Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch...

Can anyone help me? My husband and I sleep with our door closed at night. My older cat, Giz has never had an issue with this.

HOWEVER ...

My younger kitten, Tigger will sit outside our door and scratch constantly. We'll be almost asleep and scratch, scratch, scratch... One of us will get up and shoo him away. An hour later scratch, scratch, scratch... We have tried the squirt bottle technique to some success. Now when he scratches and we get up, he's halfway down the hall by the time we open the door. It's like a game to him!

We've also tried the "ignore him and he'll stop" technique. Nope - it just makes him more persistent!

Any ideas on what we can do?

If there is no compelling reason to keep the cats out of your bedroom at night, just keep the door open. Tigger is most likely lonely for you. I love having my cats snuggle with me at night. At least you haven't gotten- yet- the "body being hurled repeatedly against the door since the humans are apparently too deaf to hear the scratching" moves, followed by the "guess the doorknob needs to be whacked reapeatedly" with the soulful, loud meowing to help you know for sure that the cat wants in. We had that for many weary nights while we had to keep two cats separated.

If you want the door shut for some reason, but that the reason is NOT to keep the cats out, you could install a pet door in the bedroom door.

I do believe that if you really don't open the door at all, not even to play the "you can't catch me with the water squirting" game, surely after a month or two the cat will just give up, after first stepping up his efforts. Earplugs might help you during this time. You can't give in at all, though, or the cat will learn that if he is just a bit more insistant for a long enough time, you will finally open the door.

Can't help you here - there are at least 3 on the bed with us at all times . Kitty snuggles are GOOD!

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I wouldn't mind having the cats in with us, but there are reasons they can't. One, I have super bad allergies. The cats don't bother me during the day - that's probably because I load up on allegy meds (I will not let my allegies keep me from having my babies!) But at night for some reason my allergies get worse. Another reason is if I let them in, it's an all night foot pouncing session or "let's see how long we can both lay on Mommy's head". Maybe that's the reason for my allergy attacks...

I looked at sprays at the store, but the only ones I saw read "can be harmful" on the lable. No thank you! I will try the sticky on the door though - I'll have to see what I can find.

Have you tried those special allergy pillow and mattress cases? If you are allergic to dust mites as well as cats, taking care of not breathing in the dust mites at night (due to the pillow and mattress casing barrier) might make it bearable to just deal with the cat allergy. Most people are allergic to more than one thing. Also, you could get a high quality air purifier. We have one and it sure makes a difference in the air. I could kick myself for not getting one years ago. I'm not allergic to cats but I am to dust mites and can breathe a lot easier now at home. I got those allergy pillow casings also, and between the two, I don't have that constant stuffed nose anymore when sleeping. I wake up able to breathe now!!!
(Oh yeah, and then the frequent vacuuming helps too, but that part doesn't make me feel like smiling.)

I ordered my air purifier and bedding casings from www.allergybuyersclub.com. Their site also has info on help for all kinds of allergies. You can also wipe down the cats weekly with a wet washcloth to help reduce dander. A full shampoo bath is not necessary. Or, you can buy the special solutions sold, such as Allerpet to wipe the cats down with. I'm not sure that they work much better than just water, though. I read a study that said distilled water was best.

Okay, I went to see an allergy specialist today! He told me that I am allergic to everything ! I mean everything! The only thing that I am safe from is mold and hamsters! Which of course means cats too!

The doctor says it won't do any good to get rid of my cats because it's like removing two grains of sand from the Sahara Desert. So I guess that's good news. However, he did say that they need to stay out of our bedroom.

Anyways, I had to vent a little bit! The scratching is getting a little bit better too so that's a good thing too.

Erica - I am sorry about your allergies, but thankful that you are such a good kitty momma you are not letting this keeep you from your babies. Also - the scratching thing~Yippee for that getting better too!

What about installing a screen at your door. That way kitty can see you and smell you and maybe calm down? Just a thought- sorry about your allergies.

I understand the allergy problem. I was so allergic that all the nurses came to look at my reaction to the cat test. I took cat in my allergy shots and that helped me to visit homes with cats.
When I got my cat, I bought a Cat Playpen-a spacious multi-level cage. I put it in a room away from my bedroom, gave her a treat ,water, soft bed, and litterbox- all on different levels- and slept peacefully. All the ideas about covers etc. are valid. Make your bedroom a no allergy zone. It will give your body 8 hours of relief. Sorta like emptying the bucket of allergens, so you can start another day with an empty bucket., good luck. donna

I also understand the "allergic to everything" thing - if it's in the air, I'm allergic. I don't really have food allergies, but that's about it. I got allergy shots when I was younger, starting in 6th grade, I think (2 shots a week, slowly moving to every-other week, then once a month) until I left for college. Those help a lot, but it is a long and arduous process. Of course, if you already got the allergy tests done, that was by far the worst thing I remember about it!

I don't know what meds you are on, but I highly recommend Zyrtec (prescription only med). It does the best of anything I have ever taken, and apparently was designed to work for indoor (pets) as well as outdoor (pollen, grass, etc.) allergens.