Our Devon Rex, Lexx, is 1 year old. He's always been somewhat of a nuisance at night, insisting on rubbing our faces and not settling down a couple times each night. Recently, though, he's started something much more annoying and hard to ignore. He will go to a corner and start scratching the bare walls. He's done the same to close windows. Tried the sticky tape on our TV speakers and it didn't work, and he doesn't seem to be bothered by the Repel Spray, so neither of those are going to do much for the walls/windows. He's also been meowing a lot (actually, right now he's jumped on top of a tall display case and is reaching up into the corner of the wall, scratching, and meowing like there's something up there he wants). The people upstairs have a rabbit, but it's in the other room. Any ideas on what's his deal or what to do? I can't sleep at night (and he cries incessantly if we lock him out, plus that leaves our other 2 cats either stuck in or out of our room.
Thanks!
P
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Scratches walls and closed windows at night...
Replies (4)
Has the cat been neutered? If not this is the first step toward ending the night-time crazies.
This is the time of year when many cats become restless and want to go outside - even if they've been indoors for years. I'm going though much the same thing with my cat!
He may be hearing the rabbit scrambling around upstairs too.
Anyhow, try a vigorous play session right before bedtime. Also get a Comfort Zone plug-in with Feliway and see if that helps calm him. Rub a drop of Rescue Remedy on his ear tips too.
If the behavior continues you will have to gird yourself to try to change it by putting him in a carrier or a cage for a brief time out whenever he disturbs your rest. He will howl of course, but you'll have to just try to cope with that. Eventually he'll get the message!
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Make sure you don't have a outside night time visitors that are causing you're cat to be upset. I had to invest in a sprinkler called "The Scarecrow" which is motion activated and works day or night and gives of a 3 seconds water blast to help get rid of nightime visitors to my property. My cat was going crazy in the windows and howling too and then we spotted why with a male visitor outside. Best price was at Froogle.com.
Good Luck
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Thank you both for your help. Yes, he is neutered. We do have cats who come around, but that's been going on for awhile and this scratching thing just started. It's funny you mention engaging him in heavy playtime before bed because I've just started doing that maybe 4 days ago and it seems to have helped a little. I'll have to check out the plug and the drops, too, next chance I get to go to the pet store. Oh, and that sprinkler thing sounds awesome! Thanks again!
Regarding the sprinkler thingy..LOL called the Scare Crow I have personally been using it for about a month and it has worked out great! The sensitivity and range it senses movement is quite a distance. I have not seen any activity of cats in the yard since then and my Lily who was really watching the yard lately has chilled out like she doesn't see any activity back there anymore either.
So I would strongly recommend the sprinkler I've heard that other folks have used it for various unwanted critter behavior. Found it a froggle.com for the best price.
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