fear for my cats. THAT IS WHY I'M STILL HERE.


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