Am I Encouraging Barkley's Bad Behavior?

As some of you know I am having problems with my little man Barkley in reference to his behavioral issues. Most nights he keeps me and my other cat Petunia up at odd hours of the night because he is tearing through the house, knocking stuff over, ferociously scratching at any and everything other than his scratching post and yelling at the top of his lungs (excessive meowing, whining, crying, etc). Thankfully Petunia doesnt act the same way or I would have torn my hair out ages ago.

I have noticed that Barkley normally will act up in an attempt to get me out of bed to feed him and most times I do just to shut him up for awhile and calm him down. This was working for awhile but now once he is fed he goes right back to the bad behavior and Im wondering if I am the cause of it all. I say this because Im wondering if maybe I have negatively reinforced the bad behavior through all those times I actually woke up and fed him when he was acting out to get his way. I no longer do this and eventually he will get the hint that his behavior will not be rewarded with food so he will settle down for awhile, only to re-emerge later on ten times worse.

I have since consulted with his vet and it was suggested that I try Barkley out on Amitriptyline to see if it calms him down and makes him less of a nuisance, especially during the night when I have to awaken quite early for work.

What do you fellow cat enthusiasts think about this?

I am a very tolerant cat owner, but there is one thing I would never ever do, and that is feed the cats right when I wake up, or even soon after.

How old is this cat?
Do you exercise him at all in the evenings and then feed him immediately before you go to bed?

IMO drugs are a very extreme measure- can you not keep him in a safe room with litter, food, and water overnight?

Personally, I don't think I'd resort to drugs for a cat who's just having fun. I used amitriptaline on my dog, but that was to combat anxiety.

I think you need to first stop your own "bad" behavior in feeding him or giving him attention during the night. Give him plenty of attention and playtime before you go to bed, have a bedtime routine that he can learn so he knows when it's time to settle down, then go to bed and ignore him. Wear earplugs for a while if you need to, but *don't* cave in to him at all! Every time he gets his way, he's learning that if he tries hard enough, eventually, he'll win -- sometimes he just needs to try harder and longer than other times.

Originally Posted by Cearbhaill

I am a very tolerant cat owner, but there is one thing I would never ever do, and that is feed the cats right when I wake up, or even soon after.

How old is this cat?
Do you exercise him at all in the evenings and then feed him immediately before you go to bed?

IMO drugs are a very extreme measure- can you not keep him in a safe room with litter, food, and water overnight?

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As far as feeding them in the morning when I wake up, this is not always the case. I feed them when I wake up on the mornings when I have to work only.

Barkley is three years old . Yes I have tried the feeding at night time after playing. This was first recommended by the vet, worked for awhile and then it stopped working.

I live in a one bedroom apartment, there are no other rooms in which to place him in. Believe me, I have discussed this before with the vet and the decision to place him on this medication was a last resort.

Originally Posted by Deanne

Personally, I don't think I'd resort to drugs for a cat who's just having fun. I used amitriptaline on my dog, but that was to combat anxiety.

I think you need to first stop your own "bad" behavior in feeding him or giving him attention during the night. Give him plenty of attention and playtime before you go to bed, have a bedtime routine that he can learn so he knows when it's time to settle down, then go to bed and ignore him. Wear earplugs for a while if you need to, but *don't* cave in to him at all! Every time he gets his way, he's learning that if he tries hard enough, eventually, he'll win -- sometimes he just needs to try harder and longer than other times.

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I understand everything you are saying but his behavior has gone far beyond having fun. I have discussed all this with his vet. I have stopped my "bad" behavior and do not give him attention at night as I am sleeping up until the time he begins to act up. But in his defense when he is ignored there are times when he will simply give up and go lay down somewhere. Im also concerned about his behavior now because it is starting to get to Petunia as well. She is the quieter of the two and more serene. She understands that as soon as mommy turns the lights out it's bedtime, and she climbs up on the bed, curls up next to me and goes to sleep. Neither of them are fed at night time anymore right before bed but about a half hour after I get home each night.

Playtime is the same time every night, it tires Petunia out but Barkley seems to become energized from all the playing instead of the other way around.