My cat and I have a great relationship. He sits and sleeps in my lap and loves to be petted. My problem is after 6 months he has decided to randomly attack me when I run my shredder. He was OK for 6 months but not now. I put him in another room at the end of the house when I shred. He's OK then. How do I stop this?
Hi Rachel
I’m pleased to hear about your bond with your feline companion.
Your cat displays redirected aggression and is most likely upset and fearful of the shredder, hence the attacks.
You are on the right track. Here are a few things to consider and try:
- Ideally, it would be best if you prevented your cat from seeing or hearing the shredder in the future.
- Place him in a quiet room with dimmed lights away from other pets or humans to calm him down after an attack.
- Avoid handling or touching him while the shredder arouses him.
- Desensitize your cat by gradually exposing him to the shredder or using a counter-conditioning approach to reward the cat. You might need the help of a cat behaviorist for this part.
- Once the cat has been desensitized, use calming classical music using the shredder.
I hope this helps a little.
All the best
Melina
Melina’s answer is pretty spot on - let him chill somewhere else when you run it. When was the last time you cleaned and oiled the blades? Im assuming never. You have to to maintain them by regularly by cleaning out the paper stuck deep in the cutters, apply a little oil to them, then briefly run the machine back and forth to make sure the oil distributes evenly. An old shredder has dull blades and the motor has to work harder to push the paper through, which increases the volume. If it’s an old machine think about replacing it if it’s within your budget.