Cat with Attitude

[typhoonsmum]

Our cat has an attitude problem.

She likes to spend her time taking random swipes at people passing thru the spindles and scratching the couch.

She looks at us like she owns the house and refuses to eat anything but Whiskas and Felix. To the point of walking all over my head at 4am till I go and change the cheap stuff I bought.

Is there anything I can do about the food problem. Whiskas and Felix cost more than the others (not much I know but look after the pennies)

And my couches. How do I stop her from destoying them

[WonderCod]

hiss at the scratching

[pointydog]

Cat, attitude, cannot separate them.

Spray her with water.

When that doesn't work give in to all her demands.

[MossletoeAndWine]

Our Ziggy is awful for that crying in the middle of the night. Maybe he's getting me ready for dc1?

On the food side, Whiskas dry is cheaper than tinned Whiskas, but is still nice (i.e. not 80% ash or whatever some of the ultra cheapo stuff is).

As for the crying at night, we basically - I kid you not - let him "cry it out" for a few nights. Made sure he had access to water and his cat flap in case he needed to go out.

He's now fine until my alarm goes off at 615, then he starts to cry, but that's fine (except on weekends, but I can deal with that!)

As for acting like she owns the place, don't you know, she does?

Have never been able to stop Ziggy scratching the couches, or terrorising the dogs with his random catattacks, I'm afraid, can't help you there!

[ilovecaboose]

hiss at her when she scratches and get a water pistol if necessary when she scratches couch or swipes at people.

Strong citrus smells can put them off things (as can disinfectant) but don't know if it would damage your sofa.

Have you got a scratching post? If so have you tried putting catnip on it (you can get pure dried stuff for about £2, the others don't always work well).

Can you shut her somewhere at night, where she can get to cat flap/water bowl but not to you? Like kitchen/utility room. YOu can always put cat bed/old towels in there.

[Tan1959]

Sounds a bit like my cat apart from the scratching of furniture. He started to scratch as a kitten but sqirting with water did the trick.

My cat too takes random swipes especially if you walk past him in front of his face, he has nibbled my ankle or foot on occasion too especially when he wants his food! I have put his bed outside my bedroom door but when the door is not shut properly, I get woken up by a paw patting my face, claws being dug into my head or worse still, to get woken up by stinky breath on my face - he literally rests his face on my cheek & dribbles ! YUK not nice...

[edam]

PMSL at 'cat with attitude'. That's the deal, really. You want an animal with no attitude, you get a dog. Or a goldfish. Or anything that isn't feline.

Apparently you can try rubbing lemon soap on the sofa - gets under their claws and suggests this is not a fun thing to do.

[chocolatebirdy]

My cat was exactly like that but we recently got him spayed and he has become alot calmer, but now has mental running fits all round the house that last around 5 mins instead. Also insists on sleeping on my head and helping himself to my glass of water on the bed side table!

[typhoonsmum]

Have tried the water spray but when ever she scratches i can't find the spray.

She had a stratching post but she ignored it. Prefered the couch. Tried the catnip but when it wore off she wasn't interested.

[poinsettydog]

You need to find the spray. Have a small spray bottle in every cat room (i have a nice decorative one from ikea).

The spray is probably your only hope.

[PeachyIsNowAChristmasFruit]

Cut her claws, our kitten does this but now its a gentle pat instead of a painful swipe, iyswim. if you don't know what you're doing ask a vet, if you give it a go be careful only to cut the white part or it'll bleed.

Water works too, as does giving the cat a scratching post- often it just means the cat needs a scratching point. If you don't want to buy a twee product amde of sisal, a pievce of old wood often does, check for possibilities of spinters.

[notnigella]

you all seem to know about cats, am reluctant to hijack so will open another post, pls look and help if you can