Constantly misbehaving cat lately

[blazewind]

Of course all cats will misbehave from time to time.  It seem they are a bit like small furry children, in that regard, lol.  But mine has been just downright naughty with increasing frequency these last few days.  I've stopped her from scratching at the back of my vinyl chair in front of my computer desk, at least a hundred times this week.  A few little scratch marks in furniture it seems just comes with the territory, but I am seeing first hand just how capable my otherwise adorable little fuzzball is of potentially destroying a piece of furniture.  

I've been baffled too as to what exactly to do about her at night.  If I go to bed and bring her with me into the bedroom, she constantly jumps onto a dresser and repeated jumps at a big mirror, seeming to attack it with her claws.  I think her reflection probably gets her attention and she tries to interact with the "other cat" or something.  Sh sees me get back out of bed and that's all it takes for her to give it up and jump down.  But she's right back at it again and again.  I've been leaving her out of the room and shutting the door because of this problem, but now this morning she's started to claw up the carpet under my bedroom door.  My apartment building is pet friendly, but I am renting and a damaged carpet is the last thing I need.

If I could only solve just these few problems we'd be doing great over here.  But I'm worried this behavior is going to only get worse.  I'm concerned I just don't know how to train my cat of something, because no matter how  many times I try to stop her, she's at it all again and again.  I don't really like the idea of having a cat declawed ether.  If she won't stop trying to total the carpet I'm not even sure how I can keep her here.  Any help anyone has for me would be most appreciated.

 

[vball91]

How old is she? Does she have acceptable scratching area like a scratching post or pad or both? Some cats prefer vertical scratching surfaces and others horizontal. You can also try Soft Paws/Claws until she is trained to acceptable surfaces. Please do not declaw. This is a serious surgery which can lead to health and behavior issues later in life. There are very good reasons why it is illegal in many countries.

Also, I wonder if she is bored? Do you play with her, with a wand toy or laser, something interactive that will really get her running around and tired?

 

[di and bob]

The first thing I would do is cover that mirror with a sheet or towel, use masking tape if necessary. Or you could put tin foil or something she would NOT like to land on when she jumps up on your dresser until she learns not to jump up there. Then, redirect her clawing to a corrugated cardboard 'scratcher' you can get at a pet store or Walmart, they can't resist them and seem to actually prefer them to furniture. I can hear mine using those in the middle of the night, so at least they are not clawing my furniture! They do sell cat repellent sprays you might try on your chair or apply some double sided tape for a while, they HATE that!  Good luck and I pray you find a solution.

 

[lamiatron]

How old is she? Does she have acceptable scratching area like a scratching post or pad or both? Some cats prefer vertical scratching surfaces and others horizontal. You can also try Soft Paws/Claws until she is trained to acceptable surfaces. Please do not declaw. This is a serious surgery which can lead to health and behavior issues later in life. There are very good reasons why it is illegal in many countries.

Also, I wonder if she is bored? Do you play with her, with a wand toy or laser, something interactive that will really get her running around and tired?

agree with everything @vball91  said

please don't declaw kitty. you'd be removing knuckle and bone. its not just the claw. its like someone removing that first tip part of all your fingers. 

claw caps have worked wonderfully for a lot of people. also maybe try to clip her claws if you're worried about damage from scratches.

and also, how old is she? between 6-9 months, maybe even 10, cats are in their teenage phase. they're very rebellious and SUPER hyper. maybe invest in some calming or melatonin treats to give to kitty before bedtime (can be found at petco)

 

[heavenskitty]

Im also renting and iv come to terms that I will have to pay for carpet..my cats have shreaded a little part of the sliding door entrance and the edge of the wall in my kitchen..I have tried everything. .but I would never think of de clawing them.
Im going to buy a spray the vet told me about. Hopefully it will work. You should look into it..you wont lose much by trying.

 

[blazewind]

She is 3. She's adopted though so I haven't had her for all that time.  She does have a scratching post that lays flat on the floor, because so far she seems to prefer scratching something that lays flat.  I might try propping it against a wall though to see what happens.  She uses it all the time, but I might get a second one, with a different texture.  Maybe she's just looking to scratch something that feels a little different.  Hmmm... I thought myself that she may be bored.  But she has a good number of toys (and ignores half of them, lol.)  I play with her often.  She's actually afraid of laser pointers, oddly enough.  I had one for us to play with and every single time I brought it out thinking she would play, she took right off and hid.  I'd find her under the sofa at least an hour later.  Because she's adopted, I have no idea if maybe she was somehow mistreated with one in her previous house or what, but it;s just not something she enjoyed at all.  Her favorite thing to play with, is of all things a long colored shoelace (I've cut the ends off for safety reasons of course.)  She loves to pounce on it repeatedly while I drag it across the floor.  We also play with her kitty feather toys on a little plastic stick.  I'm always on the hunt for new toys she might like as well, and of course things I can play with her with.

I agree about not declawing.  It's legal in Canada and many cats here are declawed, but I've never agreed with it.  Cats have claws for a reason.  My cat is certainly keeping every one of hers.  Soft Paws?  Sorry  but I haven't heard of this before.  Maybe I've just don't know the brand name or something, but what exactly is Soft paws?          

 

[lamiatron]

 
She is 3. She's adopted though so I haven't had her for all that time.  She does have a scratching post that lays flat on the floor, because so far she seems to prefer scratching something that lays flat.  I might try propping it against a wall though to see what happens.  She uses it all the time, but I might get a second one, with a different texture.  Maybe she's just looking to scratch something that feels a little different.  Hmmm... I thought myself that she may be bored.  But she has a good number of toys (and ignores half of them, lol.)  I play with her often.  She's actually afraid of laser pointers, oddly enough.  I had one for us to play with and every single time I brought it out thinking she would play, she took right off and hid.  I'd find her under the sofa at least an hour later.  Because she's adopted, I have no idea if maybe she was somehow mistreated with one in her previous house or what, but it;s just not something she enjoyed at all.  Her favorite thing to play with, is of all things a long colored shoelace (I've cut the ends off for safety reasons of course.)  She loves to pounce on it repeatedly while I drag it across the floor.  We also play with her kitty feather toys on a little plastic stick.  I'm always on the hunt for new toys she might like as well, and of course things I can play with her with.

I agree about not declawing.  It's legal in Canada and many cats here are declawed, but I've never agreed with it.  Cats have claws for a reason.  My cat is certainly keeping every one of hers.  Soft Paws?  Sorry  but I haven't heard of this before.  Maybe I've just don't know the brand name or something, but what exactly is Soft paws?         

http://www.softpaws.com/?gclid=CMSlrOiv77wCFTDxOgodSH4AEQ

 

[blazewind]

Sorry.  Other replies came in while I was replying to the first.  The sheep over the mirror is something I'm going to try.  In fact I was thinking of just taking it down anyway for reasons that actually have nothing to do with the cat and more to do with the layout of the room and height of the dresser.  Tin foil on top of that dresser?  You mean just take a flat sheet and put it on there, or crumple a bunch up?  I didn't know cat's didn't like to land on that.  I  have a bit roll in my cupboard from summer camping.  No harm in trying it out.  Claw caps are something else I think I'll look into picking up.  I'm sure I can get them at the local pet  store and I think she;d be okay with wearing them.