Help with a cat problem...?

Question

Every morning my cat comes in to wake me up and he scratches the bottom drawer on my desk! He has ruined this drawer and now he is trying to attack my dresser... why is he doing this and how can I stop him?

Answer 1

There are several things you'll want to address to stop this.

First, trim his claws, to reduce damage to the furniture - see this link for instructions: http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/article.htm

Make sure he has appropriate places available to scratch on - a human's idea of what cats might like to use for a scratching post and a cat's ideal scratching post sometimes differ. See this link for how to get a cat to use its scratching post:
http://www.catscratching.com

If he's really doing a lot of damage with his claws, you can try using softpaws on his claws until he learns to use only his posts.
http://www.softpaws.com

As for waking you up...

Cats are creatures of routine - you'll need to set a routine and stick to it for the best results.

Make sure to spend some time every evening before bedtime playing with him:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=playtherapyforcats
Find an interactive toy that he loves, and play with him to tire him out. Then feed him a nice meal, preferably some canned food, to make him feel satisfied and ready to sleep. The play followed by a meal will simulate the natural activity of hunting and then eating his prey.

When you get up in the morning, DON'T feed him or play with him right when you get up. Set a routine where you do something else first, like eating breakfast or brushing your teeth, then play with him & feed him. This will establish the routine in his mind that you get up at your set time, do your routine, and then he gets played with and fed - the routine is set, so his waking you up isn't what gets him what he wants.

To stop him from pestering you to get up before it's time, put your vacuum cleaner near your bed within reach & plug it in. If he starts scratching on the dresser, turn it on for a moment. The vacuum monster coming to life will stop most cats in their tracks. It shouldn't take him long to figure things out.

Good luck!

Answer 2

It's hard to say why he is doing it with out knowing a lot more about the cat. Try keeping a squirt gun or a spray water bottle next to your bed. Make sure it can reach the desk and squirt the cat when it does this and say NO! NO!.

Do you have a scratching post for the cat to use, if not get one.

Youy can also try some of the spray on " Keep away' products. Felaway is the best of them but rather expensive.

Have your vet show you how to cut your cats claws. It's not hard to do and keeping them blunt cut and short will also help.

You could also try putting double sided sticky backed tape where the cat is scratching.

Last but not least Soft Paws nail caps. These are protective plastic nail caps which can be glued on the cats nails.

Answer 3

Does he have a scratching post? Is it tall enough so that he can completely stretch out to scratch? I got cheap door mats and screwed them on to a doorframe so the whole frame was covered. My cats love it and scratch on it all the time, plus they'll climb straight up the wall if the mood suits them. So for 10 bucks I have the most amazing scratching post and my cats don't scratch on anything else. So if you get a good scratching post, every time your cat scratches on something that he's not supposed to, tell him 'NO' and take him to the scratching post. This is bad behavior that you have to nip in the bud before it's too late. Also, keep his nails cut short, or get the little cap things for them and there is a spray that you can use as well that's supposed to keep them from scratching on stuff, but I can't testify to it's effectiveness because I haven't personally used it. Good luck!

Answer 4

My three cats sleep with me - all my cats have since I was a tiny tot. When they do that they learn quickly to respond to what you say such as "No, George. Don't scratch (then I tap his front paws lightly. Lay Down. Go beddybye. Be a good boy." He now knows that being "good" gets him praise. He was horribly jealous of Oscar and Sadie when I took him in from my front porch two years ago. Oscar sleeps on my arm with one paw on my arm. Never any claws. Sophie sleeps at the bottom of the bed. George snuggles against my back. Often Oscar will put his head on one side of the pillow and I on the other side. They are very concerned that I am comfortable and never wake me or move when I get up for a snack or early breakfast. Cats are sensitive with sensitive human beings. Or, in my case, a human being who is obviously insane. "Nite Oscar, Nite Sophie, Nite George." It's all rather sick but better than having to deal with a human person. Yuck!

Answer 5

M y cat used to do the same thing, but to my lounge and if I said no and clap my hands she would fly away but next time would be with her ears back does it super quick looks at me and runs away before I do or say something- very cheeky. In the end I think it was an attention thing, she also did it when her poo box was full or couldn't get to it 'cos the door closed on her. Also after resolving that problem I talked and cuddled her more she seemed more relaxed.

Answer 6

He is
a) trying to mark his territory and get your attention
b) there's something in there- bug, rodent or some such thing

Cats have pheromones- chemicals they emit from their paws, cheeks and by urinary spray-for the purpose of giving messages to other cats. Cats look at us as their other two-legged cat pals. When they scratch, they not only exercise their paws, but also leave you a message. And out brains do not decode these pheromones, alas. So he is leaving a message that you cannot read.
If you don't want him to scratch the bureau, you need to
1) provide him with an alternative scratching surface- a carpeted post or a cardboard scratch pad- dose it with catnip periodically to keep his attraction.
2) spray it with similar facial pheromones so he'll not scratch or spray but use his cheek instead. Feliway makes a pheromone product that is $30 is but quite useful in this regard
3) keep a small bowl of dry food in the room- rwplenish it at night. He can munch on it instead of waking you. Cats are nocturnal but can be distracted.
Our kitty ritual is that every night before bed, I give them crunchies to chase, then we settle in. A bowl of fresh crunchies right outside the door suffices them to allow me to sleep in in the morning.
Of course, the mouse in the wall is driving them crazy but what can one do?

Answer 7

Spray him with a spray bottle full of water when he does it. If that doesnt work some people tap them on the nose and say no and keep moving them away from it, eventully he will catch on. Try putting a scratching post near the dresser or some other stationary cat toy and hopefully he goes to that instead.

Answer 8

I would say that your cat is getting you up because it needs something. It could want to sleep in a cozy place, as your drawer, if it;s a female, it could be looking for a place to nest. When a cat is pregnant it nests in small, warm places. My cat had her babies in a tall box. It could also be that your cat has to go to the washroom. It could be scratching to get your attentio, or get on your nerves. It could also be that you have a mice nest under your dresser, or in the wall behind the dresser..Your cat can hear it, and wants at it. Best of Luck!

Answer 9

Does he have a cat scratch pad? if not buy one it really helps. If he has one but does not use it, buy either cat nip spray or leaves and put it on the scratch pad this attracts the cat to it and will make him use it. It helped with my cats!! Good Luck

Answer 10

a need help with a stray cat she need a home