I'm turning to you guys coz you really are the experts 
My cats are usually very well behaved but today one of my (2) cats has the skills of an escapologist, for instance, today he broke into the cat food cupboard not once but every time he was left alone for a minute.
I think it's a challenge hunting game to him, he can open most doors that he can pull towards himself, he open 2 sets of curtains to jump on the window ledge, he's not allowed out at night but if he can he'll whizz out the front door as someone leaves or enters, jumps 3 fences and flies through a neighbour's side passage back over 3 fences, to the back garden (which is where he wants to go) then meow to come in the back window.
1. This cat is well fed and fed 3 X day 08:00, 12:00 and 18:00. He eats it all eventually but there are on or two pellets left. If either of the cats is actually hungry they come to tell me by climbing on me and kneading their feet on me (usually only happens first thing in the morning if I'm late to rise). Actually, I would say my other cat is the greedier of the two, this one will wait to be fed patiently in his feeding place. I think he has just found a new 'game'.
2. Someone is at home nearly everyday with him. He has a garden and the whole of the house to run play in, 3 litter trays, groomed (when allowed to) toys (and played with) etc so it's certainly not lack of attention.
3. He can not usually open the cat cupboard when closed properly because there is no side-lip to the door but he has suddenly found a way to open the draw on the top which slightly pulls open the door below.
4. Once in the cupboard, he's gashed open his favourite bags on the bottom to let all the food spill out (and we are talking about big bags).
I didn't 'discipline' him, I just told him he was a naughty boy, cleared up, closed everything then taped the draw shut (I know that won't last long, he'll scratch it off the minute he's alone again)
Please can you tell how to nip this in the bud (he can be quite habitual)? Are there any other tips from your experience? Have you had a cat like this?
My cats are usually very well behaved but today one of my (2) cats has the skills of an escapologist, for instance, today he broke into the cat food cupboard not once but every time he was left alone for a minute.
I think it's a challenge hunting game to him, he can open most doors that he can pull towards himself, he open 2 sets of curtains to jump on the window ledge, he's not allowed out at night but if he can he'll whizz out the front door as someone leaves or enters, jumps 3 fences and flies through a neighbour's side passage back over 3 fences, to the back garden (which is where he wants to go) then meow to come in the back window.
1. This cat is well fed and fed 3 X day 08:00, 12:00 and 18:00. He eats it all eventually but there are on or two pellets left. If either of the cats is actually hungry they come to tell me by climbing on me and kneading their feet on me (usually only happens first thing in the morning if I'm late to rise). Actually, I would say my other cat is the greedier of the two, this one will wait to be fed patiently in his feeding place. I think he has just found a new 'game'.
2. Someone is at home nearly everyday with him. He has a garden and the whole of the house to run play in, 3 litter trays, groomed (when allowed to) toys (and played with) etc so it's certainly not lack of attention.
3. He can not usually open the cat cupboard when closed properly because there is no side-lip to the door but he has suddenly found a way to open the draw on the top which slightly pulls open the door below.
4. Once in the cupboard, he's gashed open his favourite bags on the bottom to let all the food spill out (and we are talking about big bags).
I didn't 'discipline' him, I just told him he was a naughty boy, cleared up, closed everything then taped the draw shut (I know that won't last long, he'll scratch it off the minute he's alone again)
Please can you tell how to nip this in the bud (he can be quite habitual)? Are there any other tips from your experience? Have you had a cat like this?
To be honest, I have never managed to discipline my cats. My previous one was not allowed on the new sofa, but what she did was to simply get on it when I was out. ( I know that as every time I walked in there would be loud thump as she heard me coming. She would be standing innocently in front of the sofa, but you could see the indent her weight had left on the feather pillows!) 
ush: very cute story..
I can imagine, I have more than enough trouble with just 2
He was certainly a very good boy today 
