Ouch! My hair!

[x-ta-z]

Hi all! I have a huge problem!

My kitty has the habit of waking me (much too early, btw.... don't know why she can't get used to the actual time I want to get up) in the middle of the night and starts to play with my hair.

She will crawl onto my pillow and cuddle up close to my head and face and then start chewing my hair. then she'll paw it and with it scratch my head with her claws, which really hurts.

I have semi-long, a bit curly hair (usually with a lot of styling products in it) and I really don't want her eating this stuff. I've already started washing my hair in the eve so that they are clean when she does it, but still it is annoying and it hurts.

Any advice???? A 'no' doesn't help. And if I throw her out of bed, she'll just come back after I fall asleep again

Thanks

 

[lizch6699]

Hehe, if you can't get her to stop then I would do whatever you can to make it bareable for you. Trim her nails so she doesn't scratch you. You can try to wear her out a little before bed and during the day by having her chase a toy or something, that way she may just be tierd enough to sleep through the night

 

[hissy]

First of all, please do not throw your kitty off the bed. Your kitty is responding to scent and more than likely you are using an non-organic shampoo which probably has animal renderings in it (animal fat). This can be quite an attractant to a small kitty. Switch over to an organic shampoo look for one with lemon oil in it and the harassment will stop. But again, please do not throw a kitten off the bed. You could accidently injure her

 

[sharky]

both the above are great //// me I just deal with it... of course I sleep with a cat and a dog at night..

 

[beckiboo]

I never thought of lemon scented shampoo! Garfield used to knot up dd's hair so bad at night that she now has a shorter style. And he did accidentally scratch her face once or twice.

Since she switched from the kids shampoo to the adult, it isn't such a problem, but what a great tip!

 

[x-ta-z]

@ Hissy: I'm not literally 'throwing' her as in tossing. I am just showing her that she is to play outside of the bed by putting her on the floor and throwing her toy to chase. I just meant it in the way as you throw someone out of the house - which you don't really do either. So no worries

@lizch6699: I have trimmed her claws, but it still hurts. And I can't tire her out. Tried it before, but her inner clock let's her wake at a certain time and do it. It's especially weird since I have never woken at this time of the night before. But she will do it almost every night.

Concerning the shampoos. I use 4 differnt types and she'll do it everytime. But I'll try the shampoo with lemon oil. Else I'll just rub toothpaste in it... she hates that smell

 

[milosmommy]

My kitty does the same thing...So I have sympathy for you.

I have curly hair also, reaching the middle of my back. I never thought of changing my shampoo which is a good idea I never thought of. I just tie my hair up in a bun or pony tail and I haven't had a problem since. I guess he lost interest since my hair wasn't all over the place.... If you haven't yet, give it a try and see what happens....Good Luck

 

[musicteacher]

Cleo used to try to wake me up by taking clumps of my hair in her mouth and pulling. She eventually grew out of this habit when she realized that I wasn't going to get up. Cats are nocturnal, and they play at night. Since you are your kitty's playmate, she wants you to get up and play during the night. Don't give in and she will probably stop after a while. You may have to endure a few months of being woken up and trying to ignore her, but if she doesn't get a response from you she will stop trying. You may also consider getting her a playmate.

 

[x-ta-z]

I tried ignoring her, coz I thought she'd get bored eventually when I show no reaction. but when the claws come out and she scratches my poor sensitive head, then I just can't keep still anymore.

I already have a towel in my bed so that I can wrap my hair up in case she plays with it again. Unfortuantely it won't stayt in place all the time

Singa has already pounced on my bf's face, cause he had a curly strand hanging in his face which obviously moved in the breeze. Thank goodnes she didn't use her claws

... well now he has cut his hair very! short....
but he's a guy... so it's ok for him to run around with 5 mm short hair

 

[yangdemei]

x-ta-z I have the same problem with Mitts. He also ate my hair, resulting in bizarre bead necklace like poops!

I've just cut my hair shortish and the problem persists. However, he is now FINALLY used to the word no. So he does stop if I say that to him forcefully. It's only taken 6 months!

 

[charlie'smommie]

I've never had this problem myself but a friend has. She ended up wearing a toque to bed to protect her head and her hair. It was a bit hot but it worked.

 

[dawnofsierra]

Both of my girls do this at times, and I find it to be a precious show of love.

 

[x-ta-z]

Originally Posted by yangdemei

x-ta-z I have the same problem with Mitts. He also ate my hair, resulting in bizarre bead necklace like poops!

Ah! Now I understand were that comes from.

Singa usually understands a 'no', but sometimes she just won't listen.

I really hope she stops soon. I really get annoyed by it

 

[iarecrystal]

What about just closing your bedroom door? I know I like to sleep with my kitties, but soemtimes they don't let me sleep, so I close my door.

 

[x-ta-z]

Originally Posted by iarecrystal

What about just closing your bedroom door? I know I like to sleep with my kitties, but soemtimes they don't let me sleep, so I close my door.

True!!! Now that you say it... I used to lock her out when she first started it. Then she stopped so I let her be with me... She hasn't done it for a month or so... Now that she is starting it again, I might just lock her out again until she gets the message....

 

[sar]

Tibby and Molly do this quite often!! I sleep with my hair tied back, but it makes now difference!!

To be honest, I don't mind them doing it really - they seem to enjoy it - so I just class them as my nightly stylists and enjoy seeing the results in the morning!

 

[ksakkos]

have you thought of wearing one of these kind of plastic "hats" for the shower..? you can even spray it from outside with some lemon juice and wear it for some time until your kitten grows and finds other things to do instead...

 

[hareting]

probably locking her out from bedroom is the best answer.
i once read from a book that cats r most active and hunt at dawn, to change their internal clock it take at least 10 days.

when i first got Nana i put her into the bathroom at night, with her bed, water and food and only 1 small toy. and i turn off the light.

b4 i put her into the bathroom, i usualy spend 15 min playing wth her, until she's all tired out. then i put her into her bed and pet her, once she gets sleepy and start cleaning herself i'd praise her and say goodbye sweet dreams to her.

then in the morning i let her out, wait for 30 mins then give her food and play with her.

after 1 week, i let her out at night..and she'd sleep on the couch..everythign seems perfect. then about 3 days later, i found her waking up earlier and earlier, wake up around dawn and starts runing around. so i shut her in the bathroom at night again. after another week, she's totally adapted to this new schedule - play during daytime and sleep at night.

she'd sleep with me at night now, even thought if she wakes up earlier than i do (i sleep 10 hrs at least), she just quietly walk around and would never wake me up. only when it's weekend and i sleep until like 12 moon then she'd start playing with her mouse and "accidentally" drop it on my blanket and jump on me to grab it..hahahah

my vet told me to never feed / play with the cat right after you wake up.
or else they'd try to wake u up earlier and earlier each day.

 

[x-ta-z]

Originally Posted by hareting

my vet told me to never feed / play with the cat right after you wake up.
or else they'd try to wake u up earlier and earlier each day.

i usually take a shower and get dressed before i feed her in the morning.... but she still jumps around and plays with my hair in the morning.

sometimes she is good so when i put her down or shove her away she will just cuddle up again and sleep (for an hour or so) and other times she will just not get it.
this morning i locked her out and she came back every now and then crying adn scratching at my door.

my poor baby...

 

[chicagopunkie]

My Serafina does the same thing. Not only when I'm asleep, but when I'm awake as well. She has also done that to a friend of mine a couple of times.

I swear she used to be a hair stylist in a different lifetime! She spends a lot of time on my hair and sections parts of it off while she's working on it. Sometimes she does a real good job. If she starts getting her claws in my scalp, I just tell her "gently" and she understands. I don't get it! LOL

If I tell her to stop too soon, particularly when she wakes me up; my hair gets yucky. I noticed she kind of "spits" out something and if I stop her too soon, she doesn't get it out of my hair.