Training helps... easier if your cat hates the spray bottle as mine does. They can be taught "no", just like a dog. Some are more stubborn than others though, so good luck. I make a loud "psst" noise, or clap my hands or stomp my foot as I say no firmly, the noise can help startle kitty into paying attention just like a spray bottle. I have glass shelves across most of my growing windows so plenty of space to keep plants out of reach... I also do not allow my cat on hard surfaces, like shelves and tables so that helps a great deal. It takes time, just be consistent. Eventually kitty should form the association of if I do this then that thing I dislike will happen. Dogs are easier, as praising them when you get home for not terrorizing your domicile goes a long way. One day when I have floor plants we may need a re-education session, but I often place my big ZZ plant on an end table near my couch and we havent had any trouble. I do also grow cat grass on occasion, and offer it to her next to her food dish so as to keep the message very clear that this one is ok.

I've been working with animals for a very long time. Maybe one of these ideas will work for you: 1. Uncrinkled sheet of heavy aluminum foil - cats hate the sound 2. Upside-down mouse traps under a little newspaper or tea towel is best, but not necessary. They fly into the air & scare the crap out of the cat. UPSIDE-DOWN ONLY for obvious reasons. 3. Carpet tack strips - nasty points aren't nice to step on 4. Ssscat brand spray head goes on canned air & uses infrared sensor to spray air when cat is near - sound alone works, but for stubborn cats, you can point it at them. 5. Set a shallow dish or lids of water on soil surface - cats hate wet feet. Add rubbing alcohol for unpleasant odor and sensation in eyes & nose. 6. Rolled up balls of masking or duct tape - even more annoying to have stuck to them than just double-stick tape. Tape balls stick and follow them around. Only trouble is the cat might pee somewhere else in its panic to remove attacking tape balls. 7. Bamboo skewers or dowels stuck into soil to form a fence, or stuck at all different angles so they're very uncomfortable to squat or walk in. Bag of 100 for $2 in Walmart kitchen isle 8. Scat Mat gives static-like shock - from Foster & Smith or any online pet store, maybe even PetSmart. 9. Infrared-triggered noise maker. Some are sold for this, but one of those cheap infrared doorbells or buzzers from Amazon that little shops use instead of a bell on the door will only cost $5-$10 & is good enough for most cats. Will also alert you to bad behavior so you can squirt kitty if noise doesn't do the trick. Soak some corn starch in Bitter Apple, Bitter Lime, Fooey (best) or other bitter product. Let dry. INSIDE A SEALED BAG, break it back into powder. Put 1/4" corn starch on soil surface & top with thin layer of horrible, bitter powder. When cat disturbs powder, bitterness gets in mouth & nose & (s)he will never go back. Save this as absolute last resort because it is unspeakably horrible. It works, but you can't avoid enjoying a bit of it yourself while making and cleaning it up, and when the cat disturbs it and later tracks it around the house. Every now & then some tiny bit will waft up from somewhere and you'll be gagging and spitting for half an hour. Your cat might also not want to bathe itself when it gets the horrible, bitter crap in its fur. Trust me, every other option is better than this one. For details, more help, or more ideas, email me through the site.

I have the same problem with my cat he's 1 and half years old and eats excessively. He has been wormed and has nothing wrong with him. Ever since I got him he has always scoffed his food he eats it so fast that he throws up and then eats his throw up. He will growl if you get close to him when he eats and we have to put him in a seperate room because he will steal our other cats food. Lately he has been jumping the fence and eating the neighbours cats food which is for 4 cats and he eats it all. He growls at the other cats eats all the food and comes home hungry. I read an article that he could be eating out of Bordem but I'm not sure you could be playing with and if he smelt food he would go for it every time. Can anybody shed some light on why he is so hungry and does anyone else have this problem.

Alexis, it can be so frustrating when a vet can't diagnose a problem. Did he run any bloodwork or do abdominal xrays? Did he at least administer fluids (assuming your boy is dehydrated from not drinking or eating much for the last few days)? Food and water are the most important things for your boy right now, and A/D gruel or baby food are a good way to provide both. Just make sure the baby food doesn't contain any onion or garlic. Check the labels and make sure they contain ONLY meat and nothing else. Syringe feeding can be made somewhat easier by warming a bath towel in the dryer, then wrapping your cat snugly in it to prevent him from clawing you, and placing him between your legs as you kneel on the floor. You can even use large diaper pins to pin the towel together so that he can't squirm out of it. That'll free up both of your hands to do the syringe feeding. NEVER EVER shoot anything down a cat's throat. The only safe way to syringe food is to place the tip of the syringe in the side of the mouth at the corner of the lips and slowly drizzle food onto the tongue, NEVER straight back toward his throat. This is necessary to give him time to swallow properly so that he doesn't aspirate the food into his lungs. There are tips and tricks at the link I am providing below for convincing an inappetant cat to eat. That link also provides links to the assist feeding website and assist feeding mailing list, both of which can be extremely helpful to you. Always give your cat the option of eating on his own before you syringe feed. The goal is to get him eating on his own again as quickly as possible. If you have to continue to syringe feed for a while and you want to give him more food variety, you can get most canned cats foods smooth enough to go through a syringe by running them through your kitchen blender at high speed with a little hot water added. Since hydration is critical for an ailing cat, put more water bowls around your house and keep them very fresh. If your cat likes to drink out of a dripping faucet or likes to lick water from around the bathtub drain, make those water sources available to him, too. If your vet suspects an infection, then antibiotics are advisable, but they may cause additional problems with your cat's appetite. Unfortunately, some antibiotics can make some cats nauseous. If your boy starts vomiting or develops diarrhea, ask your vet for a different antibiotic. I hope your cat's appetite improves quickly. Please keep us updated on his progress. Laurie Here is a link that might be useful: Persuading a cat to eat