CATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

Fix some common feline frustrations...right meow.

- ASHLEY ABRAMSON

Use Foil to Keep Them Away from Plants & Counters

Cats playing in your houseplants? To curb this normal-but-annoying-andpotentially-dangerous behavior, Kelly Ballantyne, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist in Chicago, suggests putting balls of crumpled-up aluminum foil on the soil. Though foil doesn’t faze all cats, many don’t like the sound and texture of the material when it’s pawed at (good thing, because many humans don’t either!). Lay down flat foil sheets to deter them from jumping onto counters and shelves.

DIY a Litter Box to Encourage Good Potty Behavior

Standard litter boxes are surprisingly too small for most cats (they need room to turn around, dig, and make their deposits!), and a clawstrophobic kitty might look for other places to go around the house. Ballantyne recommends a simple fix: Instead of a litter box, fill the bottom of an under-the-bed storage container with litter. “If your cat tends to pee over the side of the box, upgrade to a storage bin with higher sides and cut a hole in one of the narrow ends,” she says.

Stick Up Double-Sided Tape to Prevent Scratching