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NWR: My cat is destroying my house - HELP

I've had my sweet Java for about six months. I love him, but recently he has developed some very destructive habits. He used to do find sleeping in his cat bed or on the couch in the living room all night. Around 8 a.m. when I was about to wake up anyway, he would sit outside and meow and I'd let him in the bedroom while I got ready for work. 

In the last couple weeks, he's started clawing at the door and carpet outside my bedroom. At first it was just in the morning, but now he does it all through the night. I've let him sleep in my bedroom a few times, but it makes for an awful night's sleep because he is constantly crawling all over my face and climbing on my furniture. He's starting to wear a hole in the carpet and scrape the paint off my door. Gah! What are some good methods to train him not to do this? I've heard a variety of things, some of which sound downright mean and others which just seem silly. 

Help me, wise pet owners!

Re: NWR: My cat is destroying my house - HELP

  • My cat used to do this but to the office door (he's not allowed in there because he gets into the pens pencils etc and chews them) so we got a little motion sensor to set in front of the door that sprays a puff of air when he gets to close to it. We had it down for about 10 days and removed it after that and have not had any problems since! Good luck!
  • My cats did this when they were younger. We tried sleeping with the door closed for the same reasons as you and had the same problem with them crying/scratching all night. The only way to get them to stop was to give in. Now they both sleep on the bed with me and H and our dog (it's only slightly crowded haha). It did take some time to "train" them into actually sleeping at night and sometimes they're a little restless still but they're much better than they used to be. Cats are nocturnal so naturally they want to be more active at night. 



  • My cat used to do this but to the office door (he's not allowed in there because he gets into the pens pencils etc and chews them) so we got a little motion sensor to set in front of the door that sprays a puff of air when he gets to close to it. We had it down for about 10 days and removed it after that and have not had any problems since! Good luck!
    This sounds brilliant! Do you remember where you got it? 
  • Online from a pet supply website. It took us a little while to find it and I beleive it was about $25 but well worth it.
  • Your cat needs a LOT of pre-bedtime playtime so he's tired and ready to go to sleep.  And Scribe is right, your cat just wants to be with you.  I think the solution is to get into a routine of playing with your cat to tire him out, then let him sleep in the bedroom.  We got one of those feather toys on a string so the cats have to jump to chase it-- they love it, and then they are exhausted and don't wake us up in the middle of the night.
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    "I'm not a rude bitch.  I'm ten rude bitches in a large coat."

  • edited December 2013
    scribe95 said:
    Out of curiosity - why did you get a cat if you don't want to be around it?
    Wow, this is kind of unnecessary. I said I don't want to sleep with him. I understand many people love sleeping with their pets. I am not one of those people. I grew up with many pets and they never slept in bed with any of us. I had a dog for 14 years who was my best friend and she never slept in bed with me. I am a very light sleeper and having a pet in bed with me = an awful night's sleep every single night. I love my cat, but I will not be miserable all night and then all day so that he can sleep in bed with me. 

    I do want to be, and am, around him. I wake up early to play with him in the morning, go home at lunch to check on him and play with him, and play with him after work. Please don't make it sound like I'm an uncaring pet owner just because I won't let my cat sleep in my bed and destroy my door. 
  • scribe95 said:

    Obviously what you are doing is not enough for the cat. You are spending like eight hours a day with the cat out of 24. It wants companionship. Just to be around you - awake or not.

    I am a horribly light sleeper too. But like I said, if you work with the cat and train it over a few weeks the cat will sleep at night. It's not as hard as you are making it sound.

    I just don't understand why the only option is to let the cat sleep with me. Do you get upset by parents who work all day and then won't let their children sleep in bed with them every single night? 

    Not to sound harsh, but when I have children, I'm not going to let them sleep in my bed every night. Sure, when they have a bad dream or are scared, I will allow it, but not every night, because they need to learn to sleep in their own bed. And if I wouldn't do it with my children, I don't see why it should be expected to do it with my pet. 

    I'm genuinely curious, do you plan on letting your kids sleep in bed with you every night? 
  • I find that my cats fixate on any room that is closed off to them, especially if there are people in there.  Even if we aren't in the bedroom, but have the door closed, they will stand near it and meow.  And if I go to bed and close the door while Fi is still out in the living room, my female cat will meow until I let her in.  You might find that if you leave the door open, your cat might become much less fixated on the door.

    Let me clarify that letting the cats in the room doesn't have to mean letting them in your bed.  My cats have beds on the floor, and usually they sleep in their beds.  They might briefly get in our bed and then leave again after a few minutes.

    And let me re-emphasize the playing thing.  It sounds like you are in fact playing with your cat... just do it more.  Get the little sucker really tired.
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    "I'm not a rude bitch.  I'm ten rude bitches in a large coat."

  • We have a similar problem with one of our cats. If she is on the other side of the door-she's going to let you know her frustrations. She's not lonely either. We have another cat and they love to play. So much so, that I am sure my neighbor downstairs is all too happy to hear it. That's why we typically close them off from the room. If they are going to make noise, I would rather it be anywhere in the house than the bedroom where every ones sleeping.


    This kind of explains it.

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  • Is it week of the demon kitties? We should have Animal Planet do a TK episode of My Cat From Hell ;)
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  • He's just so darn cute! I can't ever get mad at him, even when my landlord is fining me for his mischief!

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  • He is such a cutie! 
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  • arrippaarrippa member
    Eighth Anniversary 1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited December 2013
    scribe95 said:

    Yes, our older cat has a cat bed next to our bed. She sometimes starts in bed with us but quickly goes to her cat bed to sleep in her bed. Our newer kitten likes being in the bed and sleeps until our alarm goes off.

    I have had to learn to sleep with my door open because he use to scratch at it too. Luckily, my cat has a habit of sleeping next to my bed in his cat bed.
  • arrippaarrippa member
    Eighth Anniversary 1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited December 2013
    Double post-my computer flipped out last night.
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    I know. How can I ever be mad at these babies?!
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  • It is hard to be mad at them when they are so darn cute. This one has been pooping on my bed lately.
  • afox007 said:
    Is it week of the demon kitties? We should have Animal Planet do a TK episode of My Cat From Hell ;)
    You rang?

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