Pulling up the carpet and howling

Clem is our kitty, about 2 years old now. She is a very curious and destructive kitty. I was wondering if anybody had a solution to excessive clawing at carpet corners and doors. We have 4 different scratching posts around our house in different areas. We currently have an open door policy in our home because if any door or closet is closed in the house, Clem will go to town clawing up the carpet around the doors. Yesterday I caught her in the guest room tearing up carpet beside the wall, just for the fun of it? We have tried the "Soft Paws" product but took them off as she seemed miserable with them on and just ate them off anyway. Please help our poor deteriorating home! 

One other odd behavior is Clem likes to night howl. It starts about 2 minutes after we crawl into bed for the night. She will just wander around outside our door for the next 5 minutes howling. We can encourage her to come to us or we can ignore her but nothing seems to help. This has been going on for about a year. 

This is what I get for trying to take a bath with the door shut  >< 

Can I ask what the materials of the scratching posts are made of?  It could be that it irritates her paws.  So try to find posts or scratching mats that match the fiber or feel of the carpet and put them next to areas she "goes to town."  Sprinkle them with cat nip to entice her to use them instead.

Is she fixed?  If not, get her fixed asap.  It is not healthy for her to be unspayed.  Many issues with this.  If she is, it could be boredom.  Does she have toys she plays with?  Try to play with her a few minutes before bed, get her really worked up.  It's good to play with them several times a day.  15 minutes or so cycles throughout the day.  Cats as a rule do not like closed doors.  It's very upsetting to them.  Night time is NOT a safe time for cats to be outdoors.  Way too many dangers.  No time is really safe.  But if you have an enclosed yard, it can be OK. Still night time has many predators that can carry off a little cat.  Owls, hawks, etc. 

Is Clem spayed?  I was also wondering what your cat trees are made of?  Some cats prefer a horizontal space to scratch vs a vertical one.  My 2 seem to prefer the cheap cardboard scratcher I got from walmart!  I notice Noodles squats when she does scratch vertically.  One of my cats growing up liked to stretch her entire body out.  She used trees or a big carpet square we had in the garage.  It was just a remnant that had been left behind from the builders I believe.  She used to claw at my bedroom door to let me know she wanted in or out during the night.  (I wish I'd had TCS back in those days for more ideas to stop her!  She was persistent too!  I used to be able to let my cats in and out without hardly waking. lol)

So my thought is observe HOW she scratches; her body position and all.  Then see if you can modify her appropriate places to match that.  You might be able to get carpet remnants for very reasonable prices or even free.  

As for the night time meowing; I would try playing with her right before you go to bed so she is good and tired.  And then once you are in bed; ignore any meowing so you don't reinforce that meowing gets her attention.  If she seems bored you could try setting up some cat games and only bring them out at night.  I've seen a few pictures of a home made one over in Care and Grooming recently: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278647/...at-you-made-for-your-cat-instead-of-buying-it.  Post 2 in that thread is what came to mind.

Good luck!! 

Thanks for the ideas, guys

Clem is fixed and she never goes outside, she is an indoor kitty. We will try playing with her more before bed. She just loves "Da Bird" Thank you for the do it yourself cat toys. They are adorable. 

Clem has several different types of scratching posts (material and vertical/horizontal) and the thing is, she uses them all. She just likes the carpet too I guess. 

Thanks again!

It sounds like she really does enjoy carpet.  If you provide her with some pieces to scratch you might be able to train her to go to those.  For example scatter them near her favorite places; then if you catch her scratching the carpet; move her to one of those and praise her for using that.  I know with my old girl; we tried cutting one of those carpet runners with the rubber spikes on the bottom to fit around the opening of my door.  Right side up or spike side up; she'd just scratch around it.    My other cat used to paw at the door to let me know she wanted in and out.  Why the other couldn't do that is beyond me. lol 

I'm going to keep thinking.  Hopefully someone else will have more ideas and experience! 

My cat will scratch under the door (as if to tunnel under) if the door is closed. so when we close the door we put a welcome mat, something heavy enough she can't just push aside, under the door. The only thing I can think of is if there are problem areas you can try putting furniture over those areas so she doesn't have access to them anymore.