Cat Scratching my bedroom door at 5am!!?

Question

Hello everyone

I was wondering whether any of you knew how to deter my cat from scratching my bedroom door at 5am everyday. I've tried those sticky strips on my door but he's not bothered by them. I've also tried keeping my door open but he makes so much noise that I can't sleep!! I also live in a flat and so can't keep him downstairs or out in the garden overnight.

He's 10 months old now and I've run out of ideas.....

Any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks :)

Answer 1

Leave plenty of dry food out for him before you go to bed. And when you leave the door open, put some soft toys with catnip in them on the floor for him to play with. If you can leave a screened window open enough for him to get into, he'll probably hop up there and look out
Hope some of this helps. They're adorable little critters but they can be a pain in the butt, too.
Good luck to you both.

Answer 2

I also have an indoor cat, who had a terrible habit of doing this. (mind you it was usually closer to 7am so not quite as bad). Try to get him used to your body clock. If there are curtains open around the flat - keep them closed so maybe the sun won't trigger her 'awake' button. I tried leaving a feeder on timer so she could get her own breakfast, but she still wanted to come in for attention.

Eventually I gave in and just let her sleep in the room with me. She knows that she'll get no attention from me until I'm up and about, so she usually just waits patiently on the bed or on the windowsill until I get up!

Anyway, hope that's of some help, but if you've had a cat before, you'll already know this, and if it's your first, your starting to find out - the cat trains YOU, not vice versa!! But they are so worth it!

Good Luck.

Answer 3

I have trained my cats not to wake me early in the morning. I keep them in my bedroom when I sleep. I feed them a little "mid-night" snack before I go to bed and turn off the lights. In the beginning, they used to wake up and make a raucous and I would wake up and go "shushhhh" or "psssttt." My youngest cat (1 yr old) needed the "psssttt" of an air deodorizer/freshner in order to stop whatever he was doing and go hide under the bed. I just did this consistently every time they wake me. After about a week, they learnt not to. Now, when I go to bed, they come and curl up with me. If they wake in the middle of the night, they just go sit by the window and watch whatever is going on outside. They now both know what time I normally get up. I swear they have an inner clock becuase if I sleep in half an hour pass that partical time, the eldest cat will gently paw at my face and meow as soon as I open one eye.

Answer 4

DOUBLE-SIDED CARPET TAPE!!!! Its the only thing that worked for my cat. Its much stronger than those rip-off Sticky Paws things sold at the petstores. I cut a piece of cardboard to about a foot high and the length of the bottom of the door and tacked it up there with thumbtacks, and covered it with carpet tape. It only took her literally getting her front paws stuck one time for her to stop that behavior. I know it sounds cruel, but I couldnt sleep either and it was making me crazy too. Use as much cardboard as you need, cover the entire bottom half of the door with the stuff, just dont directly apply the tape to your door, its really strong stuff and will not come off. It wont look great, but it wont have to be up there forever. Just think, some day, years from now, you can look back at your life with your cat and say, "remember when he used to scratch my door?"

Answer 5

Has he been neutered? Thats a good start and if it persists try clapping your hands to let him know what he is doing is wrong. A loud noise anything like that. I think the reason he is doing this is because he wants out to play, explore, just get sum fresh air. Cats are nocturnal creatures and he is a bit young to be out but thats all he wants i'd say

Answer 6

I have the same problem. What my husband and I do is to try and ignore the cats and they start getting the idea that they are not to do it. They like to do it more on the weekends then any other time as we do not get up as early. they are scratching at the door because they want and need you. our cats do it because they want their tuna in the morning and can not wait till we get up. also they are starting to hear the birds chirping outside and they want us to open the windows so they yell at the birds.

Answer 7

Do you make contact with him when he does this? i.e. shout at him, throw stuff at him go to him etc. If the answer is yes then this is why he is doing it. He has learnt that he gets your attention by doing it.

If you can manage to ignore him for a few nights he should realise / learn that he can not get what he wants. It is difficult to do i know, I did it with my cat when he meowed at about 5am everyday, he doesn't do it any more because we started ignoring him.

If not, try playing with him last thing at night to make him tired. Not sure if this would work though.

Good luck :)

Answer 8

hey,

i can suggest a few ideas but do not ignore it as the problem might not go away,

lock the cat in your kitchen and make sure he has biscuits and fresh water available just before you go to bed,

your cat might get lonely and with your door being closed could be why he scratches at it.

get another cat

is your cat an indoor cat or do you let it outside of your flat? as it might need toilet?

let him sleep with you,

if not get a spray gun and spray him with water!

Answer 9

Why is he scratching? To go out to the toilet? To sharpen his claws? To get your attention by waking you up? Get him a scratching post. To stop him pick him up and lock him in his basket in the bathroom until you get up. He will soon learn that if he scratches he gets time out! or get a spray bottle fill with water and spray him from your bed. He will not like getting wet. Ask him? Animals are like people. They have reasons for why they do things. Cats can be like children. They get up before you! You have to learn to listen to them to understand. Maybe he wants to hop into your warm bed for a cuddle. Good luck!

Answer 10

1