Scratching at bedding

[denneamarie]

I'm wondering if anyone else has a cat that does this: my 7 month old kitten Sadie likes to sleep under the covers with me at night and normally will scratch at sheets/mattress right next to me (behind my back since I sleep on my side) or scratch/"tap" me on the shoulder so I will lift the covers for her to crawl under. However, lately starting at about 3 or 4am she's been scratching at my sheets or bed comforter constantly. At first I thought it was her wanting to get under the covers and I would wake up and lift the covers for her, but now she does it but doesn't want to go under the covers. She just walks away and as soon as I put the covers down she starts to do it again. It wouldn't bother me so much, but the scratching has now started to continually wake me up and cause me to not be able to fall back to sleep. Does anyone have a solution of how I can get her to stop? She's putting holes in my sheets and I'm afraid she's going to start putting holes in the my mattress once she wears through the sheets & comforter. I don't want to have to shut her out of my bedroom because my other cat doesn't do anything like this and also sleeps with me and Sadie normally just sleeps between my legs at night but has started this behavior only a few weeks ago. If anyone could give me some solutions or a reason as to why she would be doing this that would be great help. Thanks!

 

[AbbysMom]

I've never heard of that. Abby kneads, but doesn't scratch. So done should be along soon with some ideas.

 

[denneamarie]

Sadie, will kneed if she's laying in my lap or laying next to me but it's the oddest thing, she almost acts like she is digging. Kind of like cats do when they're next to their food bowls. I've noticed that she does it on both sides of me (since I sleep in the middle of my bed) but that she'll do it more so on the side that my male cat sleeps on. I'm not sure if she's trying to cover up his scent or something similar to that, which would surprise me considering the two of them get along fabulously and never fight at all. I've also noticed that if she does go under the covers she will do the same thing under the covers to the sheets/blanket that is around her. Any ideas would be fantastic on how to curb this behavior. I wouldn't mind if she was kneeding but she's slightly tearing up my bedding with this digging/scratching motion she has started to do. 

 

[stephanietx]

She might be trying to "nest" and "fluff" her bedding to her liking.  Hannah does that.  She likes it HER way, not mine!  LOL
 

 

[denneamarie]

I never thought of it that way. Maybe I'm just noticing it more with her than I do with Harlow since he doesn't have front claws (worst decision I ever made getting those removed. Too bad I was forced into it because my old roommate threatened to report me to our landlord since our apartment enforced it and it was a condition in our lease in order to have pets) and Sadie does have claws. 

I'll just have to live with it, but I guess that's the price us cat companions pay since it seems they tend to "own" us. Haha. 

 

[minka]

I agree she is probably just trying to make the bed more 'comfy'. I would just start trimming her nails to keep your bed safe ^^

 

[denneamarie]

I agree she is probably just trying to make the bed more 'comfy'. I would just start trimming her nails to keep your bed safe ^^

Minka, I will do that. She has no problem with me trimming her nails at all. Actually prefers that I do it while she sleeps. If I try while she's awake she gets annoyed but if she's sleeping and I do it, she just opens an eye, looks at me and goes back to bed. How often do you suggest I trim them? I normally do them about once a month or so....

 

[minka]

Depends on how fast they grow. I think once a week is pretty common. Basically if there is something to clip, clip it ^^