Attacks when I leave the room!

[surrealbutnice]

So I have a darling cat named Ben who's a little over a year old. He's recently gotten into the habit of following and attacking me when I try to leave my living room and go into my bedroom (usually at night when I'm going to bed but he's done it a couple of times during the day as well). He's declawed on his front paws, but he's MORE THAN competent at biting and kangaroo-kicking with the back ones. If I try to outrun him (and who am I kidding, I can't), he'll maul my feet. If I try to keep my front towards him and back away towards my room he does the same thing, but usually manages to make it up to my arms (which are starting to make me look like I'm suicidal). I tried hissing and tellin him no in a firm voice, but he doesn't give a crap and ignores it. However, he's a total sweetheart the rest of the day and very loving and playful and normal cat. I don't know where this demon comes from!

I don't let him into my bedroom when I'm trying to sleep or work because he's a big ol' attention ***** and I can't sleep or get anything done with him constantly running around trying to catch my attention. However, if I'm not sleeping or studying, he has full range of my bedroom and the rest of the apartment. And I spend at least an hour a day, usually more, letting him be a lap cat and take naps on me and petting him. He's also getting a bunch of playtime on his own with his toys but I also play with him using those dangly bird on a string things so he doesn't pounce on me. 

I'm just getting really frustrated because I don't want to have to spend every night going to bed upset and bleeding, and the little bite-mark bruises are just awful. I've tried tuckering him out before I go to bed, but the light switch is on the far wall of my living room and I have to go down a hallway to my bedroom and he just KNOWS that me walking towards it means it's go time. I've tried paying attention to him while I walk over, I've tried ignoring him, I've tried walking slow and walking fast and sprinting and throwing toys to distract him but he's hell-bent on attacking me before I go to my room! I don't know what to try next, but I need to stop bleeding over my bedsheets and having to douse my arms and feet in bactine before I go to bed. I get that this is a new game for him but I don't know how to get him to stop and what's going to discourage him or get him to not care.

(And I know that neutering reduces aggressive behavior and he was neutered at least 8 months ago and this only cropped up about 2 months ago, so it's not that).

Sorry that was a long explanation but I really can't deal with this anymore and I'm getting emotional and I want to take it out on him (I don't) but like it's that level of frustration now. Like I kind of want to just kick him when he comes towards my feet and I shouldn't have to feel that way about my stupid cat!!!! HELP ME.

 

[fhicat]

When was he declawed?

 

[surrealbutnice]

Six months ago. He really didn't have a bad reaction to it afterwards once it was all healed up and the stitches fell out/dissolved. He still kneads walks around normally. I don't think there's any residual pain from it. He hops up and down on my counters without wincing or getting upset and he loves running around after toys.

 

[gothickitten]

Hmmmm one thing you can try is starting a night time ritual of giving him a cup of food which will hopefully distract him before you go to bed. After some time he will associate you going to bed with the noms and then will be waiting happily for bedtime.

My guess (and I am no expert mind you) is he has started his attacks because he knows that when you go in there (especially at night) then he isn't going to be getting your attention. My cat Cookie when she had to be in the bathroom as a kitten for her own safety would purposefully do stuff to make me stay longer in the bathroom when it was bedtime. That's when I would scoop the litter boxes so she would suddenly have to use the one I was currently scooping rather than the one that I wasn't scooping yet (we had her and her two brothers in there until they got big enough to explore the rest of the house safely), or she would look at me then stand on the edge of the food bowl with this expression that said "Haha mom, now you have to clean this up and get us more food!" She was such a brat but I love her and her antics. But I digress, it could be your cat is associating you going into the bedroom with lonely time and so he is keeping you from going in there as long as he can and in the only way he can think of.

 

[surrealbutnice]

Oh that's a good idea! I already feed him twice a day anyway, might as well just push the second bowl back to bedtime for me.

He used to be so good about not caring if I was going to bed, he'd just hop into his own bed or carrier and sleep through the night like an angel! I don't know where this is coming from lol

 

[gothickitten]

Hopefully the food distracts him enough for you to make a safe break for it! lol

 

[animal lover 16]

Another way of doing things is the trusty water bottle. Spray him a few times or till he runs off when he goes for an attack. Or for last resort get him a buddy. It might be a dominance thing too so try picking him up by scarf of his neck and stare him down till he looks away as well, and if you are up for it bit down enough for him to feel yet not hurt on the scarf of his neck and somewhat yowl/growl.

 

[jennyr]

You have received some good advice. But I would never advise using a spray bottle to punish a cat. In the long term it does not work and only serves to upset them. They will continue the bad behaviour when you are not there.

 

[animal lover 16]

Stopped the cats from climbing a Christmas tree and a lot better than hitting the cat. Sometimes they take the hits as a form of playing even if you bat at them. Cats sometimes don't understand human words, and telling a deaf cat no won't do anything, they can't hear the tone you are giving them. Yelling is also effective at times when you are there yet does not keep them off a countertop when you are not there....any behavior could continue when you aren't there. Cats are curious by nature.

 

[gothickitten]

Only problem with the water bottle is it can make the cat afraid of you rather than the water bottle

 

[mani]

Stopped the cats from climbing a Christmas tree and a lot better than hitting the cat. Sometimes they take the hits as a form of playing even if you bat at them. Cats sometimes don't understand human words, and telling a deaf cat no won't do anything, they can't hear the tone you are giving them. Yelling is also effective at times when you are there yet does not keep them off a countertop when you are not there....any behavior could continue when you aren't there. Cats are curious by nature.

Hitting cats is simply not acceptable.  It's not a matter of other forms of physical punishment being worse, and so that justifies a lesser form.  Cats simply do not respond to punishment and it will likely cause other issues.

Have a read of this article.  It has been written by people who really know their stuff:  http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

 

[animal lover 16]

My friend's cats and my own don't fear us. They are lovable to us. Yet once they see the bottle most cases they stop for it is only done to them when they know they are doing something bad that we had got onto them before. We are careful to not spray their ears by only spraying at their flanks. Again this is for cases for when the cat isn't getting your tone or still continues the act. For setting the cat down away from you and telling it no or yelling it doesn't always work.

 

[jennyr]

I have never had to resort to a spray bottle. Cats very soon learn from your tone and from being redirected to acceptable places/behaviour what they can and cannot do.