My cat is driving me up the wall . Help please

AnnieGleave1

Hello does anyone have any tips on how to stop cats scratching the sofas
Advice much appreciated

We bought wide, double sided sticky tape and put it on the bits the cat likes to scratch. It does work to some extent.

One of my previous cats was the same when she got older. She had Hyperthyroidism and kidney failure, both of which were treated by the vet, but the vet said he thought she had dementia too. She used to wake me 6 times every night, not needing anything. She lived to be 18.

You could either confine her to downstairs rooms at night, or perhaps you could sleep with earplugs in. I tried Feliway for the cat, but it didn't make any difference. You may have to just try to live with it, difficult as it is.

This does sound like a variety of issues. Dribbling could be teeth related, loud meowing could be dementia, and there could also be a thyroid problem.

16 is a good age for a cat, and its only to be expected that age related problems could be creeping up now.

Mumski
I don’t want to sound alarmist but your describing the behaviour of one of my cats ( particularly the food thing)
She had cancer in her jaw. The vet operated but we told him to make the decision whether to wake her up.
She never woke up. She was 18.

Part of the arm of my armchair is down to the wood
I've been hoovering up the stuffing over the weeks.

My almost 3 year old cat is full of beans and when the warm weather comes, she's up around 5/6am meowing and trying to knock things off the cabinet, walking on me and scratching the curtains. It's annoying but she normally just wants to go out. If it's not a medical issue, you could try ignoring her completely as they get bored. I tow the line when mine claws my good curtains! ?? (And she knows it!!) To the poor person who has a cat that scratches the sofa... I feel your frustration as my cat has ruined my beautiful wool and leather mix armchair and the underside of my not-2-year-old sofa! She actually made holes underneath and got in the sofa!!! Well, does your cat scratch horizontally or vertically? The former: a cardboard chunky block online, which mine uses. The latter: a scratching post. Reward for scratching the correct thing, with a big fuss! Unfortunately, mine has learnt that scratching gets my attention so best leave the room or (some people may disagree) spray with a little water. It's harmless. I also found that mine doesn't like Neutradol so I have been known to tactically place one where she's most caused a nuisance!!!!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202105/medium-388419-cats.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202105/medium-644754-cat-2.jpg

My cats.

Mine have to be shut downstairs at night or they wake us up.

My female cat in particular is determined. She starts by moving around on the bed, then makes little mews, walks on me, full on yowls and on one occasion, she clawed me. That was the final straw that led up to them being banned from the bedroom at night.

Hello does anyone have any tips on how to stop cats scratching the sofas ..
advice much appreciated

Hello does anyone have any tips on how to stop cats scratching the sofas
Advice much appreciated

My vet told me that a high percentage of cats gets dementia. Yours sounds like that. In the end I could tell my cat was unhappy and she used to mew at the wall for hours. I graciously let her go.

Did you get any useful help from the vet?
Poor old thing, she's coming to you for reassurance because she's frightened and Confused and you're the one dependable thing left in her life.
I would think shutting her away in another room wouldn't help her mental state after she's become used to sleeping with you. I learned not to start this bed-sharing with my best furry friends years ago when my old cat got dementia and lost control of his bladder and bowels (which happened if they live long enough with the condition) and don't let them sleep on my bed any more (which I miss).
But it wouldn't be fair to exclude her now.
There's no solution apart from lots of cuddles and petting - and no lie-in for you as far as I can see. I wonder if one of those calming plug-ins might help or even a tranquilliser from the vet?

My cat is only three years old , I like her in at night. She sleeps in a large utility room , raised igloo bed , food , water and litter tray . She goes in happily at night eats before jumping into her bed. Door shut till morning!
I am fortunate in having the utility room and prior to the pandemic it was very useful when our friends came to visit , one of whom is really scared of cats !!!! So she knew she could relax during her visit . The utility room worked well too with our previous cat who lived to be 14. mumski a visit to the vet sounds a sensible idea , I wish you good luck.

Thank you everyone for all your good advice. Yes a trip to the vets just to get her checked out is a good idea.
It's a good thing we love them so much with all their varied little ways.

My 15 year old cat drives me mad at bedtime too. She jumps onto my pillow and then asks to come under the bedcovers. Goes under, purring, sits there for about 30 seconds then comes back out and onto the pillow. Repeat this about six times and she'll finally settle into her basket on top of the bed.

Our old boy does seem compelled to miaow and miaow to wake us up. He's quite happy once we are up and about. He's a very placid creature and absolutely no bother at all in any other way. It just seems important to him that we stick to routine in the morning.

Shut the cat downstairs

Get ear plugs

Stop shouting at her, she is 16 and needs a check over with the Vet.

Shut her downstairs during the night.
One of my cats, similar age, does this during the day. He sits pointedly by the fire then mews quietly but persistently and will not stop until I get up, usually from the table or watching TV, then I have to guess whether he wishes to go out through the front or back door, needs feeding, or wants to go upstairs for a nap. He has a perfectly good cat flap but only uses it if he thinks I am not there.

This sounds like my next door neighbours cat who's about 17, loud, can't make up her mind on food and definitely has Dementia bless her paws. Cats also seem to be living, so much longer. I lost one 2 yrs ago who was 20 she became slow but had a kidney problem but she lived a few years with it. Get the vet to give her the once over and good luck

This happened to my lovely little cat some years ago.. my vet told me that cats affected by dementia will often meow a lot more than usual, particularly at night when they feel restless and confused by the darkness etc.
He'd literally howl until I picked him up / held him.
It might be worth having your cat checked over?
I did and no physical cause was found, he was 19.

. I was wondering if your cat has always been like this or is it a new thing ? If it is new I think I would be having a chat with the vet because she might be in some sort of pain. She might need a bit of a check up.

could she have teeth problems .?..or kidney disease ? my cat done this made me scream sometimes . but then i thought it must be something ,and i use to pick him up and cuddle him till he stopped .dried biscuits? are not good for an aging cat , maybe they hurt the teeth ... a check with the vet is good ... but think its old age really . just give the cat cuddles no more shouting at it . poor cat . all that anger on one pet . wow .... i been through this too...maybe a steroid would help . could be thyroid though .. get a 2nd opinion...

Our cat is 18 and like this but she is shut downstairs at night so doesn't disturb us. She eats small amounts more frequently now as her teeth are not great and drinks a lot. She has kidney disease and pees a lot more in her litter tray now rather than outdoors. If we are outside she will sleep in her favourite flower bed. I think she probably has a touch of dementia but is not in distress just now. Our previous cat lived to an old age too but then had a stroke and had to be put down. Is the dribbling affectionate type dribbling or like she can't control it? Maybe she has a sore mouth so might be worth a trip to the vet.

If the cat behaviour was not like this it could be hyperthyroidism so needs a visit to the vet.

Agree with the above I'm afraid.