Overactive Cat?

From Berkshire, 1 post

I have an 8-month-old cat and I need help in ways that I can calm her down. At the moment she follows every move I make, meowing all the time. When I pet and stroke her, she still continues to meow (she also is purring too). At night time, she scratches at the door and desperately tries to get in, I don't really like her in my bedroom, because she doesn't relax. She is constantly walking around getting into mischief (still meowing) and I can't sleep. Last night I didn't go to sleep until 4 am! Everything that I do doesn't seem to be enough.

Any Tips?

24 posts

[QUOTED="mariawilliams"][QUOTED="mariawilliams"]I have an 8-month-old cat and I need help in ways that I can calm her down. At the moment she follows every move I make, meowing all the time. When I pet and stroke her, she still continues to meow (she also is purring too). At night time, she scratches at the door and desperately tries to get in, I don't really like her in my bedroom, because she doesn't relax. She is constantly walking around getting into mischief (still meowing) and I can't sleep. Last night I didn't go to sleep until 4 am! Everything that I do doesn't seem to be enough.

Any Tips?

Your cat sounds like a pretty normal 8-month old kitten. The meowing is probably because she likes to talk. Some cats do. Siamese cats are notorious for it.

If she seems to need constant attention, she may be bored. Try getting her some toys, or even another cat (maybe a few months younger, but be careful when introducing a new cat, that's a whole other set of tips) to keep her occupied if she's driving you crazy. Our cats like those little brightly coloured balls you can buy in Tescos that have a jingly ball inside them. They'll chase them around for hours.

You really need to take control. If you can't play with her, then don't. She'll soon learn when she can and cannot approach you for play.

As far as the bedroom thing, I'm afraid cats just don't like closed doors. She will pound if she thinks you're in a room she isn't. Ours have NEVER gotten over that and we've stopped trying to keep them out of places. They did, however, learn fairly quickly that nighttime is for sleeping. If you just ignore her at nights when she's trying to play, eventually she'll get the message and settle herself down on her own bed and go to sleep. It may take 2-3 weeks but she will learn. Everytime she annoys you while you're in the bed, put her on the floor.

I'd also recommend getting a spray bottle and filling it with water. If she's very noisy at night, squirt her once or twice. She'll soon learn to stop at the mere sight of it. Eventually she'll learn not to do it at all.

We still get the occasional nighttime demand for cuddles, but mostly ours now sleep at night (or go outside) and know when they can and can't get attention.

What you do need to make certain of is that you do make time to spend with her and play with her. She obviously likes spending time with you so find a game or something you can play with her (chasing a ball or playing with a string/shoelace is good) for a little while every day.

Hope this long windedness helps

From Sydney, Australia, 1 post

Hi, I have a 3 year old desexed male ragdoll cat with similar issues..mainly the night time ones. At night, we put him in the laundry, which is huge, he has food, toys, somewhere soft to sleep etc. He constantly bangs against the door and meows. I have tried leaving him out, but he constantly climbs all over my head while I sleep and obviously this is not practical. I have tried water squirting, throwing him off the bed etc thinking that eventually he will get the point but he always persists no matter what technique we try. It's really getting beyond a joke and is driving my family insane. He has had a playmate and this does not stop him, he gets plenty of affection and attention.

I really dont know what to do next..is there some kind of herbal remedy that might relax him at night time?

11 posts

Originally posted by ZekeDoll on 12 Aug 2004 2:29 AM
Hi, I have a 3 year old desexed male ragdoll cat with similar issues..mainly the night time ones. At night, we put him in the laundry, which is huge, he has food, toys, somewhere soft to sleep etc. He constantly bangs against the door and meows. I have tried leaving him out, but he constantly climbs all over my head while I sleep and obviously this is not practical. I have tried water squirting, throwing him off the bed etc thinking that eventually he will get the point but he always persists no matter what technique we try. It's really getting beyond a joke and is driving my family insane. He has had a playmate and this does not stop him, he gets plenty of affection and attention.

I really dont know what to do next..is there some kind of herbal remedy that might relax him at night time?

These are the things that cats do. If your cat is a kitten, you just need to bear with it, ignore him when he wakes you up and throw him out of bed. He will eventually get bored of it. And he will grow out of it, to a degree.

Ours are nearly 3 years old now and they go through phases. Generally they either sleep through the night or go outside (via catflap). If they're going to bother us now it's usually right around dawn, or, at the weekend, at the time when they'd normally be fed during the week. I find either giving them some food and then going back to bed or giving them a quick cuddle does the trick, cats are happy, and I usually get a purr and a lick for my trouble.

If you have kittens, though, they're going to be boisterous and cats are nocturnal creatures so they are going to be boisterous at night. They will calm down as they get older and more mature and will stop making so much noise at night.

As for not wanting to be locked in the laundry room, would you like being treated that way? Cats hate closed doors, especially when they're on one side and their people are on the other. Give up on that one cause they will never stop banging on that door as long as they get locked in.

1 post

I have a cat around 8-9 months. She is going threw a weird stage. When I first got her when she was a couple wks old she was all nice and loved everyone. Now, she hides and runs away from me. She hides under the bed almost all of the day and only comes out to eat and use the litter box. What should I do..? Will getting her fixed help her calm down and start coming around more or what? Also, when I try and pet her she never purrs anymore..so.. any help I would REALLY appreciate it a lot thanks

3 posts

Originally posted by babyblue513 on 13 Jun 2005 6:44 AM
I have a cat around 8-9 months. She is going threw a weird stage. When I first got her when she was a couple wks old she was all nice and loved everyone. Now, she hides and runs away from me. She hides under the bed almost all of the day and only comes out to eat and use the litter box. What should I do..? Will getting her fixed help her calm down and start coming around more or what? Also, when I try and pet her she never purrs anymore..so.. any help I would REALLY appreciate it a lot thanks This message was put up several months ago so hopefully you have sorted your problem out. Behavioural issues are not easy to solve in one message but there is a product readily available that can hepl with nervous/stressed cats called feliway, available over the counter from vets. Its comes as a plug in or spray (the plug in is less effort!) Its based on a pheromone the cat releases to reassure themselves (the one they release when they are rubbing their face on furniture) Its not going t be a complete cure but can contribute to a variety of stress related behavioural issues

1 post

Please know that your cat was too young to be away from its mother if it was only a coupleof weeks old! It must have been older since it knew how to use the litter box. Try acting like a mother cat to your kitten.
Number one: Yes..get him/her neutered/spayed.
Number Two: Take the cat in your lap and stroke it from the chin to the the tip of one ear. Use your fingers to simulate the long lick a mother cat gives her kittens when they are nursing. I have found this to calm even the wildest cat and it helps to bond with your kitten.
I have a very rambunctious 17 week old kitten who truly believes I'm her mom.
It's good to be the alpha cat.
You'll be closer and the cat will be easier to handle.

Also, as for the fearfulness, are there any remnants of a previous pet in your house? Is your household noisy as in boisterous kids or loud music?