apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Hah! Everytime I see that video, I think, "That kitty's gonna rip the screen..."

The photo is cute. My cats never do this, though, so I have no real life experience to share. I would probably just train them not to do it. Contrary to popular belief, kitties CAN be trained! (They just don't like you knowing it.) Air horns are great for cat training....and much safer than the old spray bottle technique in this case, I imagine. Also, the spray duster you buy for computers works for cat training - after you get them used to it, you just have to make the noise through your teeth to keep kitty in line.

Then when you're not around to monitor kitty's behaviour (presuming the laptop is closed then), just put something lightweight on top. I keep picturing an erector set "sculpture" for some reason!

my new kitten decided to claw my screen recently. Thank god it's only a cheapy laptop. I think I'm going to try that air horn technique, because the damn spray bottle method doesn't work anymore. Thanks Dorianne

My cat doesn't lay on the laptop so much as right across my arms, when I'm trying to use the laptop. It's a good thing he's so cute...

Oh and as to your question maybe you should sprinkle some cinnamon on it!

I haven't had a problem with the cats laying on the laptop - just trying to swat the screen or rub their face on the corner, when it's open. We do have problems keeping them off the monitor of my old desktop. We use three methods: spray bottle - I pretty much just have to show it to them to get them to move. Or the spray duster as Dorianne mentioned. The third option is that I make a much more appealing place to lay closeby - either in the other office chair, or in a basket of laundry, or a nice, fresh piece of brown or wrapping paper on the floor. Just make sure to smooth it out and act as though it's really important paper the cats should not touch. Then it turns into a cat magnet.

Good suggestion, hs!

For the last several years, my father has kept in a corner of his living room a small cardboard box that never got disposed of one Christmas because the cat claimed it. Every so often he puts fresh, crinkly tissue paper in it and she still loves it.

Haha, hs you just made me laugh too much. I'll have to dream up some creative "diversions."

the first time i left my new macbook pro open, my kitten not only clawed the bottom left of the screen, but he chewed four keys right off and in half. there's a guy on ebay who's made a small fortune off of my kitten's appreciation for gunmetal. now i'm in the habit always closing my screen all but an inch when i'm not using it.

when i am not using the laptop, i close it half-way so the cat(s) can lie neither on the keyboard nor on the top.

which doesn't solve how to keep them from walking across the keys while i am using it or, brazen things, just standing on it. the solution to that is to pay more attention to them and less to the machine.

Simple. Get a dog. ;)

I also close my lid most of the way when I'm not around, but when I am there I keep cat hair away by using the iSkin ProTouch Keyboard cover seen here http://www.iskin.com/protouchmb/index.tpl?cart=1184961157530793

You're welcome, chusmabilly! I hope it works for you...

coquidesign, i, too got an iskin protouch keyboard cover. the only thing i don't like about it is the fact that they lit keys are more difficult to see through the plastic, which seems to reflect the glare of the display. it does, however, definitely keep away my kitten's teeth!

CAT-LIKE TYPING DETECTED