Help! Cat with some major issues!

ottawadave

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Hi. Thanks to anyone who can maybe give some advice or help out. My guess is this is a pretty tough situation, but who knows. I have had several cats in the past, and with family/ex-girlfriends, I've dealt with many, many others. I've seen some with some strange/bad behaviour issues in the past, but none quite like this one.

My girlfriend has a cat who has some long-term issues! He is about 8 years old, and she has had him since he was a kitten basically. He was not abused or injured or anything before she got him (or since, of course). He has lived in a pretty lowkey, normal household setting his whole life. Purely as an indoor cat, never outdoors, and never with another cat. He has had to move I think 3 times in his life, from different apartments, but nothing major.

Anyways, his current problem is (and its been a problem for a while, my girlfriend has put up with it for a long time, but I thought i'd try to find out what the cat's deal is, and see if there is something that can be done to fix him)- is he does not leave her bed! Almost never! He will stay on her bed for 23.5 hrs a day, leaving only when he is fed, and I guess to go to the litter box maybe once-twice a day. That is it. You can call him, pat your leg, shake treats, make noises.. he will never come off the bed. If you go in the room and stand at the door, he will meow and meow at you, but won't come. And if you go pick him up, take him in the living room or kitchen and put him down, he will run back in to the bedroom and back up on to the bed. Every time, without fail.

And thats not all... he is absolutely obnoxious on the bed. When my girlfriend goes to bed, he is all over her all night long. He acts like he is lonely and gets no attention basically - but he does get plenty of attention and affection. But all night long, he will stay at the bottom of the bed and let her sleep for about 20 minutes, before he begins an unrelenting affection attack. He will come up and rub against your face, hand, arm, etc., give you licks, and meow and meow and meow. Non stop. You can push him back to the end of the bed, put him on the floor, tell him sternly to 'stop', etc. but it does nothing. Eventually, he will stop, and go to the end of the bed. But as soon as there is any motion at all, or if he sees your hand move, or something wakes him up, he will be back at it. This goes on ALL night. I do not know how my gf puts up with it, but she says she has dealt with it for several years and is just used to it now.

But she is always so tired, and staying over there some nights now, I mean, I get very little sleep all night, and its driving me nuts. And now I can see why my gf is tired all the time! The cat is too much!!!

Has anyone heard of something like this before? And advice on how to fix him? Thanks very much in advance!!!
Dave
 

kluchetta

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What would happen if you closed the bedroom door after you took him out of the bedroom during the day? It sounds like maybe he needs a little more exercise and stimulation. Cats DO sleep a lot, and sometimes they get their days and nights mixed up.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=130647

Go to this thread (sorry, my computer is being dumb & I can't post the hyperlink.
)

She had a similar problem and came up with a solution to get the cat to leave her alone at night. Good luck!
 

cheylink

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This is a serious condition that her cat has, I would say it is O.C.D., Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Locking the cat out will obviously only cause panic and meowing.......(I would expect). Until she can look further into solutions, behavioral therapy, I would suggest playing with him on the bed, possibly trying to taunt him off the bed on his own but not to far. A toy on a string where you can get him to jump off the bed then back on, never asking him to go past his comfort but slowly broadening his distance. At first play with him only on the bed, before bedtime for up to one hour, then try to get him to chase toy off bed after one week or a couple days if he seems very interested. Do find a toy that inspires him. My guess would be that this was something that has developed over time, has become more compulsive and is a disorder that is no ones fault.........remember that. Sometimes we need some compassion, just like her kitty. I would also say that it is awesome he leaves to eat, drink, and use the litter! Thank god the bed has not become the litter box! At the same time you don't want to encourage the behavior that supports this disorder, you don't want to punish it and cause more dependence on it.
Good luck and if this is any help and want to PM me, please feel welcome!
 

kluchetta

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Originally Posted by cheylink

This is a serious condition that her cat has, I would say it is O.C.D., Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Locking the cat out will obviously only cause panic and meowing.......(I would expect). Until she can look further into solutions, behavioral therapy, I would suggest playing with him on the bed, possibly trying to taunt him off the bed on his own but not to far. A toy on a string where you can get him to jump off the bed then back on, never asking him to go past his comfort but slowly broadening his distance. At first play with him only on the bed, before bedtime for up to one hour, then try to get him to chase toy off bed after one week or a couple days if he seems very interested. Do find a toy that inspires him. My guess would be that this was something that has developed over time, has become more compulsive and is a disorder that is nones fault.........remember that. Sometimes we need some compassion, just like her kitty. I would also say that it is awesome he leaves to eat, drink, and use the litter! Thank god the bed has not become the litter box! At the same time you don't want to encourage the behavior that supports this disorder, you don't want to punish it and cause more dependence on it.
Good luck and if this is any help and want to PM me, please feel welcome!
That's a really good idea! I like that.
 

mrjonah

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That definitely is, well, a bit neurotic isn't it? Funny how so many cats can be pretty odd - kinda like people! I don't have any words of wisdom but I hope you get some more good suggestions.
 

kittkatt

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When I first got Geronimo (as a kitten) he had "issues" too. When I would go to bed for the night, he would not leave me alone, either. He would beg for attention, and no matter how many times you put him down on the floor, he would jump right back up. I didn't mind him being there...as long as he laid down and went to sleep. He eventually outgrew his 'neediness' and would leave me alone (after a little lovin', he'd settle down), and would go to sleep: but he had to sleep right next to my head!
He is a year old now, and no longer has to sleep right next to me: but he DOES have to know where I am, 24/7. He can't stand it if I'm not in his line of vision! I can't even use the facilities unless he's allowed to follow me in the bathroom: if I don't let him in, he'll whine outside the door till I'm done. Needless to say, there are times I DON'T want him right there -
- so I let him whine. He's not too happy about it, but....

I don't have any suggestions as to how you can handle your g/f's neurotic cat. Considering the cat's age, he's probably too old to change his behavior. If your try shutting him out of the room, he'll probably just whine outside the door, which won't give you a good night's rest, either. I think some cats are just 'needy', and never outgrow it. Geronimo was never abused or anything, either; he's just a big baby!


You are not alone!!

KittKatt
 
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