Annoying Behavior

Our cat Neko is a three year old neutered male. He has developed some annoying habits such as knocking over anything liquid and playing in it (I've already read the water bowl bumping thread). He also exhibits other annoying habits.

When we're relaxing in the evening, he pulls books off of book shelves. When we're sleeping at night, he opens cabinet doors (and they're activated to swing shut, so there's a lot of banging). If we're working on the computer, he pulls down stacks of CDs. Early in the morning before the alarm (sometimes at 1:30 or 2:30 or 4:00 or all three) he comes thudding into the bedroom and starts pulling things off the nightstand (including water--we now drink exclusively out of adult sippy cups :) ).

We got a second cat when he was nine months old, so he had one of his own kind to play with. We have toys galore, cat trees, cat tent, scratchy pads with catnip, etc. This past year we got a dog--he plays with her but complains, complains, complains and then comes back for more.

I figured he was vying for attention, but when I get up he runs away. I follow calmly and he walks into another room stops and just looks at me. I pick him up and he complains and struggles to get down. We've resorted to yelling, squirting him with a water bottle (he just licks it off and goes back to the annoying activity such as knocking bills and stamps out of our mail station and into the garbage can). I'm at my wits end and am dying for a good night of sleep. My husband threatens to get rid of him and that breaks my heart because he's really very sweet. Help me somebody.

I have a couple of cats that are like that somewhat, both male, Boo and Coco Puff. I have found that if I take the time to play w/them myself and not just let them play w/toys, it helps tremendously. I have a toy called the Cat Dancer that I play w/them and it gives them lots of exercise and thus calms them down afterwards. Also, many PTers will probably disagree w/me on this subject but I don't let my cats sleep w/me. My bed is for me. Their beds are for them. When I was allowing them in my bedroom, I never got a good night's sleep because they were always exploring and/or knocking things onto the floor. Also, there was no room for me to sleep. They have their own apartment, so to speak, in the basement, complete w/lots of cat beds, condos, toys and also their food, water and litter boxes. That's where they sleep at night w/no access to me whatsoever unless one of them is sick or just had surgery. Then, of course, s/he would sleep w/me until such time as I felt comfortable that s/he could be w/the other cats again. When I tap on the basement door and say "Roll call!", they come running. They know it's bed time. I tuck them in just like you would for kids, give each some attention, then I turn off the lights except for one and tell them that I'm going to bed and I'll see them in the morning and I say goodnight to each one. It may sound strange to you but it works for me. They've learned that there are places in the house they cannot go and there are no exceptions. The upstairs where the bedrooms are located is off limits, period. They have the rest of the house to play in and they love the enclosed patio where they sun themselves most of the day. So perhaps you can train your kitty that he's a well loved member of your household but it's your house and he has to live by your rules. I hope you get some relief. I know how frustrating it can be and I'd sure hate to see you have to rehome him. Please keep us posted and good luck. :)

Well, the beast has been unleashed. We went up to Nashville for the Southern Writers Festival for the afternoon this past Friday. When we came home, Neko (one of our indoor-only cats) was standing in the driveway puffed up like a Halloween kitty while the neighbors dogs on both sides were freaking out. Turns out we accidentally left a window open and the screen got punched out (the screen, the scratch pad and the cat were all outside) so there must have been a game of chase that ended on top of the bookcase which sits flush with the window.

Thankfully, he stuck close to the house, but now that he's had a taste of the outside, he wants more. He lows (sp?) day and night. It's driving us crazy. We decided to crate him in the living room for the night so we could get some sleep. He spent the first three hours whining. Then he wakes up and whines again at 3:30 and again at 5:30.

I'm at my wits end. I've never had a cat like this before. Before the breakout, I tried playing with him before bed and giving him a treat to mimic the kill. This helped a little, but he still wants somebody up at 3:30am. I hate crating him as punishment because he wasn't averse to the crate before this (I'd bring it out and set it up a couple of days before a vet appointment and he'd go in and sleep there.) Now I try to stuff him in there as a consequence of waking us up in the night--maybe his walnut brain will get a clue. *sigh*

I think all of this nonsense upsets Rilo more (she's the one with the halo and blue eyes in the picture). She loves Neko and follows him around like he hangs the moon. She hates to be separated from him except in the morning when she comes and sleeps on my head. Now she scratches at the door when we shut it to block out the racket--which also disrupts our sleep--we just can't win.

Help me!
--Sleep deprived in Alabama

Oh boy, that was scary! It's been my experience that if I cage my cats, then when it's vet time, I can't get them into the carrier because they equate it w/punishment. I'm so sorry you've experienced this. Can you talk to your vet about a kitty chill pill until Neko calms down a little? I have my more rambunctious cats on Clomicalm but other PTers have seen success w/Feliway plug-ins and spray, Rescue Remedy, ametryptilene or prozac, believe it or not. I know it sounds like a desperate measure to medicate him but they get it in small doses and it doesn't mean that he would need to be on it forever. Sure hope you get some relief soon. Keep us posted.

Thanks for your input Medusa, you're very helpful. I have heard of Rescue Remedy and have considered doing craniosacral bodywork on him, but he's not a real touchy-feely guy. He puts up with contact for only a couple of minutes.

Actually, I've been afraid that crating him would put him off the crate at vet time, too. However, he seems to think this crate is his and he does not protest being put in, only being locked in. One night at 3:30 when I crated him for waking me, he followed me into the living room and when I squatted down by the crate, he walked right in--I was stunned!

As a result, we are now only crating him when he wakes us. Some nights he waits until 5 minutes before the alarm, so things are calming down. My husband is convinced that the reason he wakes us and acts out is so that we can pet him while he eats. I don't do this, so I don't know where the cat got the idea that we were a full service dining experience. Weird. But I think he's right.

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Originally Posted by largeheartedgirl

I don't know where the cat got the idea that we were a full service dining experience.

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That's hilarious! My Coco Puff does the same thing, though, w/his carrier. He goes in there to sleep but if I should lock him in for a vet trip, that's a different story. I've done Reiki and Quantum Touch on my cats before, during and after a vet visit and it's helped tremendously. Good luck w/the craniosacral therapy. I'd like to hear about your success w/Neko.

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Originally Posted by largeheartedgirl

so that we can pet him while he eats.

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LOL, I always thought that this was something cats generally hated!