How can I stop my cat from scratching me?

fay144

I have had two male kittens for around 6 months, so they are around 9 months old. They are neutered, and both go outside for an hour or so a day (no cat flap, so let them out the door when we get home from work, and they usually come back after an hour or so).

My problem occurs at night. We decided to let them into the bedroom at night, as they were scratching at the bedroom door and hall carpet. Since then, one of the cats wakes me up every night by pawing at my face and arms and won't leave me alone. His claws are out when he is doing this, so it's quite hard to just ignore him. He is usually purring, so it doesn't seem like there is anything wrong with him.

I was originally getting up to feed them at 7am, but when he is scratching me at 5.30 I often get up and feed them then to get some peace - which is probably making the problem worse.

The only ways I have found to stop him, other than feeding him, have been:
a) Wake his brother up, and then he annoys him instead, poor thing.
b) Coax him into settling down and falling asleep on top of my head (odd cat). This is quite difficult to do, takes ages, and results in him purring directly into my ear.

I tried swapping sides of the bed with my husband, which worked for a day or two, but then the cat followed me round to the other side and it was back to normal. He never scratches my husband.

I'm not really sure what to do. I'd feel bad keeping them out of the bedroom when they have been used to sleeping there. He's a very affectionate cat, and I think he maybe just gets lonely when his brother is asleep.

Any ideas?

Fay

UKTigerlily

I definitely think getting up to feed him is not a good idea, it's rewarding him for the behaviour, rather than discouraging him. Personally i'd shut him out of the bedroom & whatever you do, don't go to him if he's making any noise at all outside as he'll learn to do it to get attention, it might mean a few sleepless nights (Buy earplugs) but has to be done.

No need to feel bad keeping them out if they have all they need, water/comfortable bed etc. There is something, I think it's called Sticky Paws? that you can put on doors etc to stop them scratching, I think their paws stick to it (They can free themselves, it's not cruel) & they don't like it so stop doing it. When he learns you totally ignore him & he gets no reward (Attention) he should give up. Might take a while though.

Also, there's Feliway whhich is some sort of difuser you can plug into any wall plug, it seems to calm them. I'm not sure if that might help or not, maybe it's anxiety? And finally, try wearing him out before bed with some games! Get a routine, do you have one now? So he will learn hopefully that once you go to bed, that's it. But whatever you do, don't get up to let him back in or to reassure him etc it just gives him what he wants!

Sorry I can't be of more help, i'm no expert, but I hope someone comes along soon with some advice & good luck!

spookylukey

If it's purely for food that he's waking you up you could try setting an automatic feeder for silly 'o' clock to save you getting woken up by him. I was getting virtually no sleep with one of my cats pestering me at the crack of dawn and before it! I now set the feeder for 06:30 and it's stopped him waking me up at all during the night.

When he was a kitten he also used to wake me up at 2-3 am which wasn't for food but attention so I tried the 'supernanny' method on him and everytime he came near my face trying to 'get me' (by 'get me' I mean lay on, paw at, poke, snuggle/rub against with his head, purr ridiculously loudy right by my head) I picked him up, didn't talk to him or pet him just said 'No' firmly and put him at the end of the bed - the first night I must have done this about 80 times before he finally got the message. The next night was quite bad too but he eventually got the message and now is as good as gold.

Good luck, I know how exhausting it can be!

rita-rabbit

trim his claws!

sandy2_2

say no firmly to him and blow in his face, a short sharp puff of air. cat's don't like it, it's harmless and they soon get the message.
Don't get up and feed him, that just reinforces the message that by pawing at you he gets attention.
All this is easier said than done, as cats are just adorable when they love you.........

Milford_Cubicle

UKTigerlily wrote: »

No need to feel bad keeping them out if they have all they need, water/comfortable bed etc. There is something, I think it's called Sticky Paws? that you can put on doors etc to stop them scratching, I think their paws stick to it (They can free themselves, it's not cruel) & they don't like it so stop doing it.

Yes, they're double sided clear sticky tape strips. I have them on my living room windowsill because my 10 week old kitten got herself wrapped up in the blinds and almost strangled herself! Good job she knew to freeze until I could get her unravelled instead of thrashing around! There are a few pawprints from when she was testing the water, but she tends to avoid walking on the windowsill now, if she does it's along the very edge where the blinds don't sit.
I got them from PaH.

I don't allow my animals in the bedrooms at all, although the kitten does on occasion get herself up there during the day when I forget and leave the door open. Is there somewhere you can shut them in at night to prevent them tormenting you? For overnight/sleeping purposes, they only need somewhere as big as an airing cupboard (full length door size). As long as they have water, a litter tray and a bed, they're fine. My kitten has an entire dining room to herself, just like me having this three bed semi all to myself

McKneff

if they are scratching at the door leave them in another room,away from your bedroom so you cant hear them or they can hear you. if you have carpet anywhere that they may scratch, there is a product called Scratch No More from Kleeneze that is brilliant for stopping cats scratching at carpets.

The trick is not to restrict them in a small place.

We have been through everything you have and mor when we inheritated an adult cat which had to be completely retrained and it worked a treat.

lowis

my siamese boy does this when he wants to get under the duvet with me. i just lift the duvet, let him and he usually settles down immediately...i guess you have tried this already though...

frivolous_fay

Out six month olds are shut out of the bedroom at night (unfortunately the door doesn't shut properly so if we fail to barricade ourselves in with enough stuff, they just push it open when they feel like it... which is usually 5.30am)

There's no way they're sleeping in the bedroom until they've got past the scratchy jumpy bitey paws in the face stage. That is tolerable when we're waking up in the morning and alert enough to move away from the claw coming at your eye, but not in the middle of the night.

They get fed right before I leave for work, not before.

McKneff

rita-rabbit wrote: »

trim his claws!

please dont ever trim theire claws yourself, always get a vet to do it.:eek:

UKTigerlily

anniehanlon wrote: »

please dont ever trim theire claws yourself, always get a vet to do it.:eek:

It's perfectly safe & easy to trim a cats claws if you know how, I think most cat owners do it themselves. I'm really lucky as I live alone in that my fat !!! cat will lie on her back in my arm while I do her manicure. Talkign of which, she has to go to the Cattery on Saturday :!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so I best give her a quick trim lol