I'm about to have a baby in a couple of weeks and I wanted to get the cat used to not being allowed in the bedroom at night for saftey purposes but he is tearing up the carpet around the closed door. What can I do to stop this behavior?
2007-03-28 03:45:40 · 10 answers · asked by Jessica T 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
You just have a stubborn, determinded kitty! He is used to going in your room and now he can't so he trying to figure out a way in (by digging his way through). Don't be too mad, he just wants to be with you, and wants to know what's going on in there.
I would get a thin, hard plastic sheet that is the width of the door and that will slide under the door so it is on both sides of the door (just in front of the door won't work because he will drag it away from the door) so when he try to dig to China he is not ruining the carpet. Then I would get a spray bottle and when he starts doing it open the door, say "I told you NO!" firmly, them lightly spray him. It may take some patience and a few times of doing it but he will finally get it,
Cats are creatures of habit and have no reasoning ability. They associate things with things (like can opener associates with food, etc.). Eventually, he associate No! and a closed door with getting sprayed with water, and will stop. Some cats are more mule headed than others and take more time to catch on. Also you can get him a new place he would like to be. Like get him a new fleece cat bed that you rubbed with catnip. And when the baby comes, don't ignore him, he can get jealous, and do destructive things for attention. I know some people will have a horror fit, but when my daughter was a baby, the cat slept in the crib with her, and there were no problems with anything. She was happy, healthy, and she loves cats. But of course it depends on the temperment of the cat too.
2007-03-28 04:23:17 · answer #1 · answered by Mama_Kat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had a cat that used to do that. If I closed my bedroom door at night, he would dig at it until someone was opened. His favorite place to sleep was next to my head - we shared the pillow. I tried not to close the door, but sometimes people would still be awake downstairs - light/noise bothers me when attempting to sleep - so I'd have to shut it.
I don't really know how you'd fix the problem because I just simply started keeping my door open just a tad. He learned how to push it open more if he wanted to come in. Maybe try gradually shutting doors so that he can get used to it. If the cat has had the run of the house, he might be put off that once accessable areas are now closed off to him.
Just so you know, the cat won't hurt the baby. They are curious by nature, so will want to check out the new arrival, but I wouldn't worry. A friend of mine had a baby a few months ago and have a cat. They put up the crib about 2 months early and the cat, at first, liked to lay in it. Once it got to be just a random piece of furniture like any other they had, it lost it's appeal and he doesn't do it anymore - just in time for the baby to arrive.
2007-03-28 04:10:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cats used to do this. It's like it's their way of trying to open the door, by scratching the carpet around it.
Get a SuperScratcher cat toy. It looks like a long, narrow box full of cardboard. Keep one at the base of each door she's been scratching near. This will let her get the scratching urge out, and will also be a more satisfying scratch than carpet. Whenever she gets at the carpet, say NO then place her on the scratcher box. She'll learn very quickly to scratch the box instead.
Also, make sure you secure any lose sections of carpet and trim any strings so she doesn't have anything to grab on to.
2007-03-28 04:14:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mine does that too.!
I can hear her doing that!!!
So what I did is I left the door slightly opened.
Small enough so as her head can't get in.
The first few nites she tried to get in. But gave up after a long while.
Then it get shorter and now I still do the same.
but she get the message.
Make sure you talk to her and explained to your cat.
Tell her to stop doing and go to sleep.
Firm with kindness ..!
Remember kitty cat is also your baby.!
Love her before going to bed.!!
And do explain about your new baby so as not to let her feel insecure and left out.
Kitty is also part of your family.
You must not neglect him after your own baby comes around.
Good Luck..!!!
And congratuation.!!!
2007-03-28 04:04:17 · answer #4 · answered by Kiki 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You could get a scratching post and show the cat how to use it. Squirt it with water when it scratches at the door and tell it "no!"
2007-03-28 03:51:42 · answer #5 · answered by not too creative 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing you can try is a spray for training pets, spray it around the edge of the carpet and anything else. It works for me, you may have spray every so often, but you may find it works well. You can find it at most pet supply stores, I found mine at Wal-Mart.
2007-03-28 03:52:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your local pet store should have a tape that is sticky on both sides. this tape is designed to keep cats from scratching furniture. I used it in the areas I did not want my cat to scratch and it broke her of it. they don't like the feel of it on their paws. It is very cheap or just use double stick tape.
2007-03-28 03:54:34 · answer #7 · answered by Darlin1_66 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We used to have this problem too. We put a piece of a plastic mat under the door.
2007-03-28 13:44:39 · answer #8 · answered by Tatem 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get a scratching post.lol
2007-03-28 03:50:07 · answer #9 · answered by joeyssharpshooter 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Easiest solution is to get the cat declawed, front claws only.
2007-03-28 03:53:38 · answer #10 · answered by Jolly 7 · 0⤊ 7⤋